The best baby toys
SEEING that seniors are encouraged to stay home this year, it looks as if Old St Nick won’t be able to deliver the presents as usual. This means you will have to mask up, go out, and get the toys yourself. But toy shopping can be a bit tricky this year, especially when we consider the economic fallout from the pandemic, and that your Christmas shopping budget may have been significantly reduced.
Nevertheless, the price tag isn’t the only thing you should look at when shopping for toys. You should also take your baby’s age and developmental stage into account. Here are some great gift ideas for the little ones this year, and some no-nos that you should try to steer clear of:
Books — all ages
Books are always a great gift idea for everyone. The key is to find the right type of book for each age and stage. Picture books are great for newborns, as there is no need for books with words just yet. Look for chunky books with large, high-contrast images and fun textures that will captivate their attention. As your baby grows and learns the names of objects, you can look for books with pictures of familiar animals and their names.
Pro-tip: Most children’s books are labelled with an age group in mind. Use this, and your child’s interests, to guide you.
Rattles and squeaky toys — birth to a year
Simple noisy toys that don’t require much skill to manipulate are a great hit with infants. Once your baby can grasp your finger, he/she can definitely grasp a rattle (with supervision of course) and will have loads of fun just watching and listening to it shake. As your baby learns to better control his/ her hands, he/she will get better at picking up and holding the toy.
Pro-tip: Bear in mind that the baby will mouth any toy you give to him/her, so ensure it is easy to clean and is made of a durable material that you can boil or wash in warm water.
Blocks — six months up
Brightly-coloured blocks are a great way to help to develop your child’s fine motor skills, once he/she figures out how to grasp things. Don’t worry too much about whether they begin stacking them up at first. Smaller children will be delighted at just being able to hold them, and making sounds by banging them together. As your baby grows, provide containers so they can enjoy packing them up and tossing them out, and demonstrate how to put them together to make larger objects. They will have a blast!
Pro-tip: Ensure that if you choose wooden blocks, they are not painted with toxic paint that strips easily, as despite your best efforts, these toys will probably end up in your child’s mouth.
Stuffed toys — all ages
Babies and toddlers love soft toys, because they are cuddly. As your child’s emotional intelligence develops, you might notice that he/she gravitates to a favourite teddy bear or snuggly animal. Soft toys can help with separation anxiety and provide comfort to children when they need it, and they use them to project their emotions that they are not yet able to communicate to you. A soft toy or two is always a great idea, no matter the age.
Pro-tip: Try to avoid toys with small, poorly attached accessories that can fall off or that may easily fall off into the child’s mouth if he or she chews on it. These toys are potential choking hazards.
— Candiece Knight
