Play Time
Magformers Rainbow 50 Piece Toy Set
$79.99Create 3D structures from 2D nets with the Rainbow 50Pc Set. Little fingers can start using squares and triangles to build houses, towers and our ‘magic ball’. Learn our unique...
Magformers Rainbow 62 Piece Toy Set
$99.99Let your child’s imagination run wild with Magformers Rainbow 62 Piece Set and utilize all the shapes and magnets to bring their dreams to life. Includes 62 pieces; of these...
Hape Rainbow Bead Abacus Educational Toy
$30.00Count familiar items your child sees in your daily life, such as shirts, snacks, or plates at the table with Hape’s Rainbow Bead Abacus! Rainbow Bead Abacus Details: Suitable for...
Tender Leaf Toys Rainbow Birthday Cake
$26.00A wooden rainbow birthday cake topped with 6 brightly colored candles. Each cake slice is held together with velcro. Cut open the cake with the cake slice to reveal the...
Guidecraft Rainbow Blocks Shimmering Water
$40.00A great addition to the block plays family. Smooth hardwood frames with acrylic windows; choose from shimmering water, sand or crystal bead interiors. Sized to standard unit block measurements. Eight...
Itzy Ritzy Rainbow Playmat
$50.00Time to Tummy! Tummy Time is a total dream with the whimsical Ritzy Tummy Time™ Rainbow Playmat from the Bitzy Bespoke™ collection! The luxe, quilted rainbow play mat creates...
Tonies Rapunzel and Other Fairy Tales Audio ...
$17.99Five lovingly retold fairy tales take your little listener on a journey of imagination where magic is real and anything is possible. Tonies Rapunzel and Other Fairy Tales Audio...
Knitted World Rattle Bertie The Elephant 7"
$36.00Bertram, known better by his besties as 'Bertie', is quite dapper in his baby blue romper. He, like Edna the Elephant, is very fond of adventures that take place in wagons,...
Knitted World Rattle Cactus 6"
$20.00This Crochet Cactus Rattle Stick features a crochet technique that creates a bumpy texture that is perfect for little hands to grasp and hold while also helping to develop babies' sense of touch and feel. It makes...
Moulin Roty Rattle Comforter Sous Mon Baobab Elep...
$32.00From Under my Baobab Tree collection, this lovely and soft Moulin Roty Elephant Rattle Comforter Doll has long legs and arms for baby to grasp, a mane and whiskers to stroke and a...
Moulin Roty Rattle Comforter Sous Mon Baobab Giraffe
$32.00From Under my Baobab Tree collection, this lovely and soft Moulin Roty Giraffe Rattle Comforter Doll has long legs and arms for baby to grasp, long ears and a tail to...
Moulin Roty Rattle Comforter Sous Mon Baobab Lion
$32.00From Under my Baobab Tree collection, this lovely and soft Moulin Roty Lion Rattle Comforter Doll has long legs and arms for baby to grasp, a mane and whiskers to stroke and a...
Knitted World Rattle Crab 6"
$34.00Corey the Crab knit doll is unlike most sea creatures. Handmade using all-natural 100% cotton yarns and eco-friendly dyes this Crab Knit Rattle Doll is super soft and also safe for babies, toddlers and kids of all ages! Crab Knit...
Knitted World Rattle Dumbell Blue
$20.00Handmade from all-natural 100% cotton yarns and eco-friendly dyes this Dumbbell Knit Rattle are not only super soft but also safe for infants and newborns making them perfect for babies to grasp, hold and chew. These dumbbell knit rattles are easy to care for too - just machine wash and lay flat to...
Knitted World Rattle Dumbell Pink
$20.00Handmade from all-natural 100% cotton yarns and eco-friendly dyes this Dumbbell Knit Rattle are not only super soft but also safe for infants and newborns making them perfect for babies to grasp, hold and chew. These dumbbell knit rattles are easy to care for too - just machine wash and lay flat to...
Knitted World Rattle Edna The Elephant 7"
$36.00Edna the Elephant Knit Rattle Doll is as sweet as she looks. Wearing her favorite pink dress, she is ready for any type of adventure. She loves to ride along in the...
Knitted World Rattle Elephant Blue 8"
$30.00The Crochet Rattle Elephant is handmade from all-natural 100% cotton yarns and eco-friendly dyes. They are not only super soft but also safe for infants and newborns making them perfect for babies to grasp, hold and chew. These rattles are easy to care for too - just machine wash and lay...
Knitted World Rattle Elephant Pink 8"
$30.00The Crochet Rattle Elephant is handmade from all-natural 100% cotton yarns and eco-friendly dyes. They are not only super soft but also safe for infants and newborns making them perfect for babies to grasp, hold and chew. These rattles are easy to care for too - just machine wash and lay...
Knitted World Rattle Fish 5" Pink
$20.00This Crochet Fish Rattle is made using yarns spun from 100% bamboo fibers and eco-friendly dyes making a perfectly safe and organic toy that is suitable for newborns, infants or toddlers. Features a bumpy crochet texture that is perfect for little hands...
Knitted World Rattle Flower 6" Blue
$30.00The Crochet Rattle Flower is handmade from all-natural 100% cotton yarns and eco-friendly dyes. They are not only super soft but also safe for infants and newborns making them perfect for babies to grasp, hold and chew. These rattles are easy to care for too - just machine wash and...
Knitted World Rattle Flower 6" Pink
$30.00The Crochet Rattle Flower is handmade from all-natural 100% cotton yarns and eco-friendly dyes. They are not only super soft but also safe for infants and newborns making them perfect for babies to grasp, hold and chew. These rattles are easy to care for too - just machine wash and lay...
Knitted World Rattle Football Player 7"
$34.00This Knit Football Player Rattle is super soft and cuddly! Take the knit football player with you to your next football game to help root for the home team! Handmade using all-natural super soft 100% cotton yarns and eco-friendly dyes making...
Knitted World Rattle Giraffe 7"
$34.00Joshua the Giraffe knit doll is a chef! Handmade using all-natural 100% cotton fibers and eco-friendly dyes this Giraffe Knit Rattle Doll is soft and snuggly stuffed animal that is also safe for babies, toddlers, and kids of all ages! Giraffe Knit Rattle Doll Details: 100%...
Knitted World Rattle Jellyfish 4"
$18.00The Crochet Rattle Jellyfish is handmade using super soft all-natural 100% cotton yarns and eco-friendly dyes making a safe toy for babies, toddlers, and children of all ages. This jellyfish hand crochet rattle features a crochet technique that creates a bumpy texture that...
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.