Simple games such as peek-a-boo with mom and dad are key to a baby's normal development. "If play is the child's work, then toys are the child's tools," according to "Which Toy for Which Child: A Consumer's Guide for Selecting Suitable Toys," a brochure from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Toys and playthings are necessary for infants to develop mentally, physically and socially. That's why it is so important to provide your infant with safe, entertaining and useful toys to aid in her learning and growth.
Before You Buy
Ensure that the product you purchase will meet your expectations by always checking the package for the manufacturer's age and safety labels. Make certain the toy is age-appropriate and is made from nontoxic materials. Hold the toy in your hands. If it feels heavy or bulky, it's probably too big for your infant to enjoy. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reminds parents that baby toys should have no electrical parts, no sharp points or edges, no glass or brittle plastic and no long strings.
Think Sights and Sounds
Infants and babies under 6 months aren't able to grab and hold on to things for very long. That's why they rely on their other senses--hearing, seeing, tasting--during playtime. "Toys that make noise or feature high-contrast, black-and-white or brightly colored images will definitely keep them entertained," according to experts from the Toy Industry Association, or TIA. Once they can reach for objects, let them experiment with toys that are textured and safe to put in their mouths. Other ideas include mobiles that can safely be attached to the crib, toys that make music, rattles and teethers.
Toys that Move
Babies love to watch motion. They especially enjoy things that are suspended, such as mobiles that totter because of a gust of air, a wind-up mechanism or because the baby touches it. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, "Toys for watching should be suspended only 8 to 14 inches from the infant's eyes and angled toward her eyes." As your baby gets bigger, she may be able to grab the toy. At that time, parents should relocate the toy to where it's once again out of baby's reach.
Babies Older Than 6 Months
After 6 months, babies are mastering more motor skills. They're able to hold on to items longer and play with their toys in more tactile ways. "When babies can sit up, they enjoy toys they can bang, drop, stack, put in and take out and open and shut," say TIA experts. Once they're able to crawl and move around on their own, they want toys that move along with them. At this age, babies enjoy shape-sorters, stackers, interlocking plastic beads or rings and safe, unbreakable mirrored toys. The Toy Industry Association recommends hand-held baby manipulatives, such as more complicated rattles and toys with sounds and textures and simple push-pull toys.
Warnings
The Toy Industry Association cautions parents to avoid dangerous entanglement by never hanging attaching toys to a crib, playpen, stroller, infant seat or around a child's neck with elastic, string or ribbon. They also remind parents to remove mobiles from their child's crib when the baby is about 5 months old or is able to push up on his hands and knees, to avoid entanglement.
As a safeguard against choking, parents should always keep small toys and other household items--anything that could fit into a child's mouth--out of the reach of children under the age of 3.
References
- Toy Industry Association; ToyInfo.com; Oh Baby! What's Hot for Tots in 2010
- American Academ of Pediatrics: Selecting Appropriate Toys for Young Children: The Pediatrician's Role
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission; Which Toy for Which Child: A Consumer's Guide for Selecting Suitable Toys; Ages Birth Through Five
