Play Time
Abrams Book Buildablock
$18.99Buildablock features die-cut shapes on every other spread and the charming art of British design team Peskimo. Age: Baby - 3 years 90 Pages; Board Book Author: Christopher Franceschelli Illustration: Peskimo...
Little People, Big Dreams Book Charles Darwin
$15.99Meet Charles Darwin, the scientist who changed the way people see the world. Although he didn’t do very well at school, Charles Darwin was passionately curious about wildlife, humans, and...
Gibbs Smith Book Christmas Carol: A BabyLit Color...
$11.99This series celebrates the tradition of literary naturalists—writers who embrace the natural world as the setting for some of our most euphoric and serious experiences. These books map the intimate...
Abrams Book Cityblock
$18.99Cityblock explores city life in an exciting and unique way, from up in a high-rise building to down in the subway. Divided into three sections—things that go, things to see, and...
Little People, Big Dreams Book Coco Chanel
$15.99In this international bestseller from the critically acclaimed Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the inspiring story of this international style icon.Following the death of her mother, Coco spent her...
Chronicle Books Book Connoisseur Kids
$24.95From Jennifer Scott—author of the New York Times bestselling Madame Chic series and founder of the Daily Connoisseur blog—comes this playful take on manners and being a good global citizen....
Abrams Book Countablock
$18.99Following on the heels of a successful abecedary, Countablock features thick pages cut into the shape of each numeral, creating a peek-through guessing game around the number form itself. One...
Gibbs Smith Book D Is for Dreidel
$12.99Celebrate all things Hanuakkah in this A to Z primer . . . Introduce your little one to the Festival of Lights in this fun collection of twenty-six illustrations...
Little People, Big Dreams Book David Bowie
$15.99As a child, young David had a head full of songs and ideas. He was inspired by the pop and mod scenes in Britain to pick up the saxophone. After...
Abrams Book Día de Disfraces
$17.99Día de Disfraces (Dress-Up Day Spanish Edition) Tras perderse la fiesta de disfraces de su clase, una niña decide que no necesita una excusa para disfrazarse en esta tierna historia...
Abrams Book Dinoblock
$18.99Alphablock and Countablock, Dinoblock features thick pages cut into the shapes of dinosaurs! Readers will be introduced to more than 20 different kinds of dinos via die-cuts of their unique silhouettes and the illuminating...
Abrams Book Disney Block
$18.99Disney’s classic animated films come to life in this magical book from the bestselling Abrams Block Book series! Each magical spread showcases beloved characters and unforgettable moments every fan...
Gibbs Smith Book Dracula: A BabyLit Counting Primer
$12.00Meet 2 friends, Mina and Lucy, and the 5 heroes who try to save them from the dreaded Count Dracula in Dracula: A BabyLit® Counting Primer. Make sure you're wearing...
Little People, Big Dreams Book Ella Fitzgerald
$15.99Ella Fitzgerald grew up near Harlem, in New York, where she was surrounded by music and dance. After winning first prize in a talent competition at the Apollo Theater, she...
Little People, Big Dreams Book Elton John
$15.99As a child, Elton started playing his grandmother's piano in Harrow, London. He could pick tunes out by ear and was soon attending lessons at the Royal Academy. After answering...
Little People, Big Dreams Book Elvis Presley
$15.99In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Elvis, the King of Rock 'n' Roll.Elvis was born into poverty in...
Chronicle Books Book Everything & Everywhere
$18.99From Marc Martin, best-selling author and illustrator of the award-winning children’s book A River named Best Illustrated Picture Book by the New York Times.From Hong Kong to Reykjavik, Ulaanbaatar to New York City,...
Abrams Book Farmblock
$18.99It’s time to plant some crops, harvest the veggies, and make jam to take to the farmer’s market! In this follow-up to Alphablock, Countablock, Dinoblock, Cityblock, Buildablock, and Marvel Alphablock,...
Gibbs Smith Book Frankenstein: A BabyLit Anatomy ...
$12.00A BabyLit® Anatomy Primer BabyLit® is a fashionable way to introduce your toddler to the world of classic literature. With clever, simple text by Jennifer Adams, paired with stylish...
Little People, Big Dreams Book Freddie Mercury
$15.99Meet Freddie Mercury, the trailblazing musician who rocked the world! Born on the tiny island on Zanzibar off the coast of modern-day Tanzania, young Farrokh dreamt of having a fabulous...
Little People, Big Dreams Book Frida Kahlo
$15.99In this international bestseller from the critically acclaimed Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the inspiring story of this international style icon.When Frida was a teenager, a terrible road accident...
Gibbs Smith Book Good Morning Buenos Dias
$12.99A bilingual slide-the-tab board book, with text in English and Spanish. Cleverly introduce basic ideas about what happens in the morning when you wake up, including a rooster crowing,...
Gibbs Smith Book Good Night Buenas Noches
$12.99A bilingual slide-the-tab board book, with text in English and Spanish. Cleverly provides a number of gentle good night wishes for baby at bedtime, as baby along with the...
Rebel Girls Book Good Night Stories: 100 Immigran...
$35.00Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Immigrant Women Who Changed the World is the third book in the New York Times bestselling series for children. Packed with 100 all-new bedtime stories about...
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.