Newborns do not actually need toys since sleeping and eating are really their main interests. But around the 3-month mark, many parents see their babies “wake up” and become more interested in the world around them; this is a great time to introduce them to fun toys and activities such as baby development toys to keep your baby entertained.
- The best toys for your baby are those that stimulate their four senses – sight, hearing, touch, and smell. Give them the toys that give experiences of colors, textures, sound, and smell. This helps his senses develop and become keen and accurate.
- A newborn’s vision is limited, and he can’t see beyond 15 inches, that is why he responds best to black-and-white or brightly colored objects and graphics.
- Toys that make noises and react to your baby’s actions give him a sense of control and develops his manipulation skills and coordination. An example is a rattle or a squeaking toy that makes a sound when he moves or squeezes it.
- Your baby loves to put an object in his mouth because he uses his mouth to “feel” things. Make sure all his toys are clean. He will also need teething toys made of soft material that helps strengthen the teeth. However, frozen teething rings could soothe painful teething.
These are some toys that can be simple and not be expensive for your infant needs:
The baby of 1-6 months:
1. Hands – make sounds by clapping your hands and snapping your fingers, sing to him and rock him, making funny faces. You are his best toy ever.
2. Hanging across his crib small and bright colored toys. It’s a great, quick distraction for on-the-go families!
3. A drawing of a face – babies instinctively love human faces more than any other visual object.
4. Gentle music from a CD or a tape
5. A bright-colored ball, a hankie, a ribbon, etc. – which you can hold in front of your baby so he can track it with his eye. You can also encourage him to reach for it when he is about 8 to 10 weeks old with these baby development toys.
6. Soft tubular pillow or tummy bolster that you can roll under his arms and chest while he lies on his tummy. This strengthens his neck, arm and back muscles and gives him a new position to view the world.
7. Bright-colored blocks
8. Safe household objects that your 3 to 6 month-old baby can explore with his touch like spoons, cups, bowls, etc, are counted as baby development toys.
The baby of 6-12 months old:
1. Plastic or rubber animals or dolls that can be washed.
2. Push or pull toys that allow your baby to create movement.
3. Big plastic blocks.
4. Musical toys or toys that generate sounds when pressed. The sweet facial expression and variety of colors help your little one learn how to focus for healthy eye development and coordination with these baby development toys.
5. Empty cardboard boxes for crawling games.
6. Big Lego toys.
7. Shape sorters or nesting cups that teaches your child about sizes and the concept of object permanence.
8. Stuffed animals
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