Play Time
Little People, Big Dreams Book Vivienne Westwood
$15.99When Vivienne was a young woman, she wasn't sure how a working class girl from England could make a living in the art world. But after discovering her passion for...
Abrams Appleseed Book When I Smile
$18.99From author Jo Witek and illustrator Christine Roussey, the bestselling creators of In My Heart, When I Smile is a picture book about all the things a smile can do. Part of the Growing...
Gibbs Smith Book Where is?/Dónde Está? El Chavo
$10.00Inspired by the internationally acclaimed sitcom "El Chavo Del Ocho," this book will introduce little ones to their first English and Spanish words as they explore La Vecindad in search of the...
Little People, Big Dreams Book Wilma Rudolph
$15.99Wilma was born into a family with 22 brothers and sisters, in the segregated South. She contracted polio in her early years and her doctors said she would never walk...
Abrams Appleseed Book With My Daddy (A Book of Love an...
$16.99A little girl honors her dad and all the fun they have together in this sweet companion to In My Heart. The spunky heroine loves spending time with her dad. They...
Little People, Big Dreams Book Women in Science
$39.99Meet three inspirational women from the world of science: Ada Lovelace, Amelia Earhart, and Marie Curie! In these remarkable true stories, learn how three women overcame hardship to achieve...
Gibbs Smith Book Yellow/Amarillo
$10.00Did you know that colors can tell stories? The illustrations in this clever board book introduce your brilliant baby to all kinds of things that are yellow, including tall giraffes...
Little People, Big Dreams Book Yoko Ono
$15.99Discover the inspiring true story of Yoko Ono, the artist. When Yoko was little, she had everything she could dream of in Japan, except time with her busy parents. She...
Abrams Appleseed Book You Are Fantastic! (A Hello!Lucky)
$7.99From Hello!Lucky, the creators of My Mom Is Magical! and My Dad Is Amazing!, comes a joyful tribute to all the things that make YOU one of a kind! You are more lovable...
Little People, Big Dreams Book Zaha Hadid
$15.99Meet Zaha Hadid tells the inspiring true story of the visionary Iraqi-British architect.Zaha Hadid grew up in Baghdad, Iraq, surrounded by music. She was a curious and confident child, who...
Gibbs Smith Book Zoolympics
$10.00See who finished first, second, third, and more in the Zoolympics while learning both cardinal and ordinal numbers. This fun board book teaches toddlers both cardinal and ordinal numbers as...
Trendy Tech Boombox Pink Bling
$80.00Listen to your favorite songs in style with this Rainbow Bling boombox! With LED speaker lights, this boombox is perfect for any occasion that calls for some fun music Led...
Trendy Tech Boombox Rainbow Bling
$88.00Listen to your favorite songs in style with this Rainbow Bling boombox! With LED speaker lights, this boombox is perfect for any occasion that calls for some fun music Led...
Trendy Tech Boombox Retro
$58.00Bring back the 90's nostalgia with Trend Tech Brands™ Retro Boombox 90's Pattern Boombox Couture. With bluetooth capabilities, LED Light up dancing speakers, and unbelievable sound quality, you'll rock the...
Bunnies By The Bay Boris Bear-Ialis Polar Bear
$38.00Boris the Polar Bear is a super soft cuddly stuffed animal, ready for hugs and adventures! Dressed in his arctic blue scarf to keep him cozy and sweet. Bunnies By The...
Rubbabu Bouncy Ball Toy Bubble Green
$6.00 – $10.00A soft, velvety ball that bounces well on floors and carpets. Made from foamed natural rubber it's squishy and safe for babies and toddlers. The tactile texture makes it fun...
Rubbabu Bouncy Ball Toy Bumpy Pink
$6.00 – $10.00A soft, velvety ball that bounces well on floors and carpets. Made from foamed natural rubber it's squishy and safe for babies and toddlers. The tactile texture makes it fun...
Rubbabu Bouncy Ball Toy Crater Red
$6.00 – $10.00A soft, velvety ball that bounces well on floors and carpets. Made from foamed natural rubber it's squishy and safe for babies and toddlers. The tactile texture makes it fun...
Rubbabu Bouncy Ball Toy Golf Blue
$6.00 – $10.00A soft, velvety ball that bounces well on floors and carpets. Made from foamed natural rubber it's squishy and safe for babies and toddlers. The tactile texture makes it fun...
Rubbabu Bouncy Ball Toy Naval Mine Orange
$6.00 – $10.00A soft, velvety ball that bounces well on floors and carpets. Made from foamed natural rubber it's squishy and safe for babies and toddlers. The tactile texture makes it fun...
Rubbabu Bouncy Ball Toy Torpedo Aqua
$6.00 – $10.00A soft, velvety ball that bounces well on floors and carpets. Made from foamed natural rubber it's squishy and safe for babies and toddlers. The tactile texture makes it fun...
NL Find Bow Silicone Ring Teether
$16.00The Bow Silicone Ring Teether is a vibrant and playful toy designed for babies and toddlers. Crafted from gentle and secure silicone material, it is ideal for teething and comforting...
Moulin Roty Box of 6 Coloring Books With 145 Stic...
$12.00The new edition of the 20-page coloring book from The Parisiennes collection with delicate pencil sketches, illustrated by Lucille Michieli, depicting a variety of scenes that can be brought to...
Janod Boy's Crazy Faces Magnetic Book
$20.00Magnetic educational game in cardboard with faces theme. Once the book is opened, the aim is to make on the stage the same face as indicated on the card. Your child can...
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.