Grimm’s 12 Piece Rainbow is a versatile toy perfect for your growing little one. Toddlers can use the rainbow for stacking and sorting, and as they get older your children...
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...
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...
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...
Corolle Bebe Calin is the perfect first doll for your little girl to play mommy! Corolle Bebe Calin Details: Suitable for infants 18m+ Slightly scented with vanilla The doll's face,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Miniland 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....
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...
Little Isabelle bunny in her stylish ivory linen dress with a ruffled collar. Sweetest little pom poms on the side of her ears. Features: Suitable from 3 years Untreated pure...
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...
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...
Daisy is a super cute big bunny with soft floppy ears and a pretty blush tulle dress with sparkly silver spots. Features: Linen cotton body with all new poly fiberfill...
A perfect little security blankie and tagalong for your child. The delicious cashmere-like material is perfect for babies and toddlers to snuggle. Each blankie features a sweet animal head that’s...
Perfect for tiny hands to grip, these adorable teethers help to soothe your baby's sore gums. The BioCote Antimicrobial Technology helps keep germs at bay, whilst textured bumps get teething...
Miniland 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...
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...
Grimm’s 12 Piece Rainbow Monochrome is a versatile toy perfect for your growing little one. Toddlers can use the rainbow for stacking and sorting, and as they get older your...
Primo 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...
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...
100% silicone baby car seat toy and stroller toy attachment. The soft and flexible design adds a great distraction for curious babies who like to touch, tug, and chew on...
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.