The perfect first mini dollhouse includes two box-shaped rooms and 2 roof-peaked rooms. Windows in each room keep the house light and bright! Playing with a dollhouse encourages children to...
One of each dinosaur in a display shelf. (Tyrannosaurus Rex, Velociraptor, Parasaurolophus, Triceratops, Pterodactyl, Stegosaurus, Ankylosaurus, Brachiosaurus) Age range: 3 Years+ Product size: 14.17 x 2.95 x 12.8” Weight: 2.82...
These 24 pieces of wooden cubes set are made out of linden tree covered with water-based paint that you can see the structure of wood through. Together with deep unconventional...
The wooden rocket is ready to be launched! The Cosmic Rocket set has everything your child needs to explore the galaxy. Prepare to land on a new planet with space...
One of each animal in a display shelf. (Sea Turtle, Dolphin, Flying Fish, Seal, Puffin, Hermit Crab, Crab, Whale, Penguin, Seagull) Age range: 3 Years+ Product size: 14.25 x 2.95...
This bright yellow bus is perfect for playtime and its little windows provide a comfortable grip for little hands! Made for ages 1+ years and up Size: 5"x2"x3"
A yummy collection of 8 chocolate bonbons made from solid wood and painted in various chocolate and raspberry colors. All contained on a natural wood 2 tier cake stand that...
The Cheese & Dairy set features fresh milk, a block of butter, a pot of yogurt, a pot of cream and 3 delicious kinds of cheese for all the cheese...
Let your child's imagination run wild with this beautiful Castle Building Blocks Set that features all the shapes needed to build their own castle, city, race track, or whatever their creative minds...
A robust wooden cash register toy. This retro-style till includes a wooden till receipt, easy-open cash drawer plus wooden & paper play money. Vintage detailing illustrated on the sides in...
Ready to get on the bus and go for a ride around town? The Lubu buses offer space for one driver and two passengers and come with three wooden figures....
Ready to get on the bus and go for a ride around town? The Lubu buses offer space for one driver and two passengers and come with three wooden figures....
Ready to get on the bus and go for a ride around town? The Lubu buses offer space for one driver and two passengers and come with three wooden figures. The...
Kids on the go learn to identify their favorite modes of transportation on land, sea, and air - from a helicopter to a baby carriage. Made from wood from sustainable...
A crate of wooden breads including a pretzel, an iced bun, a croissant, a pain au chocolate and a swirl bun. Age: 2 years+ Encourages creative interactive play Material: Ethically made...
This adorable wooden Panda is light weight and easy to play with. Their limbs can be moved so your child can imitate the real movements of the living endangered species. They...
This adorable wooden Polar Bear is light weight and easy to play with. Their limbs can be moved so your child can imitate the real movements of the living endangered...
This adorable wooden Gorilla is lightweight and easy to play with. Their limbs can be moved so your child can imitate the real movements of the living endangered species. They...
This assortment is designed to enable children to gain skill in handling chopsticks applied to cooking and serving functions. Includes 1 wok, 2 small dishes, 4 chopsticks, 1 pair of...
This 30 piece track allows for creative layouts and endless storytelling. Accessories that move include an engine and 3 carriages holding 27 small logs of various colors. A logging truck...
This set includes a wooden face shaped base, 2 hair buns and 28 magnetic facial parts to convey lots of emotions, from happy to sad, sleepy to excited! Encourages Social...
Take the train with its 2 carriages on a mountain trail to see a bear, moose, and fox. Balance the animals on 2 grassy parts, the fir tree or the...
This wood activity center is packed full of exciting features! Includes 4 quadrants in the shape of a tree with a variety of activities for baby: 6 tracks with animal-themed...
Protein is important for building muscles. Practice preparing foods like beef, chicken, fish and bacon with this realistic kitchen playset. Includes play knife and lemon wedge.
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.