As your baby learns to focus on the world around her, new things begin to catch her eye. If she’s starting to reach out and grab, it’s time to think about toys…
Toys take on an important role in her development by enhancing motor skills, hand-eye coordination, memory, imagination, creativity, and to some extent language skills and patience.
There’s no need to go crazy at this stage. Just a few well chosen toys will be enough to get her started. Here’s our pick for the toy box…
Wiggler’s Essential Toy Box
Rattle: Even before she can hold it herself, she'll respond to the sound and movement when you rattle it for her. Once she can grip it, she'll have endless fun exploring it. When she learns to grip, it will go straight in her mouth so make sure it's safe.
Play gym: Things to reach out for and to swipe will introduce her to cause and effect ('if I bat it, it will move'). Choose a height-adjustable arch-style gym with links to alter the height of the activities. Detachable activities offer double the fun.
Activity centre: She needs to feel she has power to affect her world, so give her more 'cause and effect' toys as she grows. Activities should respond quickly and easily to your baby's random movements, so that she makes discoveries through her own actions. Make sure it will fit firmly and safely on her cot.
Bath toys: A few brightly-coloured bath toys are great for helping your busy baby enjoy bathtime. And once she’s able to sit unsupported in the bath, there's tremendous fun in water play. Just pouring water from one container to another encourages her hand-eye co-ordination. You don't need complicated bath toys that splash and spurt at this stage: they come later. Try stacking containers, some solid and some with a sieve-style base, so she can see the water trickle through.
Board books: When she can sit up and take notice, your baby will enjoy sharing a book with you. Children introduced to books early (around six months) are more likely to become able and enthusiastic readers later. Thick board pages are durable and easy for her to turn when she's ready. Look for large, colourful illustrations of everyday objects she can point to and identify.
Building bricks: A classic toy that develops skills on different levels – from hand-eye co-ordination to imagination. Building castles is something you can do together and she'll learn by watching you - build a high tower, then topple it down and see her reaction. Wooden bricks last longer than soft ones, and they are easier to handle. Buy as many as you can in different sizes, shapes and colours – they'll feed your child's imagination for years to come.
Before you buy, think about:
- Is it fun, safe and durable?
- Can it be used in several different ways?
- What will it teach her?
- Is it appropriate for her age/ stage of development?
- Over time, will she still enjoy it?
Still not sure what to buy? Visit a play group - you can try her out with all sorts to see what she likes and responds to.
