Baby Developmental Toys Every Parent Should Know About!
Hey mom and dad! With your bundle of joy wrapped in your arms, your day might have started to look like this - feeding him, changing diapers and making sure he gets a sound sleep. But while you may think that your baby can’t do much at such a young age, playtime can prove to be quite beneficial. Playtime plays a crucial role in your little one’s cognitive, physical, emotional and social growth. In the initial months, your baby’s growth is quite rapid. With the right baby toys, you can enable him to start his journey of exploring new skills like recognising colours, shapes and much more! Read on to know which play toys for babies aid development at set baby milestones, followed by the features that one should look for in 0-six months baby toys.
Baby’s Development Milestones
As your little one begins to grow and develop, he starts achieving certain milestones. These milestones play a crucial role in helping you determine which baby toys by age can aid his growth. As a parent, you should keep in mind that each and every child develops at his own pace. Thus, you should refrain from comparing your child’s development to that of others. Let’s have a quick look at the baby milestones that you might witness as your little one grows from being a newborn baby up until a six-month-old [] and which baby toys by age should you pick:
One-Month Old
Visual Development
Head and Limb Movement
Hearing and Awareness
Try this: Give your one-month old baby toys that have different soft textures.
Two Months Old
Starts recognising objects and colours
Turning his attention towards the sound
Try this: Pick play toys for your 2 month old babies which are visually appealing. Particularly the ones which are designed with bright colours and textures. This will aid your baby’s visual development.
Three Months Old
Becomes more aware of circular shapes and patterns like spirals and curls
Gain the ability to open and shut her hands to hold toys or your fingers
Copies facial expression
Try this: Give your 3-month-old baby colourful toys which can enhance his grasping skills.
Four Months Old
Develops distance vision
Looks himself in a mirror
Rolls in both direction
Try this: Give your 4-month-old baby a rattle to hold as it will help in developing eye and hand coordination.
Five-Six Months Old
Starts recognising intricate patterns
Gravitates towards blue and red
Attempts to sit upright
Increase in-depth perception
Try this: Opt for six-month baby toys which have different textures and induce certain sounds. This can help him develop his listening skills. You can even play a simple game like peekaboo which can aid his social development. You need to make sure that all baby toys are safe to play with. They should have no sharp edges and should be made with durable and non-toxic materials. It’s important because babies at this stage tend to develop more control over their tongues and lips. They tend to put every object in their mouth which they grab a hold of.
Play Toys For Babies
Rattles
Playmats
Baby safe mirrors
Lightweight, colourful crinkles:
Sleep soft toys
Stacking cups
Portable toddler music box
Features You Must Keep In Mind While Buying Play Toys For Babies
Bright Colours:
Having a toy with bright colours like blue or red helps your baby to sight it easily This, in turn, helps in developing his visual senses.
Sound:
This is one of the most important features which can help your little one develops his auditory senses. Till the time your baby begins to develop his visual ability, sounds can be a strong segway for him to recognise where the object or toy is placed at. You can opt for musical mobiles with jingles in them or go for the most favourite baby toy of all time i,e rattles.
Contrast patterns:
In the early weeks, your baby’s visual development takes place. By using high contrast patterns in play toys for babies, your little one will be able to pick out differences in shapes and patterns.
Movement:
In the initial three months, while your baby’s eyesight is developing, newborn baby toys which move can come in handy. It will not only aid his visual development but will also develop his grasping skills.
Different textures:
Toys with different textures help in stimulating the baby's senses.
Watching your little one grow is one of the best moments of every parent’s life. By opting for the right baby toys, you will be able to fuel this purpose. Likewise, your baby can learn so much about himself and about the world around him. While he leads his journey of discovering new skills, you might even catch glimpses of sweet little giggles and laughter as toys keep the entertainment and fun factor rolling. So, make sure to spend time and play with your child. Looking at the larger picture, this could be the best quality time that you can spend with your baby, thereby developing a deeper emotional connection.