Date: 13 Jul 2021
Nowadays, parents are flooded with information on how to stimulate the development of the child from an early age with special books, toys and materials. And because we want the best for our children, we sometimes stumble into buying yet another item that is said to have an “educational” function or that promises us such invaluable independent play (and 5 free minutes for mom!). From an early age, the child often receives gifts from relatives and acquaintances - “phone” or “tablet”, which light up and make different sounds, “talking” books and other interactive toys. Not long after, some parents notice that the child who is overwhelmed with toys does not actually play with them - it is more interesting for the baby to examine his own fingers, and once he walks - any other object at home. Other parents find that once accustomed to singing and glowing toys that require nothing more than pressing buttons, the child fails to play alone with simpler objects such as a stroller or doll, becomes more passive and requires attention, or lags behind with the development of fine motor skills. Why does this happen and how can we avoid these “traps”? How to find the best toy for every age - the one that will stimulate the child to develop their abilities and imagination, with which he will have fun and with which he will play for a long time?
1. Darling Cushion – Baby Guggy Giraffe “Rose, Amber”
2. Cuddle friend Big Raffi Mustard
3. Cuddle cute Big Wally Blue
4. Cuddle cute Small Wally Blue
It’s easy - choose simple toys!
At first glance it sounds paradoxical, but the simpler a toy is, the more opportunities it provides to the child. Interactive toys create in the child a passive attitude to the game - the toy entertains him, and he is just a spectator. On the other hand, even when the child engages at the push of a button, he cannot understand how the toy works - the device is too complex to be explored and deciphered. The child learns nothing but the “button-sound-light” connection. These toys provide very limited play opportunities compared to open end toys, which the child can use in many ways thanks to their imagination. Therefore, when looking for toys that hold the child’s attention for a long time and are really useful in his development, it is always better to focus on simple and quality ones, play with which requires the active participation of the child.
0 - 6 months
In the first months of life, children do not need many toys - at this age, even just looking at the environment in which they are, is a “game”. You can hang a carousel over the bed, where the baby usually spends part of the time, to give him extra visual stimulus, or to place in a suitable place images or maps suitable for this age - it is best to choose highly contrasting ones, for example in black and white. Once the baby successfully grabs objects with his hand, everything he comes across is thoroughly examined, including with his mouth. That’s why it’s very important to make sure that the toys you give your little one are safe - they shouldn’t use any small parts that can be torn off and swallowed, and the materials must be non-toxic and preferably natural. Children between 2 and 6 months can deal for a long time with things like pieces of fabric (especially favorite on some labels, so look for a textile toy that has sewn small strips imitating a label), wooden rings, very simple rattles. A soft textile rattle or cuddle blanket can remain a child’s friend in the future. Great for this age are active gymnastics or mats, which also support the motor development of the child, but again, do not forget - the child does not need electronic stimuli! A noisy piece of fabric or an unbreakable mirror element sewn to the rug can attract his attention for a long time and will be much more educational than buttons that activate music or light.
1. Round play mat Sleepy Mustard
2. Activity book Elphee Grey
3. Activity Toy Jelly Powder
4. Activity Toy Jelly Powder
5. Activity ring Deer friends Grey
6. Musical mobile Polar
7. Activity Play mat Sea friends Grey
8. Activity spiral Sea friends Mustard
9. Pram toy Deer friends Grey
10. Animal Teether- Bear- ochre
11. Pacifier Holder - Cozy keeper Elphee Powder
12. Teether Rainbow - Shifting Sand
13. Musical hanger - Pinguin caramel
14. Pram Garland - Rainbow
15. Musical mirror mobile Sleepy Grey
16. Teething rubber Whale caramel
17. Baby Standing Mirror - Powder
18. Soft Blocks – Jungle
19. Activity Pad - Woodland
20. Cozy keeper Croco Tiny tropics Gold dots
6 - 8 months
The child continues to explore the world around him, becomes more mobile and more skillful with objects. You can add simple wooden puzzles or stackers or a set of cubes to the toys - at first he will just look at them, and after a while he will start arranging them. The good thing about such toys is that in addition to their “main” purpose, as they grow, their children invent more and more applications that adults would not even think about. Speech development is also in full swing - use your time together and talk to him and show the objects around. Not all children like to look at books, but it is not necessary - you can show him the colors, images of animals or objects and his favorite play cubes. At this age, sensory toys are also very suitable, which you can make yourself - for example, a bottle with a little rice inside and tied colored ribbons. Just remember safety - do not use anything that could endanger the child! Think about the arrangement of the toys - by organizing your home so that the child can reach them on his own, even by crawling, you give him the opportunity to play independently from an early age. This makes it even more important to stand up and walk. To avoid confusion, you can keep a small number of toys (or better yet, just don’t buy too many!) That you have free access to.
1. Wooden Penguin Wheelie Push & Pull Toy
2. Wooden pull bear toy
3. Nesting Star
4. Hand Puppet - Bear Ochre
5. Peg puzzle Deer Friends Multi color
6. Wooden Stacker - Cat
7. Wooden Fox Wheelie Push & Pull Toy
8. Wooden Sorting Puzzle Toy Truck
9. Stuffed animal - Bunny Joey
10. Snowy mountain cushion - Magic green
11.Set of Stacking Cups Toy - forest
12. Wooden Ladybug Bead
13. Lollipop cushion - caramel
14. Friendly Faces Soft Book – Garden
15. Walker Croco Green
16. Set of 3 Handmade Wooden Nesting Dolls - Wild Animals
17. Soft toy Elphee Grey
18. Cuddle cute Elphee Blue
19. Wooden Safari Puzzle
20. Stacking cubes Deer friends Colour Mix
18 months - 3 years
At this age, role-playing games are on the agenda and children’s desire to imitate adults is fully expressed. Toddlers can spend hours “cooking”, playing family with a doll or a stuffed animal, playing store, cops, superheroes, doctors… The list is endless and this is the period in which open end toys show their full potential. Although tempting, try not to overwhelm them with a lot of toys - children’s imagination is so great that they often do not need props or just find handy ones. Several boxes of natural materials such as chestnuts or pine cones can be soup products at other times and store purchases at other times. Constructors of all kinds are a great toy to provide the child - once he will have fun while assembling, and then he can play various role-playing games using the construction. Most children begin to show a great desire to disguise themselves and a few carnival costumes can be a great hit in the toy closet.
As the child grows, he will increasingly show his personal preferences and interests - our role as parents is to provide an opportunity for them to develop. The game is the way in which children learn about the world and gain skills that will serve them for a lifetime!
1. Teepee Set - Warm Beige
2. Set of 2 mini suitcases - rainbow & grid
3. Animal Cushions - Deer
4. Little Roar Head - Cardboard Toy
5. Make Believe Magnetic Dress Up Play Set - Theatre
6. Wooden Rainbow Stacking Game
7. Bamboo Nesting Stacking Toy– Snail
8. Darling Cushion – Baby Guggy Giraffe “Rose, Amber”
9. My first camera
10. Handmade eco-friendly soft toy/cushion - cheetah
11. Floor Puzzle - Wild Life
12. Coco Chanel - Little People, BIG DREAMS
13. Wooden Elephant toy with magnets
14. Suitcase set, 2 pcs Deer Friends Blue
15. Wooden dollhouse with furniture
16. Balance board - natural wood
17. Ballerina Top
18. Timber Tumble Game
19. Wooden Stacker - Fresh
20. Doll - Forest Elf
Author: Victoria Georgieva
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