Play Time
Hansa Creation Realistic Plush Animal Parrot Yellow Red
$33.00Hansa 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...
Jellycat Jellycat Dexter Dragon
$32.50 – $65.00Most dragons are fiery, but Dexter Dragon is flopsy! No scales for this scamp - just snuggle-soft fur in chalky blue and warm maroon red. Gorgeously detailed with soft horns,...
Grimm's Authentic Grimm's Set of Bowls Outsid...
$32.00Grimm’s Set of Bowls is the perfect versatile toy for your little one! Your toddler can have endless fun stacking, sorting, nesting and using the bowls for imaginary play! Authentic...
Maileg Maileg Big Sister Tricycle Mouse Doll...
$30.00Maileg Big Sister Tricycle Mouse is dressed for a day in kindergarten or school, carrying her backpack on the back. She has magnets in her hands so she can hold the...
Bajo Wooden Classic Fire Engine
$30.00This wonderful wooden firetruck has a little ladder that goes up and down with a cute bell that jingles when it drives. The vibrant red color will be sure to...
Brio Steam Train and Tunnel
$30.00The 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...
Bajo Wooden Toy Car Camper with Surfboard
$30.00This 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...
Bajo Wooden English Double Decker Bus
$30.00This 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...
PlanToys PlanToys Rabbit Racing Car
$30.00PlanToys Rabbit Racing Car is the perfect toy for your little racer for endless pretend play! Includes turning wheel that gives the same movement as a real race car when...
Rubbabu Fireman Rubba Engine Toy
$29.00The Rubbabu Fire Truck in red and black is a unique toy truck for ages 0+. Soft, simple, and safe, it's perfect for long hours of pretend play. Supports the...
Maileg Maileg Mini Sleigh
$28.00A lovely sleigh with a soft mattress to keep the passengers warm and comfortable during the ride. This sleigh fits the climbing and mini pixies perfectly. It has beautiful handpainted...
Jellycat Jellycat Crimson Santa
$27.50 – $50.00Crimson Santa is very busy, packing his sleigh with toys and treats! This merry-berry pal has a silky-soft beard, tied with a sparkly bow! His scarlet hat has a pompom...
Bajo Wooden Toy Car with Blocks
$26.00This 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...
Jellycat Jellycat Cosmopop Rocket
$23.00Cosmopop Rocket is getting ready to launch, and is making all the final checks! Squidgy metallic boosters, bright red fur, shimmery bands, and a big excited grin - all good...
Grimm's Authentic Grimm's Pebbles Blocks Fire
$23.00These pebble blocks are perfect for balance and stacking challenges, decorating scenic play, making a stony puppet show landscape, and building cairns. This four-piece set is painted in gorgeous graduated...
Maileg Maileg Mouse Chair
$18.00A perfect place for your small Maileg friends to take a rest. This comfy chair fits nicely into the Maileg Gingerbread House with its red color tones. It is delivered...
Maileg Maileg Wooden Firetruck
$18.00This classic Maileg Wooden Firetruck is crafted with sustainable wood and is hand-painted so the painting style may vary. Perfect for little hands and their imaginary adventures. Pull these fun cars back, and...
Knitted World Crochet Stick Rattle Toadstool Red
$18.00This adorable soft toadstool rattle is lovingly hand-crocheted using luxuriously soft yarn derived from the pulp of the organically grown and sustainably harvested bamboo trees. Toys are tested for the...
Egmont Dustpan and Brush Toy
$18.00Pretend play housekeeping dustpan and brush are perfect for toddlers ready to help clean the house! Durably made with real bristles and real functionality. Kids can learn early how to...
Maileg Maileg Mouse Tricycle Hanger Toy Red
$17.00Add extra detail to your tricycle with the small hanger. It is easy to put the hanger on and it can store personal belongings or a smaller family member. Age:...
Jellycat Jellycat Birdling Cardinal
$17.00Adorable little Birdling Cardinal has elegant red fluffy fur and a typical black face. They are aggressive when defending their territory but loves to sing different melodies. Suitable from birth. Hand wash only;...
Maileg Maileg Small Mouse Rubber Boat Toy Re...
$16.00Vacation time. A small boat made in coated fabric for an authentic look. It is not waterproof, so only play on dry ground… only in your imagination, it can float...
Maileg Maileg Micro Wooden Wagon Toy
$16.00A small wagon is always needed - either to carry your best friend or the groceries. This little wagon is made of wood and painted in a soft rose color....
Rubbabu Mascot Toy Car
$16.00The Rubbabu Mascot Car is an easy-to-hold, easy-to-roll car. With a cute rounded design, in bright colors, this 5" high car is available in many colors and is popular in toy,...
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.