Play Time
Tender Leaf Toys Sailaway Boat
$50.00Ahoy there! A traditional solid wood sailing boat evocative of summer time seascapes. Best friends Bubble and Squeak are on top deck, enjoying the views. With 2 fabric sails and...
Cuddle + Kind Savannah The Lion
$80.00 – $100.00I’m happiest when leaping across the magnificent grasslands, looking for the next adventure. When I’m faced with a challenge, I hold my head up proudly and say, “I can do...
Cuddle + Kind Sawyer The Lion
$80.00 – $100.00I live on a breathtaking plain with blue sky that stretches far as the eye can see. People call me a loving lion because I think of others first and...
BlaBla School Book Girl Monkey Rattle
$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...
Candylab School Bus Toy Car
$18.00Don’t sleep in, or you’ll miss our School Bus! (AKA the COOL Bus.) This big yellow bus is ready, bright and early to pick you up. We know that school looks a little bit different...
Tender Leaf Toys Scoops and Smiles
$48.00Five delicious and very friendly solid wood ice cream cornets adorn this pretty little shop. Choose your flavor and have fun matching the characters to their names. Age: 3 years...
Micro Kickboard Scooter Head Dino
$29.99Bring a friend along on every ride with a colorful, funky Scooter Head! Choose from a variety of characters to make your adventures even more fun. They attach simply to the T-bar...
Micro Kickboard Scooter Luggage Junior Mint
$219.99Say goodbye to airport struggles: simply flip down the kickboard and children can hop on and scoot to and from the departure gate. Children can scoot on, pull, or push...
Tikiri Sea Lion Natural Rubber Rattle
$18.00These super cute Artic Animal Sea Lion have come from their winter wonderland to provide comfort and joy for bath times and bedtimes. Each containing an enclosed rattle that will...
Tender Leaf Toys Seafood Basket
$28.00Introduce little ones to imaginative, ocean-inspired play with this beautifully handcrafted wicker basket filled with an assortment of wooden seafood favorites. Each piece is crafted with smooth finishes and child-safe...
Plantoys Seafood Platter
$46.00Bring the taste of the sea to your young chef’s restaurant with this Seafood Platter! The set includes a variety of seafood and utensils to teach children the importance of preparatory...
Candylab Seagull Red Toy Car
$32.00Taking inspiration from the huge superchargers, bold colors and playful graphics that defined 1970s racing, the Seagull 5 is a powerful machine that will give you all it's got, on...
Cuddle + Kind Sebastian The Lamb
$80.00 – $100.00People call me a little prince because I always think of others first and I love to make them laugh. I adore running and playing on the rolling green hills...
Calico Critters Secret Forest Falls
$100.00A magical forest, a hidden treasure, and a brave explorer—get ready for an unforgettable adventure!Join Linnea the Husky baby as she sets out on a quest through the Secret Forest,...
Angel Dear Security Blankie Blanket Avocado
$16.00A perfect little security blankie and tagalong for your child. The delicious cashmere-like material is perfect for babies and toddlers to snuggle. It will bring smiles and comfort to your...
Angel Dear Security Blankie Blanket Bear Pink
$16.00A perfect little security blankie and tagalong for your child. The delicious cashmere-like material is perfect for babies and toddlers to snuggle. Each blankie features a sweet animal head that’s...
Angel Dear Security Blankie Blanket Blue Bunny
$16.00A perfect little security blankie and tagalong for your child. The delicious cashmere-like material is perfect for babies and toddlers to snuggle. Each blankie features a sweet animal head that’s...
Angel Dear Security Blankie Blanket Blue Elephant
$16.00A perfect little security blankie and tagalong for your child. The delicious cashmere-like material is perfect for babies and toddlers to snuggle. Each blankie features a sweet animal head that’s...
Angel Dear Security Blankie Blanket Brown Monkey
$16.00A perfect little security blankie and tagalong for your child. The delicious cashmere-like material is perfect for babies and toddlers to snuggle. Each blankie features a sweet animal head that’s...
Angel Dear Security Blankie Blanket Bulldog Grey
$16.00A perfect little security blankie and tagalong for your child. The delicious cashmere-like material is perfect for babies and toddlers to snuggle. Each blankie features a sweet animal head that’s...
Angel Dear Security Blankie Blanket Bulldog Pink
$16.00A perfect little security blankie and tagalong for your child. The delicious cashmere-like material is perfect for babies and toddlers to snuggle. Each blankie features a sweet animal head that’s...
Angel Dear Security Blankie Blanket Bunny Grey
$16.00A perfect little security blankie and tagalong for your child. The delicious cashmere-like material is perfect for babies and toddlers to snuggle. Each blankie features a sweet animal head that’s...
Angel Dear Security Blankie Blanket Butterfly
$16.00A perfect little security blankie and tagalong for your child. The delicious cashmere-like material is perfect for babies and toddlers to snuggle. It will bring smiles and comfort to your...
Angel Dear Security Blankie Blanket Dalmatian
$16.00A perfect little security blankie and tagalong for your child. The delicious cashmere-like material is perfect for babies and toddlers to snuggle. Each blankie features a sweet animal head that’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.