Play Time
Tonies Red Riding Hood and Other Stories Aud...
$19.99Four favorite fairy tales — Goldilocks, Thumbelina, Jack & the Beanstalk, and Red Riding Hood — lovingly retold by Meg Ryan, Kelly McGillis, and Michael Palin to delight little ones and adults...
Brio Remote Control Race Car Toy
$76.00Ready, steady, go! The BRIO Remote Control Race Car will give children hours of racing fun with its bright red chassis and classic BRIO looks. The aim is to...
Brio Rescue Firefighter Set
$70.00There is a fire and they need your help! Drive immediately to the docking station and fill the fire train with water and gas. The firefighter goes along in his...
Le Toy Van Retro Sweets and Candy Roleplay
$40.00Take a trip down memory lane with this nostalgic Pic 'n' Mix set, made for retro role play fun.Sweet tooth's will delight at this cute set which features an assortment...
HeyDoodle Reusable Coloring Placemat Set 123 Di...
$32.00Practice writing the number figures whilst counting to find all items corresponding to them. Can you hear the dinosaurs roar as you identify and color them in? And then do...
HeyDoodle Reusable Coloring Placemat Set 123 Su...
$32.00Practice writing the number figures whilst counting to find all items corresponding to them. Make the fairies and unicorns come to life with bursts of color! And then do it...
HeyDoodle Reusable Coloring Placemat Set ABC In...
$32.00Practice writing the alphabets while learning the names of our furry, feathered and slimy friends. See how many blowing leaves and shiny starfishes you can find! And then do it...
HeyDoodle Reusable Coloring Placemat Set Outer ...
$32.00Explore the planets and other magical things floating in our galaxy as you build a story upon the story using the open-ended drawing prompts. And then do it all again...
HeyDoodle Reusable Coloring Placemat Set Toot T...
$32.00Practice writing the alphabet while learning the names of 26 modes of transportation. See how many lost wheels and fluffy dust clouds you can find. The best thing is, as with...
Sophie La Giraffe Reverso Playmat
$70.00Sophie La Girafe Reverso Playmat has an elegant design and with light colors which can be easily integrated into a living room! Sophie La Girafe Reverso Playmat Details: 2-in-1 playmat A play...
Plantoys Rhythm Box
$50.00Get your kiddo’s creative music vibes going with this Rhythm Box. Inspired by the Cajon hand drumming box this Rhythm Box is designed for having fun and creating rhythm and...
Plantoys Rhythm Box II
$74.00Get your kiddo’s creative music vibes going with this Rhythm Box II. Inspired by the Cajon hand drumming box, kids can sit on the Rhythm Box and drum away creating...
Kitpas Rice Bran Wax Art Crayons 16 Colors
$28.00Rice Bran Wax Art Crayons are Paper wrapped for comfort and durability! The main ingredient has been changed to rice wax and renewed! Kitpas art products are thoughtful, safe, and...
Sunnylife Ride On Float - White Swan
$99.99Ride to Paradise on the original and best White Swan Luxe Ride-On Float! Our Instagram famous Swan Float is back and better than ever in its classic white color way,...
Baghera Ride On Ford Mustang Blue
$250.00This aerodynamic ride-on is made with high-grade materials and designed with safety in mind. Intuitive and easy to use, children will cherish every moment riding their very own Mustang! Specifications:...
Baghera Ride On Toy Car Speedster Plane Silver
$210.00The Baghera Speedster Plane in Silver is perfect for the future pilot in your life. This ride-on toy is built to last for your little aviator with a sturdy metal...
Baghera Ride On Toy Car Speedster Silk Grey
$190.00Let your child experience driving something special, with this great ride-on speedster! It is built to last with a padded seat, sturdy metal body, and rubber tires. Some simple self-assembly...
Chronicle Books Ring Flashcard Little Learner
$16.00Little Learner Ring Flash Cards from Mudpuppy teach children age 1 years+ colors, shapes, and numbers with modern, high-contrast artwork. The re-closable ring makes these sturdy flashcards convenient for on-the-go...
Chronicle Books Ring Flashcards My ABC's
$16.00These flashcards will help children learn their ABCs using colorful pictures! The back of the card pictures uppercase letters. Use as flashcards, practice sorting by color or type, or separate...
Hachette Ring Flashcards Spanish To English
$16.00Encourage the love of language with these colorful Spanish to English flashcards. Each double-sided card features charming illustrations of 26 basic Spanish and English nouns. The re-closable ring makes these...
Little Chew Ring Freezer Teether Autumn
$24.00Soft silicone freezer toy will help to soothe sore and itchy gums as much as it will entertain your baby. Simple design is easy for small hands to grab and...
Knitted World Ring Rattle Frog
$18.00This easy to grasp ring rattle is lovingly hand-crocheted using luxuriously soft yarn derived from the pulp of the organically grown and sustainably harvested bamboo trees. Bamboo is the world’s...
Knitted World Ring Rattle Lion
$18.00This easy to grasp ring rattle is lovingly hand-crocheted using luxuriously soft yarn derived from the pulp of the organically grown and sustainably harvested bamboo trees. Bamboo is the world’s...
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.