From day one, a baby brings joy, but taking care of it can be overwhelming. For some parents, catching a break and quick nap as the baby sleeps is the only break they enjoy. It is one of the reasons parents consider toys. As you look for toddler toys, however, apart from keeping your baby busy, you should go for safe toys that encourage baby development.
Babies develop at varying rates, and at different stages, they can do different things, meaning that the best toys to encourage baby development should consider the baby’s development level. Noting that playing with toys is among the first ways they learn at home, here is a look at the best toy choices at varying development stages.
From birth to 6 months
At this stage, babies take a liking at bright colors. You may notice that your child looks to look at your face and follow your movements. They are also fascinated by their extended muscle, that is their legs and hands, and they will try to reach. You will also note that they put things in their mouth, can lift their heads and even turn towards sound.
The best toys at this stage include;
- Unbreakable mirrors
- Soft dolls
- Teething toys
- Textured balls
- Books with lullabies recordings, nursery rhymes, simple songs and poems
- Squeeze toys and large rings among others
These are toys that they can listen to, look at, reach, hold, shake, and suck.
Seven months to 1 year
At this stage, your baby moves a lot. Pulling themselves up and creeping, standing, sitting, rolling over are some of the typical movements you will notice. At this stage, your baby recognizes and reacts to calling their names and other common words. Moreover, they can find hidden items such as things in a container.
The best toys at this stage include;
- Balls (large and small)
- Nesting toys
- Push and pull toys such as plastic or wooden vehicles
- Puppets
- Baby dolls
- Water toys
These are toys that they can actively interact with, such as play-pretend with, build with, drop, pick, and takeout. The toys help the baby to practice their developing small and large muscles.
1 to 2 years old
This is the stage that your baby will say their first words. Apart from walking steadily, you will notice that they can now climb the stairs and play next to other people. This is their experimentation stage; they are always on the move and like listening to fun stories and try new things.
The best toys to encourage your baby’s development at this stage include;
- Large pegboards
- Board books with real objects, illustrations or photographs
- Non-toxic washable markers and large papers
- Toy phones
- Dress-up accessories
- Plastic animals and stuffed toys
- Baby carriage and strollers
- Cardboard and wood blocks
- Doll beds
- Puppets
- Recordings of poems, rhymes, and songs
- Toys with parts that are interactive to mention a few
These are among the toys that help your baby’s physical and mental developments.
From 2 years
At this stage, you can hardly keep up with their physical activity. Jumping, hanging by their arms, rolling, rough-and-tumble play to mention a few are the common physical activities. What’s more, their language mastery is rapidly developing, and they can interact with others. At this stage, you can still use toys at 1 to 2 years and include more sophisticated ones such as blocks that snap together to form objects, small and bigger balls, puzzles, ride-on equipment such as tricycles, and child-sized furniture among others.
As you buy a toy for your baby, see to it that they will like it. Moreover, always ensure that they are safe, and for better results, go for those that encourage their development.
