Turbo captures the spirit and magic of the most infectious decade ever. Part of the Verve collection, Playforever's Turbo Lauper is inspired by the F1 cars of the 80's. With unapologetic clashing...
Turbo captures the spirit and magic of the most infectious decade ever. Part of the Verve collection, Playforever's Turbo Miami is inspired by the F1 cars of the 80's. With unapologetic clashing...
Back in the 70s, F1 racing was a dangerous, high-speed game. Cars were fast, drivers were furious and the competition was intense. The Velocita collection by Playforever was inspired by...
On your marks...get set... go! You can almost hear the roar of the engine as Malibu stands poised, ready for the race. Drawing inspiration from the early Maserati Formula 1...
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 /...
Hansa Portraits in Nature is a hand-crafted collection of realistic plush animals. Artists working in a socially responsible and environmentally responsible studio create each Hansa animal from portraits of the...
Hansa Portraits in Nature is a hand-crafted collection of realistic plush animals. Artists working in a socially responsible and environmentally responsible studio create each Hansa animal from portraits of the...
Down on the farm discover this shiny red wooden tractor and detachable trailer. Perfectly scaled for popular brands of toy animals and farm characters. (not included) Encourages children to use their...
Ready, steady, go! The BRIO Remote Control Race Car will give children hours of racing fun with its bright red chassis and classic BRIO looks. The aim is to...
The BRIO World Steam Train & Tunnel is beautifully crafted with a classic design and wooden details. The golden age of the toy train is back as this handsome steam...
Your lovable little storytime friend Meet the Toniebox - a new audio system designed for little listeners. Turn it on, pop a Tonie on top and let the audio...
This wonderful English Double Decker gives your children double the fun and and lets them work their imagination twice as hard! This sweet English car has twice the windows to support...
These beautifully painted racing cars will bring any child joy and keep them well entertained. The vibrant paint will keep anyone's attention and the colorful rubber ring around the wheels...
Young motoring fans will love going for a drive with Bajo's LR Racing Car. Made from solid wood, this cool car can easily turn left and right and is ready...
Little pilots will love making these wooden toy airplanes soar into the sky. A chunky wooden toy that's perfect for little ones to play. Sturdy enough to become a favored...
This camper with its little cute surfboard is ready to it the beach. For all those budding beach babes, this sweet little camper will bring hours of creative play, as...
This small yet fun wooden toy car with blocks is great for any child. The blocks can easily be removed and put back. This little car trucks along, moving swiftly...
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.