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...
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...
This 100% Pima Cotton security blanket in this adorable print not only helps comfort and soothe your baby, but helps improve fine motor skills with its ribbon loops. The blanket...
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...
Meet the Olli Ella Mushroom Basket - a magical home for forest-dwelling creatures, little animals, fairies, gnomes – and so much more. With a generous size, adjustable handle, and a little door (which opens and shuts), kids can open the Mushroom top and carry teeny treasures with...
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...
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...
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...
The Miniland Sensory Balls are 100% made of natural rubber from hevea trees. Their especially soft natural material makes them very easy to grip and suitable for handling and biting by...
Adorably cute rattle toy with plastic shake ring. This soft plush shaker rattle provides comfort and is a fun play activity for newborns and babies. A great gift for baby...
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+...
This cute Silicone + Wooden Teether is made with 100% Food Grade Silicone and organic maple wood. This toy is perfect to keep your little one entertained. The smooth edges...
This cute Silicone + Wooden Teether is made with 100% Food Grade Silicone and organic maple wood. This toy is perfect to keep your little one entertained. The smooth edges...
Chewbeads’ Central Park Teether is perfect for distracting your little one anywhere and ideal for soothing their sore gums! 100% silicone beads Soft on babies gums and emerging teeth Dishwasher...
Chewbeads’ Central Park Teether is perfect for distracting your little one anywhere and ideal for soothing their sore gums! 100% silicone beads Soft on babies gums and emerging teeth Dishwasher...
This cute baby silicone teether is the right size for little hands, featuring a soft and textured surface that will help soothe your little one's gums. A toy that will keep your little...
This cute baby silicone teether is the right size for little hands, featuring a soft and textured surface that will help soothe your little one's gums. A toy that will keep your little...
This cute baby silicone teether is the right size for little hands, featuring a soft and textured surface that will help soothe your little one's gums. A toy that will keep your little...
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.