Best Learning Toys for Baby

by SusanM

Find out how to choose a good learning toy for your baby.

What is the first baby toy you think of? Is it a rattle? Or is it a teething toy? Are you one of the many people who do not know when babies start to play with these classic baby toys?

Knowing what toy to give your baby and when is harder than it seems. If a toy does not match your baby’s development stage it will not help your baby to find out more about the world around them.

Did you know the best learning toy for your baby changes depending on their development stage? Do you know when to give your baby their first rattle? Do you know what toy will help them learn best? 

Choosing a toy for your baby is harder than it seems because babies develop so quickly. This means the question what toy do you give them and when is a tricky one?

Knowing a little about your baby’s development and play can help you decide which toy will be best for your baby at different ages. 

If your baby is less than 3 months of age they are not able to grasp or hold objects yet. This means they are not ready for toys like rattles.

At this age your baby learns best from toys which have colorful sights and interesting sounds like the Baby Einstein Neptune Soother.

(If you find the Neptune Soother starts having problems after a while remember the batteries do need to be changed from time to time.) 

Good Toy for Up to 3 Months

Baby Einstein Neptune Soother
KIDS II

Baby Einstein Neptune Soothers on Ebay

As your baby grows they start grasping objects like rattles. This means they are ready to start learning from toys they can hold and feel. So baby toys that can be grasped, squeezed, felt or explored with their hands and mouths are perfect for learning at this age.

Classic baby toys are a good choice now. Rattles like the Manhattan Toy Tulu Rattle and Wonderworld Dudy Shake Rattle are easy for them to hold and exciting for them to play with because they make a sound.

Pictured: Grabby Elephant

Variety Helps Your Baby Learn

Another important tip that will help you choose toys for your baby is to look for variety when buying baby toys. Do all your baby's toys do pretty much the same thing? Or do you have a variety of toys and books that explore different colors, textures and things to do? 

Teethers (3 mths +)

Teethers like the popular Sophie the Giraffe can be explored with the mouth when your baby is this age. (Your baby will find out more about the world by exploring it with both their hands and mouth. But naturally you still want something safe like a teething toy to be chewed on rather than other things).

Other toys that will naturally help your baby at this age include Jacques the Peacock and Grabby Elephant. This is because of all the interesting things they have to feel and explore.

More 3 to 6 Month Toys

Jacques the Peacock
Learning Curve
Grabby Elephant Toy
International Playthings

From about 6 months of age your baby learns best from cause and effect toys like the Pop N Push Car and Push 'N Stack Gears. Cause and effect toys are ones that do something when you baby presses a button or does something else with them. This type of toy is exciting for your baby because they find out that they can have an effect on the world around them.

Toys like the Star Classical Stacker that can stacked one on top of the other are also good for your baby at this age. This is because it is a very early way to teach them about bigger and smaller. Toys like this also help their co-ordination. 

 

Pictured: Super Star Classical Stacker

First Baby Books

Do you think your 6 months old baby is ready for their first book? 

6 months is the perfect time to encourage your baby to love books. But make sure you buy books that are especially designed for babies. 

Books that they can play with by lifting flaps or feeling different textures are best for learning because it lets them explore in different ways. 

More Baby Play and Toy Articles

Ideas and tips for learning toys a four month old will love.
Updated: 09/13/2012, SusanM
 
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