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...
Charlotte is dressed in a pretty triangle-shaped peach polka-dot dress and bloomers, with a complimentary hooded knit sweater and booties. Charlotte has adorable pigtails adorned with pom-poms. She has blue...
Harper 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...
Anna is the perfect first baby doll. Her small size is perfect for toddlers to hold and cherish. She is dressed in an adorable long-sleeve onesie that includes a sweet...
Your mini me cyclist is in for a ‘wheelie’ good time with the Banwood Classic. Inspired by vintage bicycles for adults and influenced by Scandinavian design, the Banwood Classic features...
Your mini me cyclist is in for a ‘wheelie’ good time with the Banwood Classic. Inspired by vintage bicycles for adults and influenced by Scandinavian design, the Banwood Classic features...
Corolle 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...
This 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...
Sophie's Doll House includes a wooden staircase that plays the role of room divider. Fully painted and decorated, the wallpaper is full of details children love to spot. It also...
Kaitlin is dressed in a pretty white dress with a pink printed leaf design. She wears a complementary pink knit sweater and booties. Kaitlin has blonde hair fashioned in adorable...
Baby Doll Taylor is dressed in a pretty peach dress, and complementary knit sweater and booties. Taylor has adorable pigtails and bangs in blonde hair. She has blue eyes and a...
Tasha is dressed in a white star polka-dot dress, with a long-sleeve white sweater with a grey-white fur hood. The white pacifier is attached to the doll's clothing with a...
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...
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...
Beautiful, soft, and cuddly Alimrose Sienna doll in Pale Pink design. A beautiful addition to any girl's room, ideal for playtime, decor, or as a special keepsake. Age: 3 years+...
A fashionable way to play with your little girls with this water-based and toxic-free vegan nail polish, roll-on lip gloss, and glitter body roll-on. This set is specially made for little ones to enjoy in...
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...
Corolle 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...
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...
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...
These 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...
These 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...
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.