Play Time
Manhattan Toy Kodiak Bear Plush Toy
$64.00The beloved Kodiak Bear is now in White. This big, burly stuffed animal bear features realistic details from his face to his paws. Ages 3+ Surface wash only
The Pencil Grip Kwik Stix Solid Tempera Paint 12 Clas...
$18.00Tired of the endless mess of painting? Fear not! Kwik Stix Tempera Paint sticks take the mess out of painting while keeping all the fun! Simply uncap, twist and paint!...
The Pencil Grip Kwik Stix Solid Tempera Paint 30 Colo...
$46.00Tired of the endless mess of painting? Fear not! Kwik Stix solid tempera paint sticks 30 Colors Art Set takes the mess out of painting while keeping all the fun!...
Gibbs Smith Publisher L is for Love - A Heartfelt Alphabet
$12.99About this product Valentine’s Day is a time to reflect on the themes of love and friendship, and what better way to introduce toddlers to these concepts than with a...
Wee Gallery Lacing Cards - Baby Animals
$22.00Dress up these adorable baby animals with your own creative style! Our fun and educational Baby Animals Lacing Cards feature our signature hand illustrated friends - bunny, fox, bear, cat,...
Wee Gallery Lacing Cards - Jungle Animals
$22.00Dress up these adorable baby animals with your own creative style! Our fun and educational Baby Animals Lacing Cards feature our signature hand illustrated friends - bunny, fox, bear, cat,...
Plantoys Lacing Sheep
$30.00Give your little one a whole new way to learn to lace, with the Lacing Sheep. This delightful little sheep is made of concentric wooden disks; preschoolers can lace the...
Lamaze Lamaze 3-in-1 Clip & Go Bear
$22.00This cuddly bear is full of surprises!It starts as an adorable plush bear with a big round face. But then, pull on its legs and - goodness! - there's a...
Lamaze Lamaze Wacky Giraffe
$24.00Finally, a toy baby can actually swing around and bash! With a happy plush giraffe head on one end and a soft, safe base on the other, this unique sensory toy...
Bajo Large Fire Engine
$60.00This wonderful wooden firetruck is a part of our awesome collection for tiny people. This adorable little truck has a little ladder that goes up and down with a cute...
Vilac Large rally car - Red
$36.00More desert dunes or vast steppes? Comfortable as co-pilot, your little one is ready to start the next stuffed animal rally at the wheel of our wooden car. Strong points...
Tonies Laurie Berkner Audio Play Figurine
$19.99Get ready to take a musical ride through the world of Laurie Berkner’s classic songs! You’ll go from rocketships to elevators, swimming like fish and marching like dinosaurs, to learning...
Le Toy Van Le Grand Garage
$150.00An exciting three storey wooden toy garage made for exploratory fun. Le Grand Garage is a real showstopper and is recommended by The Good Toy Guide. The perfect gift for inquisitive...
Moulin Roty Le Voyage d'Olga Kalimba Musical Toy
$38.00Part of Le Voyage d'Olga collection of exquisitely illustrated musical instruments- this colorful Moulin Roty Le Voyage Kalimba comes packaged in a beautifully illustrated, heat-stamped box. Also known as a...
Playforever Leadbelly Vincent Red
$44.00An American muscle car, make it bigger, faster, stronger. Detroit carmakers saw what the hot rodders were doing in the late ’60s and started bringing these ideas to the workingman....
Ooly Left and Right Ergonomic Crayons
$12.00Are you right handed? Left handed? Ambidextrous? It doesn't matter with Left Right Crayons, they are ergonomic for everyone! These easy-to-hold crayons make drawing works of art comfortable and fun....
Plushies Leonardus Lion
$28.00Flopsie collection styles your favorite animal companions in a resting position for added cuteness and ease when playing, cuddling, and more! This Leonardus lion is a golden yellow with a...
Gibbs Smith Les Miserable
$11.99BabyLit® is a fashionable way to introduce your toddler to the world of classic literature. With clever, simple text by Jennifer Adams, paired with stylish design and illustrations by Sugar’s...
Moulin Roty Les Parisiennes Tea Set
$56.00Precious and delicate, a powder pink painted tea set with silver edging, with a floral pattern and delicate refined illustrations of Paris by Lucille Michieli. presented in a charming illustrated...
Abrams Let's Count Florida
$12.99Numbers and colors are more fun in Florida! In this dynamic, colorful primer, young readers count from 1 to 10—learning colors along the way—as they discover the places, animals, and...
Chronicle Books Let’s Look at Nature
$9.99Part of the Let's Look at... series of board books from bestselling author and illustrator Marion Deuchars, this book is the perfect introduction to the wonders of nature.From green grass and fluffy...
Chronicle Books Let’s Look at Numbers
$9.99This book is the perfect introduction to counting, part of a brand-new series of board books Let's Look At ... and with beautiful artwork from bestselling author and illustrator Marion Deuchars. Make learning...
Chronicle Books Let’s Look at Opposites
$9.99Part of the Let's Look at... series of board books from bestselling author and illustrator Marion Deuchars, this book is the perfect introduction to the world of opposites.From up and down penguins...
Chronicle Books Let’s Look at Shapes Board Book
$9.99Let’s look at shapes! With beautiful artwork from best-selling author and illustrator Marion Deuchars, this book is a fun and lively introduction to simple shapes. Boardbook 24 pages 11...
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.