Play Time
Bunnies By the Bay Silly Buddy Plush Toy Bunny Pink
$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...
Janod Princesses Magnetibook
$20.00This magnetic educational game has a princess theme that will transport your child's imagination on the land of the royalties. Composed of 55 magnets and 7 cards. Once the book is...
Maileg Maileg My First Bunny Plush Toy Dusty...
$26.00My 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...
Alimrose Mini Lilly Kitty Pink Linen Doll
$30.00Mini 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...
N&L Find Bunny Plush Toy Pink with Gray Ears
$33.00 – $106.00Bunny in Pink with Gray Ears! Looking for tiny, loving person to cuddle and can be your child's best friend, or companion in sleep, on a journey, and in playing. Perfect as...
Janod P'tite Little Miss Vanity Case Toy
$36.00This 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,...
Maileg Maileg Bunny Holly Doll with Bag
$42.00This 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...
Corolle Corolle Bebe Doll Calin Unicorn
$45.00Corolle Bebe Calin Unicorn is a little 12” baby doll that is just the right size for a child’s little arms and hands to play with.Its soft body allows it...
Banwood Classic Helmet Matte Pink
$49.00These 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 carefully selected colors with...
Banwood Classic Helmet Matte White
$49.00These 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 carefully selected colors with...
Banwood Classic Helmet Matte Red
$49.00These 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 carefully selected colors with...
Banwood Classic Helmet Matte Chrome
$49.00These 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 carefully selected colors with...
Banwood Classic Helmet Matte Coral
$49.00These 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 carefully selected colors with...
Banwood Classic Helmet Matte Black
$49.00These 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 carefully selected colors with...
Llorens Soft Baby Doll Harper
$50.00Harper is dressed in a pretty pink floral dress and complementary knit hooded sweater, booties and hat. Harper has lovely brown hair with a fashionable flip and bangs. She has...
Olli Ella Olli Ella Dozy Dinkum Doll Moppet
$50.00Say 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...
Corolle Corolle Bebe Bath Doll Coralie Flowers
$50.00Corolle Bebe Bath Coralie Flowers just loves water play! This small baby doll is the perfect swimming companion, helping your child to gently get to know all types of aquatic...
Miniland Baby Doll Asian Boy 15 inches
$56.00Miniland Asian Boy 15" Doll is anatomically correct, which means that they show the physical differences between boys and girls in a realistic way. They are made of soft and flexible vinyl....
Miniland Baby Doll Asian Girl 15 inches
$56.00Miniland Asian Girl 15" Doll is anatomically correct, which means that they show the physical differences between boys and girls in a realistic way. They are made of soft and flexible vinyl. They are...
Miniland Baby Doll African American Boy 15 inches
$56.00Miniland African American - Boy 15" Doll is anatomically correct, which means that they show the physical differences between boys and girls in a realistic way. They are made of soft...
Miniland Baby Doll African American Girl 15 in...
$56.00Miniland African American - Girl 15" Doll is anatomically correct, which means that they show the physical differences between boys and girls in a realistic way. They are made of soft and...
Miniland Baby Doll Brunette Girl 15 inches
$56.00Miniland Brunette Girl 15" Doll is anatomically correct, which means that they show the physical differences between boys and girls in a realistic way. They are made of soft and flexible vinyl. They...
Miniland Baby Doll Caucasian Girl 15 inches
$56.00Miniland Caucasian Girl 15" Doll is anatomically correct, which means that they show the physical differences between boys and girls in a realistic way. They are made of soft and flexible vinyl....
Banwood Helmet Marest Allegra White
$59.00The 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...
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.