Play Time
Moulin Roty Moulin Roty Plush Toy Bergamote The ...
$48.00From Under my Baobab Tree collection, Moulin Roty Bergamote the Elephant comes in an ideal medium size cuddle plush toy allowing the baby to grasp its long legs and two...
Maileg Maileg Micro Pram
$46.00A beautiful Maileg pram with an exclusive vintage look. The metal part has embossed details on the sides, and the fabric cover fulfills the look. The pram is perfect for...
Bajo Wooden Formula 1 Racing Toy Car
$45.00These beautifully painted racing cars will bring any child joy and keep them well entertained. The vibrant paint will keep anyone's attention and the colorful rubber ring around the wheels...
Playforever Playforever Mini Speedy Le Mans Toy C...
$45.00Mini Speedy Le Mans is a toy car in its simplest, most organic form. Taking its smooth, curved shape – a shape that conveys movement and fluidity even when parked...
Maileg Maileg Bunny Bob Doll with Bag
$42.00This cute little bunny comes in a polka dots bag with a blue pouch in front where your little one can bring anywhere they go without leaving Bob Bunny behind or...
Maileg Maileg Mouse Afternoon Treat Madelaine
$40.00This tea set is the perfect size for a mouse paw. Each set includes all you need for a cozy moment with tea, cakes, and tableware. It comes in a...
Playforever Playforever Turbo Race Car Toy Miami
$40.00Turbo captures the spirit and magic of the most infectious decade ever. Part of the Verve collection, Playforever's Turbo Miami is inspired by the F1 cars of the 80's. With unapologetic clashing...
Maileg Maileg Mini Wooden Bed Toy Mint Blue
$40.00A wooden bed that fits bunnies and rabbits in size 1 and 2 perfectly. Beautiful handpainted details on the bed - variation may occur. Soft bed linen, made in unique...
Playforever Playforever Leadbelly Toy Car Sonny Blue
$40.00An American muscle car, make it bigger, faster, stronger. Detroit carmakers saw what the hot rodders were doing in the late ’60s and started bringing these ideas to the workingman....
Playforever Playforever Velocita Race Car Toy Blue
$39.00Back in the 70s, F1 racing was a dangerous, high-speed game. Cars were fast, drivers were furious and the competition was intense. The Velocita collection by Playforever was inspired by...
Maileg Maileg Micro Rabbit in Carry Cot
$38.00This playset is the perfect start to any story. A soft carry cot made in a beautiful fabric where the small bunny in a colorful suit can easily be tucked...
Trendy Tech Sing Along Pro 3 Karaoke Microphone
$38.00Are you ready to step up your karaoke night game? With Trend Tech Brands Sing A Long Pro 3 Karaoke Microphone, you'll blow the competition out of the water! With...
CUCU Silicone Beach Play Set
$38.00This Silicone Beach Play Set is eco-friendly and made to last! This beach bucket play set contains all the essentials for keeping your children engaged for hours. Set includes a Bucket,...
Candylab Candylab Cotswold Royal Blue Toy Car
$38.00In a quest to overcome the rush for your afternoon tea - or tee? Must take the unpaved shortcut? Does your antiquing passion require copious amounts of comfortable travel? The Cotswold has...
Maileg Maileg MY Cradle with Sleeping Bag
$38.00A beautifully designed cradle in metal with a soft sleeping bag and mattress inside. The cradle has rounded feet, so you can easily rock your, small soft friends, into sleep....
Candylab Candylab Pioneer Classic Toy Car
$38.00The iconic shape, wood sides, magnetic canoe on top, beefy new tires, everything screams adventure, camping, and good old times. Miniature learning tool on how to adventure properly. Materials: Solid Beech...
Bajo Wooden Toy Airplane
$38.00Little pilots will love making these wooden toy airplanes soar into the sky. A chunky wooden toy that's perfect for little ones to play. Sturdy enough to become a favored...
Maileg Maileg Mouse Abri a Tricycle Toy
$36.00Big brother/sister mice fit this Maileg Mouse Abri a Tricycle perfectly. Mice with magnets in their hands can easily hold the handles. This beautiful bike comes in a garage box...
Maileg Maileg Small Gantosaurus in Egg Dark ...
$36.00Gantosaurus collection will ensure a lot of playful hours. All dinos are made of the softest fabric and come with their own natural-looking Gantosaurus egg. Please note that the elastic...
Playforever Playforever Loretino Toy Car Blue
$36.00We are excited to introduce Loretino Monaco racing car - a cute and playful scaled-down version of its big brother (and the very first car in the Playforever collection), Bruno. In...
Playforever Playforever Verve Malibu Toy Car Blue
$35.00On your marks...get set... go! You can almost hear the roar of the engine as Malibu stands poised, ready for the race. Drawing inspiration from the early Maserati Formula 1...
Maileg Maileg Tooth Fairy Mouse in Matchbox ...
$34.00At night the tooth fairy spreads fairy dust, collects baby teeth, brings treats and always makes sure you have sweet dreams. Dressed magically in a blue starred top, a magic wand,...
Maileg Maileg Little Brother Beach Mouse in ...
$34.00Little Brother Mouse is ready to join Big Brother Mouse to swim! Matches his striped swim shorts is a yellow beach towel and floaters. His cozy cabin is also always ready when...
Grimm's Authentic Grimm's Large Waterwaves St...
$34.00Large Water Waves Stacker is a unique, clever, and versatile Waldorf-inspired stacking and nesting puzzle/toy, hand carved from a single piece of wood. These nesting waves represent the element of...
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.