Play Time
Abrams Book My Tree and Me (A Book of Season...
$16.99One little girl has a very special friend, the tall ancient tree in her backyard. Through the seasons, she grows along with the tree, playing in its branches and basking...
Little People, Big Dreams Book Neil Armstrong
$15.99In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Neil Armstrong, the first person to walk on the moon. Little Neil’s dreams...
Little People, Big Dreams Book Nelson Mandela
$15.99In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the incredible life of Nelson Mandela, South Africa's first Black president, and his fight for...
Little People, Big Dreams Book Pablo Picasso
$15.99In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy best-selling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Pablo Picasso, one of the world's greatest artists in the 20th century. Little...
Little People, Big Dreams Book Pele
$15.99With a sock full of rags for a ball, Pelé honed his skills in a poor neighborhood in Brazil. He believed that, one day, he would lead his country to...
Little People, Big Dreams Book Prince
$15.99Meet Prince, one of the most iconic performers in music history. From a young age, Prince was obsessed with music. Even though he couldn’t read it, his talent—whether on...
Little People, Big Dreams Book Princess Diana
$15.99Discover the life of Princess Diana, the world’s most loved princess. Known for her kind-hearted nature from a young age, Diana touched the hearts of many. She was working as a primary...
Little People, Big Dreams Book Queen Elizabeth
$15.99In this book from the critically acclaimed Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch of modern times. Little Elizabeth loved dogs and...
Wide-Eyed Edition Book Queer Heroes
$22.99This beautiful, bold book celebrates the achievements of LGBTQ+ people through history and from around the world—featuring dynamic full-color portraits of a diverse selection of 53 inspirational role models accompanied...
Little People, Big Dreams Book Rafa Nadal
$15.99Learn about the incredible life of Rafa Nadal, the dedicated sportsperson who’s tenacity and drive has inspired young athletes across the world. Little Rafa was born in Majorca, Spain....
Little People, Big Dreams Book Rosa Parks
$15.99Rosa Parks grew up in Alabama, where she learned to stand up for herself at an early age. Rosa went on to become a civil rights activist. In 1955, she...
Little People, Big Dreams Book Rosalind Franklin
$15.99In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy best-selling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Rosalind Franklin, the scientist who was crucial to the discovery of the...
Little People, Big Dreams Book Rudolf Nureyev
$14.99Rudolf fell in love with dance as a child. But he was not allowed to go to ballet school until he was 17. There, he had to make up for...
Little People, Big Dreams Book RuPaul
$15.99Meet RuPaul, the shape-shifter, performer, supermodel, and host of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Even before little Ru was born, a fortune-teller told his mom that he would one day be...
Little People, Big Dreams Book Ruth Bader Ginsburg
$15.99Meet Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the beloved supreme court justice. Little Ruth’s mom taught her to be a lady—which meant to be her own independent self. Ruth promised herself she...
Little People, Big Dreams Book Sally Ride
$15.99Be inspired by the life of Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, with this engaging picture book designed especially for young readers. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling...
Little People, Big Dreams Book Shakira
$15.99As a child, little Shakira knew she was born to be performer. Even as a little girl, she was full of natural rhythm and she was obsessed with singing, writing songs and dancing whenever she...
Abrams Book Sharkblock
$18.99In keeping with the rest of the series, Sharkblock features the charming art of British design team Peski Studio (formerly Peskimo), pages with die-cuts readers can peek through, and special flaps that...
Little People, Big Dreams Book Simone Biles
$15.99Learn about the inspiring life of Simone Biles, the mental-health advocate and record-breaking athlete. Growing up in foster care, Simone’s gymnastics training was an anchor in her life. She first...
Abrams Book Spaceblock
$18.993 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . . Blast off! Readers will experience the historic moon landing and learn about what modern astronauts do in...
Little People, Big Dreams Book Stan Lee
$15.99Be inspired by the amazing life of Stan Lee, the comic book genius who created Spider-Man, The Hulk and Iron Man! Little Stan grew up in New York City....
Little People, Big Dreams Book Stephen Hawking
$15.99When Stephen Hawking was a little boy, he used to stare up at the stars and wonder about the universe. Although he was never top of the class, his curiosity...
Little People, Big Dreams Book Steve Jobs
$15.99Steve Jobs grew up surrounded by inventors, in sunny Silicon Valley, California. He and his friend Stephen Wozniak channeled their love of computers into their own inventions, building a successful...
Little People, Big Dreams Book Stevie Wonder
$15.99Meet Stevie Wonder, the genius behind some of the world’s best-loved songs. At just 8 years old, it was clear that Steveland Judkins was going to be a star....
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.