Play Time
Glueckskaefer Bridge Stacking Set Rainbow
$58.00A Bridge Stacking Set in rainbow hues. The 8 wooden parts stack and nest together, and they can be used together or individually to make bridges and roads for...
Candylab Candylab Ambulance Toy Car
$12.00We’ve got a mini medic here to lend a helping hand! This Red and White Candycar Ambulance is first on the scene. Suitable for 3 years+ Materials: Solid Beech Wood, water-based...
Candylab Candylab B Berry Toy Car
$10.00Get berry excited for our little Candycar. This lilac Candycar, is the berry best addition to your Candycar collection. Materials: Solid Beech Wood, water-based paint and clear urethane coat. ABS...
Candylab Candylab B Nana Toy Car
$10.00Our most appealing Candycar yet, meet B.Nana! This cute Banana colored Candycar will have you craving some Banana Bread, a Banana Split maybe even Banana pudding? Materials: Solid Beech Wood,...
Candylab Candylab Big Sur Green Toy Car
$45.00Carved out of solid beechwood with a real metal roof rack, The Big Sur is our clearest nod yet at the bygone era of big, clumsy, and extremely charming vintage...
Candylab Candylab Blu 74 Toy Car
$25.00A sleek racer, tweaked with black rims, wider rear tires, a fastback cabin, and draped in a heart-tugging throwback livery. Materials: Solid Beech wood, water-based paint, and clear urethane coat. White ABS...
Candylab Candylab Carbon 77 Toy Car
$28.00Muted, discreet gray with a hairline bright red stripe. The wolf in sheep’s clothing, lucky number 77 will be the star on the imaginary quarter-mile circuit. Materials: Solid Beech wood,...
Candylab Candylab Citron Macaron Van Toy Car
$20.00Oh la la! Get ready for the cutest addition to the toy collection - the Candylab Macaron Van. This handcrafted beech wood toy is perfect for little pastry chefs in...
Candylab Candylab Cupcake Van Toy Car
$20.00There's never been a SWEETER wooden toy. Please welcome the Candylab Cupcake Van: complete with groovy graphics and an adorable squishy topper. Sprinkle this CANDYCAR® into any playset or collection! ...
Candylab Candylab Dart Wagon Toy Car
$10.00Peachy and pink, The Dart a sweet little addition to our Candycar line. Everything is just peachy keen with The Dart. Materials: Solid Beech Wood, water-based paint and clear urethane coat. ...
Candylab Candylab Donut Van Toy Car
$20.00You're supposed to be this amazed, it's impossible to glaze over this beauty. Already a crowd favorite, the donut van made its debut back in March 2019 and has been...
Candylab Candylab Drifter Kodiak Toy Car
$48.00The classic Drifter you know and love, now wilder than ever. Comes equipped with a shovel, dual jerry cans for long trips in the wild, and a spare wheel. The...
Candylab Candylab Drifter Nigel Toy Car
$48.00Some Drifters are built for speed, others are built for adventure. The Candylab Drifter Nigel was created for prestige. With a classy dark cherry base coat and tan race strip...
Candylab Candylab Fire Truck Toy Car
$30.00The Waterville Fire Department has been serving the neighborhood since 2022. This Big Rig features stunning red paint and a removable wooden ladder. Clear the streets when you hear this engine nearby,...
Candylab Candylab Hamburger Van Toy Car
$20.00Order Up! We’ve got a #1 and a side of fries! This Patty’s Van is complete with a bun and all the fixings. This squishy bun topper is absolutely too cute...
Candylab Candylab Hot Dog Van Toy Car
$20.00Nothing says NYC like a hot dog stand. As New Yorkers, we must pay tribute to the hot dog – it's the quintessential New York street food. Our hot dog...
Candylab Candylab Ice Cream Van Toy Car
$20.00Soft-serving up good looks. As far as a symbol of simpler times and a carefree way to stuff sugar and calories in your childhood, you can’t beat the ice cream...
Candylab Candylab Lone Sheriff Toy Car
$36.00A new Sheriff in town! This newest design is the romantic embodiment of prairie drives, following desert tracks and defending the small town order. Age: 3 years+ Materials & Info: Solid Beech Wood,...
Candylab Candylab Malibu Beach Tower Toy
$36.00This here is a sweet accessory to any beach-themed playset, or discerning shelf. Pastel-painted plywood and rubber lifesaver included. Age: 3 years+ No sand included! Please note: Some assembly...
Candylab Candylab Mini Drifter Zebra Toy Car
$12.00Candylab Mini Drifter Zebra is ready for the next mountain adventure this tiny truck is geared up with a 5th wheel for that flat tire that we wish we would...
Candylab Candylab Orange Racer GT 10 Toy Car
$28.00In a bright orange, race striped livery, it riffs on the pure soul of a classic sports car if there ever was one. They don’t come to much more American...
Candylab Candylab Pioneer Classic Toy Car
$38.00The iconic shape, wood sides, magnetic canoe on top, beefy new tires, everything screams adventure, camping, and good old times. Miniature learning tool on how to adventure properly. Materials: Solid Beech...
Candylab Candylab Pizza Van Toy Car
$20.00Pepperoni, Hawaiian, or just plain cheese – the new Candylab Pizza Van is cooking up the best pies in the CANDYCAR® World. Wood fired from a wooden van, Enzo’s can’t be...
Candylab Candylab Pretzel Van Toy Car
$20.00You’re knot going to be able to resist the new Dr. Salty Van. Trust us, we’re all twisted up over this one. The Dr. Salty Van wouldn’t be right without...
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.