Young musicians will love this wooden xylophone! 2 in 1 toy, it is also a pull-out toy they can take everywhere from their first steps. Thanks to a rubber part,...
The wooden doll pram stroller has been designed in a classic traditional & aesthetic style with pretty, delicate detailing. Featuring soft pastel pink, cream and fresh white colours with heart...
These swim goggles are unique, fun and perfect for those days out in the water. Product Details: Adjustable strap Antifog polycarbonate lenses with UV protection Silicone. Latex-free. Ages 3...
Curious toddlers flip sensory puzzle pieces over to feel and identify them from their bumpy ridges, smooth surfaces, soft plush and more with Tactile Search and Match. Nine different textures...
Let the good times shake, rattle and roll! Tap your hand on the wooden play surface or rattle in one hand to make a sound like rain with the multi-colored...
Protein is important for building muscles. Practice preparing foods like beef, chicken, fish and bacon with this realistic kitchen playset. Includes play knife and lemon wedge.
From colossal condors to polychromatic peacocks, The Atlas of Amazing Birds celebrates winged creatures through joyful watercolors and well-researched, humorously told tales of their habits and habitats. Some birds migrate thousands of...
The Body Book is an exciting way to explore all the amazing things our body can do. What’s going on inside our bodies? How do we move, eat, think, and breathe? Children...
The tales of Peter Rabbit are celebrated in this full-color classic edition that features never-before-seen original art and a newly designed format. New York Times bestselling illustrator Charles Santore brings...
The Night Before Christmas" has enchanted children with the story of St. Nicholas climbing down the chimney and filling all the stockings before springing back to his sleigh. Many families...
Thin Stix in 12 classic colors! Thin Stix Solid Tempera Paint has all the same qualities and features of Kwik Stix, but a thinner tube for better detail and different...
This is Britain, first published in 1974, encompasses the nation’s many facets, from the mystery of Stonehenge to the monuments of the British Isles. Among his stops are the White...
This is Hong Kong, first published in 1965, captures the enchantment and the contrasts of Hong Kong in the sixties. Roaring jets bring in the tourists; bamboo rickshaws taxi them...
One Day in the Lives of Seven Kids from around the World! Follow one day in the real lives of seven kids from around the world—Italy, Japan, Iran, India,...
This is Israel, first published in 1962, visits the Promised Land, a sun-drenched panorama of many hues and many traditions. From the Sea of Galilee to the Red Sea (it’s...
This is London, first published in 1959 and now updated for the 21st century. Here this beloved illustrator shares his impressions of London with its beautiful buildings, historic monuments, bridges,...
This Is New York, first published in 1960 and now updated for the 21st century. The Dutchman who bought the island of Manhattan from the Native Americans in 1626 for twenty-four...
This Is Paris, first published in 1959 and now updated for the 21st century. We see its famous buildings, its beautiful gardens, the museums, the sidewalk cafes, and the people who...
This is Rome, first published in 1960, traces the history of Roman civilization to bring to life the Rome of the 60's. Sasek navigates Rome's busy, winding streets to visit...
In This is the Way to the Moon, first published in 1963, Sasek rockets readers to Cape Canaveral—the space capital of the world, a science-fiction-turned-fact spot on the Florida coast—with...
Super-tourist Sasek paints Washington red, white, and blue as he tours the nation’s capital. Stops include the Washington Monument, the White House, and the Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park, the last...
Use the Tileblox Inspire 60Pc Set to create a rocket ship, castle or your favorite animal. With six different geometric shapes including squares and triangles, the Tileblox 60pc Set is...
Arriving with 16 equilateral triangles, 22 squares, 2 trapezoids, 6 isosceles triangles, 4 rectangles, and 10 right-angle triangles this set is perfect for your young budding builder! Each geometric shape...
Tiny Polka Dot is a playful way for children to fall in love with numbers. With eye-catching, colorful cards and 16 easy-to-learn games, Tiny Polka Dot is built to grow...
Play is essential for children because it contributes to their intellectual, physical, emotional and social development. When children play, they exercise their creativity, develop their imagination, master their dexterity, improve their cognitive ability and build physical strength. Experts agree that the best kinds of play allow kids to set their own goals, negotiate challenges, develop and share ideas, and make their own rules.
But how can we make sure our kids are getting enough healthy, unstructured play time when they’re growing up in an overscheduled and stressful environment, when parents are overly focused on producing high academic achievers, and safety concerns prevent us from letting our kids roam around freely and unsupervised? Perhaps the best thing we can do for our kids is to make sure they have the right kinds of toys at home to make play time most rewarding.
First and foremost is safety. Safe toys for young children are sturdy, without sharp parts or splinters, free of pinching hazards, and easy to clean. If the toy will be used by an infant, it’s important that parts aren’t small enough to become a choking hazard.
Toys must be made from non-toxic materials and coated with lead-free paints. You should steer clear of antique toys, second-hand toys and homemade toys that have not been tested and approved by a certified testing lab, or may have been produced before the current regulations governing toy manufacturing were in effect.
In addition to being safe, a good toy will match the child’s appropriate stage of development and abilities.
The best baby activity toys for infants between 0-6 months are things they can reach, grasp, suck on, shake, and make noise with. Some age-appropriate toys for little babies are squeeze toys, teething toys, soft dolls, textured balls, and board books.
Infants between 6-12 months are starting to crawl, sit up and pull themselves to a standing position. They are capable putting things in and out of containers and placing objects on top of each other. Some of the best baby activity toys for this age group are dolls, vehicles with wheels, bath toys, large beads, nesting toys, large soft blocks, wooden blocks, and push & pull toys.
As your child continues to grow, look for toys that will encourage them to explore, create, pretend, imagine, and learn from trial and error.