They say – the book is the best present! Is that so? Yes, but not for the baby – the best present for the baby – is a toy. So what are the best baby toys according to pediatric research?
These small easy-to-please creatures are diversity addicted! Whatever you give them, looking at least not scary, is interesting and good for them. In order to pick up the best baby toy, you have to consider the age limitations. Before your baby turns 1-year-old – avoid small parts, that can easily be separated and swallowed by the baby. The young parents are sure they can prevent their baby from swallowing the small parts of the toys, but in fact, it is one of the most widespread cases of hospitalization. Sometimes babies get their first LEGO constructor as they turn one year. It’s quite hard to be sitting near the baby all the time and disturbing her by putting the pieces of LEGO in her mouth. You may turn your head away for a second and the LEGO smiling face gets in the mouth of the baby.
They’re smart and they want to know, what would happen if they break a rule, set by you.
So, the type of toys you might give your baby according to the age:
Best Baby Toys: 0-3 Months
The toys should be monochrome, have uneven edges, high contrast color combinations. Stroller, cradle rattles, music boxes, and glowing items – anything the baby can see and hear according to the stage of development. Avoid sharp and small details. The pieces should be soft and big enough so that the baby could easily grab them with low motility skills.
Best Baby Toys: 3-6 Months
red, orange, and yellow items that the baby may hold, twist, make sounds with, chew but not swallow. It’s the time the fine motor skills develop. Thus, the best toys are those, with uneven surfaces. Ribbed, rough rattles, smooth balls, stretchy ribbons, deforming, but hard-to-break items, touch dice.
Best Baby Toys: 6 Months – 1 Year
My baby used to play with a plastic pack of wet wipes. She still likes the rustling sound of cellophane. But at that age, I got her the first book. One was of Yonezu Yusuke – “Guess, who – fruits” and the other one was “Brown bear, brown bear, who do you see” by Eric Carle. But these books, in particular, are even with toys, accustom the baby to reading at the same time. At this age, babies start to understand the perspective and dimensions much better.
Therefore, you can buy a rainbow pyramid, wooden bricks, or a puzzle mat. Mind that babies love the colored stuff and anything red-green-blue naturally catches their attention. IT’s better if the toys have elements of different colors on the body. Like dots, stars, etc.
Nothing develops emotions better than a pet: Animals for Kids
Best Baby Toys: 1-2 Year
They like everything you use. They tend to repeat after you whatever you do. If you iron a lot – get your baby a plastic iron. If you are blogging a lot –give your baby a toy laptop. If you smoke pot a lot –give your baby a toy bong. Actually – it’s high time that you show your baby real items for adult use. If the kid is interested – give the item, but observe the baby, while it’s playing. Masaru Ibuka suggests that you even give sharp, hard items to the baby, hot and cold – anything a baby can explore and shows curiosity to.
Avoid stressing the baby with sex-defined toys. If the girl wants a toy car – don’t give her a doll! And if the baby boy wants a doll – he’s not going to become gay! If he should – that has already happened inside of your uterus and you can’t do anything about it. Anyways, the researchers have shown, that the babies either repeat the social role of the parent of the same sex, or any other adult of the same sex as themselves.
Many parents are obsessed with buying toys for their children in order to compensate… you know love and attention. It’s not true! Even before I got pregnant – I often went to the kids’ store and would stare at those toys that I’d never seen in my childhood – my childhood was awesome, but I don’t remember I could go to the supermarket and buy myself whatever I want. Now I can! My childhood was soviet and post soviet. We had the ugliest toys production ever. I swear those toys have scared me like the nightmares! Behold!
Mr. Kuklachev, the cat’s master.
Now I don’t need a reason to buy myself a toy – I have a baby! The choice of toys has become wider! The only thing I’m begging you to avoid – is war-topic toys. Why? Toy guns are not toys… You should know that toys matter, they affect, and create scripts of the future behavior, like a sample of real adult life the baby is getting ready for. So please, at choosing a toy, think of the constructive purpose of the toy. To ease your choice I’ve made a list of questions that you should apply to the toy, before buying one:
- Does the toy distort the beauty perception?
- Can the baby learn something new about the world, by playing with the toy?
- Can you use the toy as deductive, educational material, or a character of situational games?
- Can a toy damage your baby, if gets broken or torn?
- Does your baby like the toy?
Life is a playground. Let your baby start it with the best baby toys.
Born in Belarus, 1985, a pedagogue and family psychologist, mother. Taking part in procedures of social adaptation of the foster children in new families. Since 2015 is a chief editor of the motherhow.com project, selecting the best and up-to-date material for those, who are planning, expecting, and already having babies.