Play Time
Steiff Jimmy Bear Plush Toy with Suitcase
$54.00They're the ultimate take-along toy for a road trip, a sleep-over, or a backyard picnic. This latest kid-pleasing addition to our suitcase series features one of our best-loved Teddy bear...
Steiff Jimmy Teddy Bear Plush Toy 16 inches
$48.00Meet the modern stuffed bear your kid will adore all day and night. Jimmy is a 16-inch Teddy bear made of soft, snuggly, machine-washable, plush fabric. Jimmy Teddy Bear Details:...
Plushies Jira Jaguar Plush Toy
$48.00This Jira Jaguar is a spotted feline made with amazingly soft fur that is in a resting position. Its understuffed body gives an extra comforting feel in your arms. Suitable...
Crazy Aaron's Joe Slow 5oz
$12.00Discover the world’s friendliest dough! These friendly zoo animal themed Land of Dough® 5oz play dough cups are vibrantly colored and individually handcrafted with natural colors, compostable glitter for a...
Speks Jumbo Gump
$22.00Love slime but hate the mess? Gump is for you! Filled with a pliable gel, Gump is the stress ball that always bounces back, keeping your mind clear and your...
Wee Gallery Jungle Alphabet Cards
$22.00Wee Gallery Jungle Alphabet Cards are the perfect gift for newborn baby, toddlers, or any age in between. The high-contrast animal and jungle illustrations create a mesmerizing display for babies, while...
Magnatiles Jungle Animals 25 Pieces
$48.00Go wild with the Magna-Tiles® Jungle Animals 25-Piece Set. From erecting new environments to creating exciting animal adventures, young animal lovers can find endless opportunities to explore without leaving the...
Gibbs Smith Jungle Book
$11.99BabyLit® is a fashionable way to introduce your toddler to the world of classic literature. With clever, simple text by Jennifer Adams, paired with stylish design and illustrations by Sugar’s...
Hape Jungle Maze
$40.00This fun magnetic maze is a fun way to travel through the jungle and learn about our wild animal friends. You can tilt the board or use the wand to...
Saro Jungle Party Mirror Rattle Crocodile
$24.00Take the funniest walk with this soft little animal. Pull his paws to see how he moves, returning to its position with a bell-sound. Promotes hand-eye coordination and stimulates the...
Saro Jungle Party Mirror Rattle Flamingo
$24.00Take the funniest walk with this soft little animal. Pull his paws to see how he moves, returning to its position with a bell-sound. Promotes hand-eye coordination and stimulates the...
Crayon Rocks Just Rocks in a Box 64 Pieces
$30.00Crayon Rocks are simply the best coloring tool for young children! They are vibrantly colored and make beautifully textured artwork similar to oil pastels. These all-natural soy wax crayons are...
PlanToys Kale Idoscope
$30.00View the world through an artistic lens with the wooden Kaleidoscope! Little ones can put their favorite objects inside and experience a swirling explosion of brilliant colors. They can also explore...
Kiko+ & gg* Kaleidoscope Play Camera Pink
$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...
Haba Kaleidoscopic Blocks Set Toy
$60.00Add a bit of flavor to your child's next block creation with this beautiful set of Kaleidoscopic Blocks! Made from solid beech wood and sturdy plastic. This is just what...
Playforever Ken Cave Black Car
$62.00The Ken car is a homage to Ken Miles, the English sports car racing engineer and driver best known for his motorsport career during the beautiful and chaotic 1960's 24...
Kidamento Kid's Digital Camera Model C Akito Th...
$70.00Introducing Model C, the perfect camera for kids aged 3 to 7. Its compact design fits comfortably in their little hands, while the soft silicone case (food-grade) absorbs rough play....
Kidamento Kid's Digital Camera Model C Mikayo t...
$70.00Introducing Model C, the perfect camera for kids aged 3 to 7. Its compact design fits comfortably in their little hands, while the soft silicone case (food-grade) absorbs rough play....
Kidamento Kid's Digital Camera Model K Meowie t...
$86.00Model K is the ultimate camera designed for kids aged 3 to 9. Its large HD touchscreen ensures effortless navigation, while the built-in selfie camera adds an extra element of...
Kidamento Kid's Digital Camera Model K Zippy th...
$86.00Model K is the ultimate camera designed for kids aged 3 to 9. Its large HD touchscreen ensures effortless navigation, while the built-in selfie camera adds an extra element of...
Scoot And Ride Kids Helmet
$65.00Kids 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 safe and secure on little...
Sunnylife Kids Inflatable Arm Bands Sid the Sea...
$12.00Max. weight: 25kg/55 lbs.Comfortable design for freedom to swim and play.Children must be supervised by an adult at all times when playing in the water.Develops swimming abilities while also building...
Klee Naturals Kids Play Makeup After the Rain
$30.00About this product After The Rain are rainbows which create a beautiful landscape of color and dreams. What rainbows and Klee Naturals do NOT bring are nasty chemicals such as...
Klee Naturals Kids Play Makeup Kit Pink Ballet
$40.00Your little ballerina will be thrilled to sparkle and shine with a makeup kit made just for her, and you will be pleased that none of the nasty chemicals made...
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.