Baby Toys

 Baby toys brands, themes, and shopping tips.

If you are thinking of buying a baby toy for a shower gift you have come to the right place.  Modern day baby toys are very colourful, and there are millions to choose from.  

When you are purchasing a baby toy you must take the baby’s age into consideration.  Most toy packaging is labelled with what age the toy is most appropriate for; however, it is also a good idea for you to use your common sense as some of these labels can be slightly misleading.

If you would like to purchase a toy for a newborn you must remember that babies this young can only see black and white, and can only see a couple of inches from their face.  Therefore you may want to get a toy that makes interesting sounds or sings soft lullabies.  As the newborn’s eyes develop throughout the first couple of months they begin to see color contrasts such as bright purple contrasting with bright yellow.  Bright coloured toys that hang above infants while they lie on their back are excellent purchases for a baby aged 6 to 12 weeks.  Some examples include mobiles or baby gyms.

Once the baby is about 12 weeks he or she will begin to support their head and hold onto and wave around small objects.  This is when play time starts to get fun!  A baby of this age can pass objects form one hand to the other, and can usually entertain him or herself for a longer period of time than a newborn.  Some excellent toys to buy infants that are aged 3 to 5 months include rattles, links, blocks, and teething rings.  However, be careful not to purchase toys that are too small, or that come with small pieces attached that have the potential to fall off, as this is the age that babies start to put objects in their mouths, and small toys or small pieces could cause the child to choke.

A 6 month old baby will enjoy toys such as baby gyms, baby blocks, and anything that sings, whistles, rattles or makes funny noises.  This age is where you can start to purchase some really fun baby toys.  My son started to love the Baby Einstein movies; not only are these movies fun for baby to watch, but they also provide mental stimulation.

From about 10 months to the walking stages toys such as exersaucers (exercisers), baby walkers, and anything that encourages baby to stand and use leg muscles are great.  Some examples include Fisher Price Peek-a-Blocks, Bruin Toys Musical Activity Table or Baby Studio, LeapFrog LeapStart Learning Table, little tykes Wide Tracker Activity Walker, or Graco Baby Einstein Developmental Entertainer.

Some great baby shower gifts include the following baby toys:

• Spinmaster Flip-Open Sofa with Slumber Bag

• Baby Einstein Color Blocks

• Baby Einstein Flash Cards

• Baby Einstein Light Up Melody Mirror

• Lamaze Assorted Play and Grow Toys

• Lamaze Musical Inchworm

• Little Tikes 5-in-1 Adjustable Gym

• PlaySkool Ride to Roll Scooter

• Bruin Toys Peek’n Roller

• Bruin Toys Pop-Up Animals

• Bruin Toys Electronic Activity Gym

• Tiny Love Gymini Super Deluxe with Lights and Music

• LeapFrog Little Touch LeapPad Learning System

• LeapFrog Learning Band Walker

• Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Learning Home

• Fisher-Price Learn Through Music

• Fisher-Price Ocean Wonders Aquarium Kick & Crawl