Play Time
3 Sprouts Play Mat Bag Whale Blue
$25.50A great toy storage bag which doubles as a play mat - an easy way to keep toys in one place, ready for play! The sturdy cotton and handles make...
Sophie La Giraffe Bath Sophie Blue
$16.99The Sophie Bath Toy by Calisson from the Sophie La Girafa is the perfect addition to the tub to make bath time fun! Floats When squeezed, the Sophie bath toy...
Playforever Playforever Midi Bonnie Race Car Toy ...
$55.00From Wedges to Mary Janes; vivid colour blocking to bright two tones, just like the rest of our Midi range, Bonnie’s design is inspired by the bold colour and shape...
Playforever Playforever Maverick Heat Police Toy ...
$60.00Straight out of 1960s New York, Playforever's Maverick Heat vehicles are a bold representation of the famous slab-sided vehicles of the era. With distinctive flat sides and super large surface...
Playforever Playforever Midi Clyde Race Car Toy M...
$55.00Embracing the era of 1950s rockabilly chic, Clyde is modern twist on the classic hot rod American cars. Rolled up capris and bright Mary Janes; halter necks and hair scarves...
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...
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 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...
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...
Micro Kickboard Micro Kickboard Scooter Head Dino
$25.00Bring a friend along on every ride with a colorful, funky Micro Kickboard Scooter Head! Choose from a variety of characters to make your adventures even more fun. They attach...
Micro Kickboard Micro Kickboard Maxi Deluxe LED Scooter
$155.00The Micro Kickboard Maxi Deluxe LED Scooter takes the multi-award-winning, much-revered children's three-wheeled scooter to the next level. This deluxe version has LED light-up front wheels, an anodized stem for extra...
Micro Kickboard Micro Kickboard Scooter Head Blue Shark
$25.00Bring a friend along on every ride with a colorful, funky Micro Kickboard Scooter Head! Choose from a variety of characters to make your adventures even more fun. They attach simply...
Micro Kickboard Micro Kickboard Maxi Deluxe Scooter
$145.00This Micro Kickboard Maxi Deluxe Scooter version has an anodized stem for extra protection against wear and tear, a unique, silicone-injected footplate for improved grip, and an adjustable T-bar, meaning that...
Micro Kickboard Micro Kickboard Mini 3in1 Deluxe Scooter
$125.00The perfect gift for one-year-old’s, the Micro Kickboard Mini 3in1 Deluxe Scooter grows with ages 1 through 5, is virtually indestructible, and is the highest-rated scooter of its kind. Micro...
Micro Kickboard Micro Kickboard Mini Deluxe Scooter
$95.00The Micro Kickboard Mini Deluxe Scooter is the best-rated Micro scooter for preschoolers! It features an adjustable handlebar allowing the Micro scooter to fit your child at each stage of growth...
Grimm's Authentic Grimm's Pebbles Blocks River
$23.00These pebble blocks are perfect for balance and stacking challenges, decorating scenic play, making a stony puppet show landscape, and building cairns. This four-piece set is painted in gorgeous graduated...
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...
Jellycat Jellycat Bashful Bunny Beau
$25.00Jellycat Bashful Bunny is a popular fellow with scrummy-soft Jellycat fur and lovely long flopsy ears mean that with just one cuddle, you’ll never want to let go. Irresistibly cute...
Jellycat Jellycat Dexter Dragon
$32.50 – $65.00Most dragons are fiery, but Dexter Dragon is flopsy! No scales for this scamp - just snuggle-soft fur in chalky blue and warm maroon red. Gorgeously detailed with soft horns,...
Bunnies By the Bay Silly Buddy Plush Toy Bunny Blue
$19.00Lots of pacifiers lost? Say no more, this cute silly buddy will be the solution to this problem. Floppy, sloppy, silly and soft, this playful pacifier holding silly buddies, tie...
Ambosstoys Ambosstoys Primo Classic Ride On Toy ...
$249.99Primo ride on toys combines classic Italian design with the finest craftsmanship to create a timeless ride on the scooter for toddlers and design lovers. PRIMO is the ultimate...
Bajo Wooden Toy Car with Blocks
$26.00This small yet fun wooden toy car with blocks is great for any child. The blocks can easily be removed and put back. This little car trucks along, moving swiftly...
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...
Zoli Chubby Gummy Teethers Mist Blue and A...
$14.00The Chubby Gummy is the ideal tool to soothe your baby when they are going through their teething phase, while also introducing dental hygiene. Suitable for infants 6m+ Includes two...
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.