Corolle Mon Grand Poupon Doll Alice Swan is a soft-bodied, 14-inch tall baby doll with blue sleepy eyes for little ones wanting a baby of their own to love. She is dressed...
I’m always hopping from one big dream to another. There’s so much I want to accomplish in this beautiful world, and I know I can do it if I don’t...
A magical gift for little girls, tweens, teens, kids, and unicorn lovers of all ages. This soft plush Dreamer provides comfort and play activity for your little ones. Measures 30...
Banwood® FIRST GO! Kids balance bike is a safe and durable training bicycle without pedals, chain or training wheels. It is the perfect choice for a first bike, as it...
Banwood x Marest First Go Balance Bike has been wrapped in a typical Marest print full of vibrant colors. The Vintage bike for kids is created to last and are...
The Banwood x Marest Helmet Allegra White kids' bike helmets are lightweight, stylish, and provide safety through design and tested materials. They are the perfect accomplice to any child’s adventure, designed in...
Scoot & Ride HighwayKick 1 is a 2-in-1 kickboard that provides a seat for its littlest riders. When your child is ready, the seat easily folds into the handlebar converting...
Scoot & Ride HighwayKick 1 is a 2-in-1 kickboard that provides a seat for its littlest riders. When your child is ready, the seat easily folds into the handlebar converting the...
Scoot & Ride HighwayKick 1 is a 2-in-1 kickboard that provides a seat for its littlest riders. When your child is ready, the seat easily folds into the handlebar converting the...
Scoot & Ride HighwayKick 1 is a 2-in-1 kickboard that provides a seat for its littlest riders. When your child is ready, the seat easily folds into the handlebar converting the...
The Scoot & Ride Kids Helmet comes in a beautiful array of colors to perfectly match your child’s Scoot & Ride kickboard! The innovative magnetic lock system keeps the helmet...
This cute little bunny comes in a polka dots bag with a pink pouch in front where your little one can bring anywhere they go without leaving Holly Bunny behind...
My first bunny in Dusty Rose is perfectly made for small hands. It is made in a soft plush quality and has a gold ribbon around the neck. It is...
With the 3-string Loog Mini Acoustic Guitar and its accompanying app, a child can learn to play songs - not just scales or exercises- on day one. This gives little rockers a...
With the 3-string Loog Mini Acoustic Guitar and its accompanying app, a child can learn to play songs - not just scales or exercises- on day one. This gives little rockers a sense of...
With the 3-string Loog Mini Acoustic Guitar and its accompanying app, a child can learn to play songs - not just scales or exercises- on day one. This gives little rockers a sense of...
With the 3-string Loog Mini Acoustic Guitar and its accompanying app, a child can learn to play songs - not just scales or exercises- on day one. This gives little rockers a sense of...
Mini Lilly is the sweetest mini kitten doll, with her own handbag! Lilly Kitty features a sweet pink linen dress & floral headband. She is ready for a playdate or...
Say hello to Moppet! Your baby’s first baby and lifelong friend with the perfect amount of squish for cuddles and play. Like all the Olli Ella Dozy Dinkums, Moppet is...
Say hello to the Olli Ella Luvya Bag. What can you store in this magical heart-shaped basket? Oh, the possibilities are endless! It’s the perfect size for your little one to carry their...
This toy has everything needed for your little girl to become the prettiest Little Miss! Includes 9 wooden accessories: a large mirror, a makeup palette with brush and built-in mirror,...
The luxury stroller that grows with your child. Designed in collaboration with Bentley Motors and with your toddler’s needs in mind, the Posh Baby & Kids Bentley 6-in-1 Stroller /...
The luxury stroller that grows with your child. Designed in collaboration with Bentley Motors and with your toddler’s needs in mind, the Posh Baby & Kids Bentley 6-in-1 Stroller / Tricycle is...
The luxury stroller that grows with your child. Designed in collaboration with Bentley Motors and with your toddler’s needs in mind, the Posh Baby & Kids Bentley 6-in-1 Stroller / Tricycle is...
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.