Play Time
Steiff Floppy Hoppel Bunny Rabbit Easter 8 I...
$26.00Little Floppies Collection of loosely constructed and lightly stuffed animals has been a favorite for nearly 15 years. Now we're updating this beloved series with new designs, featuring our best-selling...
BlaBla Flower Rattle Green
$18.00This handmade BlaBla Flower Rattle is made from the softest cotton. A toy that your little one will enjoy while helping their 5 senses develop. BlaBla Flower Rattle Details: 100%...
Plantoys Food and Beverage Set
$24.00Roleplay as a little chef or practice serving dinner to a group of guests! Children can let their imaginations run wild in the kitchen with a variety of beverages and...
Plantoys Forest Animal Set
$30.00Get in touch with nature and travel through a forest to see some amazing animals! The Animal Set consists of an owl, a squirrel, a beaver, a deer, a rabbit,...
Magnatiles Forest Animals 25 Pieces
$48.00Go for a walk on the wild side! Magna-Tiles Forest Animals set is designed for hours of screen-free, frustration-free fun and STEAM learning opportunities. Explore the wonderful wilderness with four...
Tender Leaf Toys Forest Table and Chairs
$220.00Make playtime or study time more exciting! A sturdy plywood and rubberwood children's table with a removable chalkboard central panel. When the panel is removed it reveals a hidden compartment...
Plushies Fox Plush Toy
$28.00A sleepy time pals who will make the perfect nap time companion for anyone in need of a good rest This Snoozle Fox is a soft red fox with a...
Tender Leaf Toys Foxtail Villa Dollhouse
$258.00Tender Leaf Toys Foxtail Villa is a perfect town-style doll house. The subtle colors and top-quality plywood fascia make this a beautiful mid-size doll house for any little girl or...
Plushies Frederick Dreidel
$14.00Amongst all the flashy lights and colorful decorations is Frederick, a dreidel who likes to keep things simple and traditional. To make the holidays spinning with joy, Frederick is filled...
Kid O Free Draw Magnatab Toy
$29.00The Original Magnatab was designed with the Montessori learning style in mind, creating a sensory-based creative play experience. Using the magnetic stylus, children pull the beads up to the surface...
Little Chew Freezer Teether - Chamomile Speckled ...
$20.00Our Chamomile teether is made from a soft silicone, freezer toy that will help to soothe sore and itchy gums as much as it will entertain your baby. The simple...
Little Chew Freezer Teether Chamomile
$20.00Our Chamomile teether is made from a soft silicone, freezer toy that will help to soothe sore and itchy gums as much as it will entertain your baby. The simple...
Plushies French Bulldog Pup
$24.00Small in size but big in charm, this adorable French Bulldog Pup from Aurora’s Flopsie collection is ready to trot right into your arms. With its soft cream-and-gray coat, perky...
Gibbs Smith Frida Counting With
$10.00Introducing Spanish/English bilingualism, Lil’ Libros encourage parents to read to their children at the earliest age—focusing on subjects they are familiar with, while making it fun and rewarding for both...
Candylab Fried Chicken Van Toy Car
$22.00We’re not too chicken to admit it. Fried Chicken is our favorite. We love it so much we decided to make a Chicken Van, complete with a fun rubber drumstick...
Fagus Front Loader
$188.00A wooden frontloader by Fagus. Small hands can easily grasp the top of the cab to steer the front loader. The winch to raise and lower the bucket is just...
Plantoys Fruit + Vegetable Play Set
$34.00Fruit & Vegetable Play Set is the perfect toy for your growing little chef! Let them explore the world of cooking with 5 colorful fruits and veggies!Fruit & Vegetable Play...
Oli and Carol Fruit Teething Ring
$22.00This Fruit Teething Ring is the healthiest teether for newborns! Made with 100% natural rubber and hand painted with natural pigments. Perfect as a teether, bath toy and sensory play...
Tender Leaf Toys Fruity Basket
$30.00A handcrafted wicker basket with bunch of grapes, half a kiwi fruit, slice of watermelon, pear, plum, and tangerine. Age range: 3 Years And OlderProduct size: 6.1 x 6.1 x...
Tender Leaf Toys Fruity Blender
$58.00Pretend to be a real smoothie stall with take-away style beaker, stripy straw, and wooden stirrer. Cut the fruit with the wooden knife and pop it all into the stylish...
Maileg Gantosaurus Large
$80.00Look at this funny friend! A Large Gantosaurus with big teeth has arrived and is ready to play with all of us. It is made in a soft mix of...
Maileg Garden Set, Mouse
$46.00Do not forget the outdoor room - this garden set is perfect for all the summer get-togethers and fits the mouse family. Dimensions Height: 3.7in, Width: 3.7in, Depth: 4.9in, Net...
Kiko+ & gg* Gatcha Gatcha Gumball Machine
$46.00A cute wooden re-make of the traditional metal & plastic gumball machine. Turn the star and see what comes out next! If it gets stuck just give it a...
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.