Toy Recommendations
The following toy suggestions have been broken down into age categories 6 months at a time. It doesn't take long for a child to tired of a toy once he has mastered it. The recommendations described below are highly rated by parents, but we really don't know how the kids feel about them.
Toys for Children ages 0-6 Months
Gymini
This soft playmat features two arches that hang a baby mirror, soft musical toy and rings for baby to rattle with. There are extra holes in the arches that allow you to hang other toys if you wish. While this is a simple idea, babies really seem to enjoy it and will spend long stretches of time batting and playing with the hanging toys. We also appreciate the toys portability. It doesn't take up much room so you can fold it up and take it with you. The mat is machine washable which is so important when dealing with infants. (Can you say "reflux" or "lactose intolerant") It comes in primary colors, black and white and a deluxe version that features Noah's ark and comes with extra toys to hang.
Playskool Kick Start Gymi
This baby activated activity center rewards them with fun sounds, music and spinning toys when your baby exercises their natural kicking and batting action. There is a dangling butterfly and bird, sliding beads, flowers they can flip, and textured shapes to play with. The gym plays ten different tunes and has several humorous sound effects such as a laughing baby, duck quack and whistles. The gym can be set up to only respond to your child's kicking and swatting or it can be set up for ten minutes of extended play. The bright colors, neat sounds and spinning action will keep your child entertained while providing them with sensory stimulation. When they bat at the toys and use the kick pad they are learning cause and effect and working on their motor skills.
Toys for Children ages 6-12 Months
Vtech Little Smart Learning Center
This is one of our favorite Vtech Toys. We like it because it has a raised base so your child can sit on the floor and the toy is at a comfortable level for them to play. If they aren't sitting up yet, simply remove the legs and let them play with it on the floor. There are many great activities and buttons that light up and make sounds. They can flip the butterfly wings, slide the beads, spin the musical wheel or play with the pretend phone. There are 18 buttons to press that identify letters, numbers, animals, objects, people and shapes. The Little Smart Learning Center plays 9 fun sounds. All of these features combine to stimulate your baby's senses.
Little Tikes Activity Garden
This toy has activities to keep your child busy for a long time. It features a swinging door with a squeaking doorbell, a tunnel that they can use to crawl in and out of their garden, 3 birds that sit on the fence and spin, a garden with three vegetables that help your child with shape sorting skills, a birdhouse with a chirping bird, and a mailbox and letters for them to mail (or teethe on). This toy is best suited for children closer to the later end of this age range (around nine months), but it certainly appropriate for children even earlier, provided they are sitting up. The Activity Garden is sturdy enough for your child to pull up on and is a favorite among many parents.
Toys for Children ages 12-18 Months
Vtech First Steps Plus Walker
What makes this toy desirable is that it has uses beyond that of the typical walker. While it functions as a very steady walker that will help your child with their first steps, it can also be used while sitting down or in the highchair because the activity board can be removed. This also means that your child won't be bored with this toy as soon as they're walking on their own, as is the case with most walkers. As with all Vtech toys, the electronic learning center provides them with many stimulating and educational buttons and activities. They are introduced to letters, numbers, animals and shapes and the sound is very clear. This is a very entertaining toy whose versatility will ensure that it will be played with long after the typical walker is put away.
Fisher Price Intelli-Table
This is a new toy that is receiving many awards and accolades. Part of the attention it has received is due to the fact that Fisher Price manufactured it in conjunction with Microsoft technology. They have developed a stand up learning toy, appropriate for children age's 9 months to three years that features three interchangeable rings with each ring emphasizing a different learning activity. One ring focuses on basic early learning skills (abc's and 123's), another ring is musical and the third ring focuses on educational games. The three different rings offer so many buttons to press, sounds to hear and things to play with that it seems to provide never ending fun. What's more, the Intelli-Table comes with volume control, a feature mom and dad are sure to appreciate.
Toys for Children ages 18-24 Months
The Roller Coaster by Anatex
This is a seemingly simple toy that is a tried and tested favorite of parents, pediatricians and teachers. It is basically five colored plastic coated wires that loop and curve with colored beads that can be moved around the wire. At first glance it looks to be a simple and perhaps even silly toy with little merit. If you look closer, you will realize that it is actually wonderfully educational. If you would like your child to take it for a spin, you will find it in many pediatricians' offices. It teaches hand dexterity, eye-hand coordination and shape and color recognition. While these are good reasons to buy this toy, you will be convinced when you see how many kids are in line to play with the Roller Coaster at the doctor's office.
Cozy Coupe II
This kid-powered car is a virtual staple in toddlers playrooms across the country. Children seem to love getting in and out of their very own car and getting around "Fred Flintstone" style. The dash features an ignition switch, a key and a removable key clicker with four electric sounds. It has a small storage bin in the back for transporting their luggage and a gas cap that opens and closes. They even sell a gas pump separately so that they can fill up and go. While your child may not learn many educational lessons from this toy, they will have a lot of fun playing.
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