Play Time
Charlie Bears Charlie Bears Pyjama Party
$133.00A little about me... Recommended for ages 3 years + Bear height: 39cm/15.5in/13 Bear Paws Bear Bio Height: 39cm/15.5"; 13 Bear Paws Primary Colour: Cream Material: Synthetic plush Material Composition:...
Charlie Bears Charlie Bears Vanilla Pudding
$161.00A little about me... Vanilla Pudding is a charming bear with a giggling expression, sculpted paw pads, and a cozy scarf. With soft plush and alpaca fur, this bear...
Plushies Charlie Capybara
$98.00Meet Charlie Capybara — the Gentle Giant of the Plush World.Charlie brings the calm and charm of the world’s largest rodent to life in a stunning oversized plush design. With...
Cuddle + Kind Charlie The Honey Bear
$80.00 – $100.00Won’t you join my family? I am a tender and loving bear who spends my time caring for adorable honeybees in the meadow where I live. I always feel loved...
Cuddle + Kind Charlotte The Dog
$80.00 – $100.00There’s nothing that makes my tail wag more than frolicking through a field of wildflowers with the sun on my back. My heart is always full and my soul always...
Maileg Chatons Kitten Doll in Knitted Overall
$28.00Maileg Chaton Kittens fit perfectly into a small hand so they are easy to bring on the go. It comes in a soft knitted overall and fits all Maileg furniture...
Hape Cheery Critter Rattle Trio
$22.00A delightful trio of mouse, rabbit, and chick rattles. These charming animal companions engage babies with silicone ears that can also massage gums. Plus, the gentle rattle sounds inspire curiosity and...
Le Toy Van Cheese and Dairy Crate
$26.00The Cheese & Dairy set features fresh milk, a block of butter, a pot of yogurt, a pot of cream and 3 delicious kinds of cheese for all the cheese...
Maileg Cheese Bell
$16.00The cheese bell is an exclusive way of serving your favorite cheese for you best friends. Age: 3 years+ Cheese bell and cheese included Material: Metal/Polyresin Size: 1 inch
Tender Leaf Toys Cheese Chopping Board
$30.00A mouse-shaped wooden cheese board with a mousey cheese knife. A baguette in 3 parts, an Edam cheese in 3 parts, a Gruyere, a Rouleaux, and a blue cheese in...
Hape Chef's Cooking Toy Set
$36.00Bon Appetite! Your future chef will learn to feel comfortable and familiar with cooking in their pretend kitchen with this seven-piece basic cooking set. Hape’s Chef’s Cooking Set is the perfect...
Le Toy Van Cherry Tree Hall Doll House
$400.00A grand 4 story dolls house with floral motif. Each room is decorated differently to define room space. It features numerous window styles including functioning shutters and back windows to...
Bear Company Chewie the Yorkie
$40.00A fluffy and cuddly realistic dog stuffed animal with 13 inches of cuteness. This adorable furry friend is ideal for babies and kids, offering comfort and playtime fun. With Chewie...
Tender Leaf Toys Chicken Coop
$34.00A sweet wooden chicken coop and family; a rooster, 2 hens, a little chick, freshly laid eggs, 2 nests, and a feeding trough. Age range: 3 Years And Older Product...
BlaBla Chicken Rattle Benedict
$32.00Handmade baby rattle made from the softest Peruvian cotton. 100% cotton with poly fill. Approximately 8" long Hand or machine wash in cold water on gentle cycle Lay flat to...
Bear Company Chief the German Shepherd
$28.00A charming 13-inch stuffed German Shepherd dog plush. Adorably fluffy, soft, and cute, he's perfect for little ones. Excellently crafted, Chief is a cuddly replica of the beloved German Shepherd...
Mon Ami Chime Toy Anna Banana
$28.00Your little one will go bananas for Anna Banana! Super soft plush with sweet embroidered face, she certainly has appeal! Shake Ana to hear a friendly chime. Both soothing and...
Jellycat Chip Seagull
$36.00Chip Seagull is a top beach bird. In soft cream fur with dark grey wings, Chip has thin, suedette legs and a dark grey tuft. With a curved mustard suedette...
Le Toy Van Chocolate Gateau Sliceable Cake
$26.00Serve up a delicious treat to little guests with this tempting chocolate gateau cake. This hand painted wooden cake set is finished in rich brown tones with a pretty floral motif, all topped off...
Rubbabu Choo Choo Train
$10.00The Rubbabu Choo Choo Train is the smallest sized train and some say the cutest. Made from soft rubber foam with rubber wheels. Size: 3.5" Length Safe for ages: 0+...
Chronicle Books Christmas Mouse: Finger Puppet Book
$8.99Christmas Mouse is a sweet, rhyming holiday board book with a finger puppet built right in. Newborns will love celebrating with Christmas Mouse! In this very merry finger puppet book, a festive...
Cottage Door Press Christmas Songs Sound Book
$19.99Everyone loves Christmas music so come introduce your little one to the festive celebration with this beautiful Christmas book! These classic Christmas carols and festive illustrations are sure to fill your...
Crocodile Creek Christmas Tree Puzzle
$26.00Bright, festive, and fun for little hands, Crocodile Creek’s 24-piece Christmas Tree Puzzle features a whimsical holiday scene with sturdy, oversized pieces perfect for young puzzlers. Printed with soy-based inks...
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.