Play Time
Gibbs Smith Moby Dick A BabyLit Ocean Primer
$11.99Little Master Melville teaches little ones the language of the sea in Moby-Dick: An Ocean Primer. From ships and sailors to squawking gulls and moody good captains, Alison Oliver’s brilliant...
Rubbabu Modena Red Racer Car
$26.00About this product Rubbabu's Modena Racer is a stylish and fun toy racer that kids will love. With a tactile velvety finish and a soft squishy material this natural rubber...
Mushie Mold Free Bath Play Set Sealife
$26.00Make a splash at bathtime with the sealife bath play set that includes a submarine, scuba diver, octopus and whale. Made from 100% food grade silicone, the soft material is...
Mushie Mold Free Bath Play Set Vehicles
$26.00Let your child's imagination travel far and wide with the vehicles bath play set that includes a helicopter, car, truck and excavator. Made from 100% food grade silicone, the soft material is...
Corolle Mon Grand Poupon Carry Bed Coral
$46.00For naptime and bedtime on the go, this Carry Bed is perfect for travel play time. The cute teddy bear print is inviting and a signature designed in France. The...
Corolle Mon Grand Poupon Doll Jade
$82.00Mon Grand Poupon Doll Jade is a soft-bodied, 14-inch-tall baby doll with blue sleepy eyes for little ones wanting a baby of their own to love. She is dressed in a pretty...
Corolle Mon Grand Poupon Doll Julie
$82.00With its long, easy-to-style chestnut hair and pink brush, the Julie doll is the perfect companion for your child's very first hairstyles! At 36 cm (14''), Julie is just the...
Le Toy Van Montecarlo Sports Car Set
$26.00The Montecarlo Sport Car Set includes 6 fun wooden sports cars and 2 cones. Compatible with wooden train tracks. (not included) Age: 3 years+ Made from durable sustainable rubberwood Decorated with non-toxic paints...
Plantoys Mood Dominos
$40.00Mood Dominos is a game that helps you strengthen relationships with loved ones through storytelling. Players are instructed to match tiles based on facial expressions. After a tile is placed,...
Moulin Roty Moulin Roty Flower Press Tool
$32.00Preserve floral treasures with this wooden Flower Press! Simply unscrew the top, lay a flower between each cardboard piece (you can do multiple flowers and layers), and tighten shut. Upon...
Moulin Roty Moulin Roty Le Voyage d'Olga Josephin...
$39.00Designed by French toy brand Moulin Roty, this charming activity whale is a cuddly companion for babies that promotes sensory play and engages young curiosity with its special features: a small mirror,...
Moulin Roty Moulin Roty Play & Go Mat Bag Under M...
$69.00Both practical and beautifully designed, this padded Moulin Roty Play & Go Mat Bag Under My Baobab Tree is made of 100% cotton fabric, it turns into a storage bag...
Moulin Roty Moulin Roty Plush Toy Bibiscus The Gi...
$48.00From Under my Baobab Tree collection, Moulin Roty Bibiscus the Giraffe comes in an ideal medium size cuddle plush toy allowing the baby to grasp its long legs. It features...
Maileg Mouse Abri a Tricycle Toy Coral
$38.00These tricycles are made of metal and have wooden seats that are beautifully shaped. The bikes arrive in decorative boxes that can be used as bike sheds. Little mice friends...
Maileg Mouse Abri a Tricycle Toy Green
$38.00These tricycles are made of metal and have wooden seats that are beautifully shaped. The bikes arrive in decorative boxes that can be used as bike sheds. Little mice friends...
Maileg Mouse Abri a Tricycle Toy Red
$38.00These tricycles are made of metal and have wooden seats that are beautifully shaped. The bikes arrive in decorative boxes that can be used as bike sheds. Little mice friends...
Maileg Mouse Bathtub Toy
$24.00All beloved mice need a bath every now and then. This vintage bathtub goes perfectly with the mouse accessories collection. Age: 3 years+ Material: Metal Size: H2 x W2 inches...
Maileg Mouse Bench
$14.00Mouse Bench is perfect for your mice to relax and even have some fun! With its cozy cushioning, there are plenty of delightful times to be had with this charming...
Maileg Mouse Bonfire Set
$22.00Bring outdoor fun to your miniature world with the Miniature Campfire Set. Perfect for hiking mice on their adventures, this set includes sticks, food, and logs for a cozy campfire...
Maileg Mouse Chair
$18.00A perfect place for your small friends to take a rest. This comfy chair fits nicely into the Gingerbread House with its red color tones. It is delivered flat-packed and...
Maileg Mouse Chair - Red checker
$20.00A perfect place for your small friends to take a rest. It fits nicely into the Gingerbread House. The chair is delivered flat packed and is easy to fold and...
Maileg Mouse Chair - Stripe
$20.00A perfect place for your small Maileg friends to take a rest. It fits nicely into the Maileg Gingerbread House. The chair is delivered flat packed and is easy to...
Maileg Mouse Chair Toy Gold
$16.00A perfect-sized chair for the mice family. It is made of metal with a golden finish and has the most beautiful details. This chair fits together with all tables in...
Maileg Mouse Cooking Set Toy
$30.00A small kitchen set for any mouse. This set includes kitchen utensils, eggs, and sausages to make the perfect brunch. It is packed in a paper box decorated as 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.