Play Time
Bajo Wooden Breakdown Lorry
$28.00This adorable Lorry is one of a kind and comes with three parts; a sweet little blue car, the cute Lorry, and a blockade/ramp. This toy is great fun for...
Jellycat Jellycat Bashful Bunny Sunshine
$28.00Jellycat Bashful Bunny is a popular fellow with scrummy-soft Jellycat fur and lovely long flopsy ears that mean that with just one cuddle, you’ll never want to let go. Irresistibly cute...
Kiko+ & gg* Kaleidoscope Play Camera Yellow
$30.00Let the little ones play photographer with the little kiko+ wooden camera. Turn the lens for a magical kaleidoscope surprise! Material: beech wood, colour lens (acrylic, removable), two denim straps...
Candylab Candylab CandyCab Toy Car
$30.00Always ready to "follow that car", and now available for consequence-free wooden fender benders. New York City cabs can't get more durable than this. Materials & Info: Solid Beech wood, water-based...
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...
Hansa Creation Realistic Plush Animal Parrot Blue Ye...
$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...
Bajo Wooden Toy Car with Camper
$34.00This Wooden Car with Camper vehicle set is a great way to teach children about movement, speed, forces and will bring on communication skills too through inspiring imaginative play. Taking...
Maileg Maileg Little Brother Beach Mouse in ...
$34.00Little Brother Mouse is ready to join Big Brother Mouse to swim! Matches his striped swim shorts is a yellow beach towel and floaters. His cozy cabin is also always ready when...
Playforever Playforever Verve Viglietta Toy Car Y...
$35.00Speeding through the hills of Tuscany, warm breeze on the open roads lined with lush vineyards and silver olive groves, our Viglietta racing car personifies freedom and liberty: memories of...
Maileg Maileg Big Sister Beach Mouse in Cabi...
$36.00Big Sister Mouse is ready to swim! Matches her 2 piece swimsuit is a visor and a pair of fins. Her cozy cabin is also always ready when it's time to rest. ...
Bajo Wooden Toy Airplane
$38.00Little 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...
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 Woodie Toy Car
$38.00The most classic of the classics, this is what legends are made of. With real walnut veneer-paneled sides and a magnet embedded in the roof, it comes with a surfboard...
Maileg Maileg Micro Bunny in Carry Cot
$38.00This playset is the perfect start to any story. A soft carry cot made in a beautiful fabric where the small bunny in a colorful suit can easily be tucked...
Playforever Playforever Velocita Race Car Toy Yellow
$39.00Back 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...
Maileg Maileg Mini Wooden Bed Toy Yellow
$40.00A wooden bed that fits bunnies and rabbits in size 1 and 2 perfectly. Beautiful handpainted details on the bed - variation may occur. Soft bed linen, made in unique...
Playforever Playforever Turbo Race Car Toy Miami
$40.00Turbo 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...
Playforever Playforever Mini Speedy Le Mans Toy C...
$45.00Mini Speedy Le Mans is a toy car in its simplest, most organic form. Taking its smooth, curved shape – a shape that conveys movement and fluidity even when parked...
Maileg Maileg Micro Pram
$46.00A beautiful Maileg pram with an exclusive vintage look. The metal part has embossed details on the sides, and the fabric cover fulfills the look. The pram is perfect for...
Scoot and Ride Baby Helmet
$55.00The Scoot & Ride Baby 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...
Kiko+ & gg* Retro Play Telephone
$56.00Kiko+ & gg* Retro Telephone is what children have always enjoyed throughout the years… A nostalgic retro form that is also a cute interior decorative item. Insert the included coin...
alilo alilo Smart Bunny Baby Rattle Yellow
$56.00Alilo Smart Bunny is a popular media companion especially designed for children aged 0-4 years. Due to its ease of use, robust material, and versatility, it encourages the kids’ creativity....
Scoot and Ride Kids Helmet
$60.00The 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...
Playforever Playforever Egg Roadster Toy Car Sunn...
$70.00This series of Egg cars are named as such given the shape from the back-side view. Pilot Karlos makes his first appearance sitting all snug in his roadster. The Scrambler,...
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.