Play Time
Chronicle Books Connoisseur Kids (Etiquette, Manners,...
$22.95From Jennifer Scott—author of the New York Times bestselling Madame Chic series and founder of the Daily Connoisseur blog—comes this playful take on manners and being a good global citizen....
Le Toy Van Construction Car Set
$36.00A set of 5 construction vehicles with functioning parts - lifting crane, scoop, roller, digger and tip-up truck and two traffic cones. All vehicles have functional parts, including an extendable crane...
Tender Leaf Toys Construction Site
$30.00A collection of construction vehicles, including dump truck, front loader, excavation digger, crane truck, road roller. All with moving parks and painted in realistic and contemporary colors. Standard wheel width...
NL Find Construction Toy Set
$20.00Description Construction or train themed wooden set comes in acetate tube. Ages 3+. Dimension: pieces approx 2 1/2" x 3" Material: PINE WOOD
Phaidon Press Cookies! An Interactive Recipe Book
$19.95Bake cookies from scratch inside this interactive recipe book - sift the flour, whisk the sugar, crack the egg, pour the chocolate chips, and more! Simple yet factual recipe text takes...
Hape Cooking Essentials Toy
$28.00It’s time for dinner! Help to get things ready by trimming, peeling and chopping the vegetables and grating the cheese on your own cutting board. The separable ingredients and different...
Erzi Cooking Fun Assorted Wooden Toys
$66.00A great pretend play assortment of wooden food for young cooks! This comprehensive assortment is perfect for conjuring up the perfect meal! The perfect ingredients for pretend play in the...
Plushies Cooper Plush Toy 25 Inch
$98.00This adorable Cooper is a classic dog with golden fur all throughout and floppy ears. Bring home this unique dog for a great, realistic addition to your collection. High quality...
Jellycat Cordy Roy Baby Duckling
$25.00Flip and flap and say hello to adorable Cordy Roy Baby Duckling! A nubbly, nuzzly buttercream cutie, this little scamp is newly hatched! Little hands will love the texture of...
Jellycat Cordy Roy Baby Duckling Comforter
$25.00Snooze on a lake of creamy softness with Cordy Roy Baby Duckling Soother. A loveable lassie with bobbly feet, this little duck is a toddler treat. Any time the sleepies...
Jellycat Cordy Roy Baby Hare Comforter
$23.00A whole lot of feely, fuddly fun, the Cordy Roy Baby Hare Soother is the softest place to snooze. With grabbable paws, ears and feet, and a heavenly-soft little onesie...
Corolle Corolle Babipouce Doll Sweet Dreams
$38.00Corolle Babipouce Sweet Dreams Doll is super soft and cuddly And has a charming, realistic vinyl face that charms and comforts baby and that is delicately scented with vanilla --...
Corolle Corolle Baby Doll Calin Maria
$45.00Corolle Bebe Calin Maria Doll is the perfect size for little mommies and daddies to rock and cradle in their arms. The doll's soft body is posable like a real...
Corolle Corolle Baby Doll Lilou
$72.00Corolle Lilou Doll is the perfect large baby doll for caring for doll like real parents.At 14”, it is just the right size for a child's little arms - perfect for...
Corolle Corolle Baby Doll Lise
$72.00Lise is a large Corolle doll to play and act like the grown-ups. Perfectly suited to a child's little arms for cuddling, mothering and reproducing the gestures that make them...
Corolle Corolle Bebe Bath Doll Coralie Flowers
$50.00Corolle Bebe Bath Coralie Flowers just loves water play! This small baby doll is the perfect swimming companion, helping your child to gently get to know all types of aquatic...
Corolle Corolle Bebe Calin Capucine
$45.00Corolle Bebe Calin Capucine is a 12- inch baby doll - the perfect size for little mommies and daddies to rock and cradle in their arms. Its soft body is posable...
Corolle Corolle Bebe Calin Maeva Ballerina
$45.00Corolle Bebe Calin Ballerina is a 12- inch baby doll - the perfect size for little mommies and daddies to rock and cradle in their arms. Its soft body is...
Corolle Corolle Bebe Calin Mila
$45.00Corolle Bebe Calin Mila is a 12- inch baby doll - the perfect size for little mommies and daddies to rock and cradle in their arms. Its soft body is posable...
Corolle Corolle Bebe Doll Calin Charming Pastel
$45.00Corolle Bebe Calin is the perfect first doll for your little girl to play mommy! Corolle Bebe Calin Details: Suitable for infants 18m+ Slightly scented with vanilla The doll's face,...
Corolle Corolle Bebe Doll Calin Unicorn
$45.00Corolle Bebe Calin Unicorn is a little 12” baby doll that is just the right size for a child’s little arms and hands to play with.Its soft body allows it...
Corolle Corolle Carry Bed Floral
$35.00Corolle Floral Carry Bed is the perfect accessory, essential when your little one is traveling with their Corolle doll! This Floral Carry Bed is an essential travel companion for small 12”...
Corolle Corolle Doll Stroller Floral
$38.00The Corolle Floral Stroller is a perfect way for children to build self-confidence when taking their "first steps" as they take their small 12" baby doll for a walk. It...
Corolle Corolle Drink and Wet Bath Bebe Emma
$65.00Corolle Emma Bebe Doll is perfect to be your potty training ally! This large Corolle baby doll is anatomically correct and measures 36cm/14in. Emma drinks her bottle, goes potty "for real"...
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.