Child's Play:
The 411 on Selecting the Right Toys for Each Stage of Your Child's First Year

hen you’re on the nest, it’s easy to fall into the trap of buying mounds of stuffed animals and new toys to fill the nursery. Instead, keep your own shopping list simple - leave the expensive giant teddy and motorized choo-choo to your rich Aunt Matilda.

After all, a child’s first (and best) plaything is you! Infants need love and affection through eye contact, smiles, and touch. It is your eyes, voice, and hugs that will allow baby to explore life for the first time. So fill his days with textures and sounds that enhance the senses, and when your baby starts to interact with you - with just a smile - this is the time to introduce playthings.

Aside from being just plain fun, play fosters intellectual, social, cognitive, and physical development. And toys are learning tools that build life skills, including reasoning, fine- and gross-motor movement, character, social skills, and self-esteem. When choosing toys for your holiday list or baby shower registry, get the best by following these guidelines.

Birth to 3 Months
Despite appearances, there’s a lot going on in this stage of a baby’s life. Introduce your infant to toys that help teach about her new environment through textures, tastes, smells, and sight with sensory activities. Be careful with toys that attach to the crib for baby to play with while drifting off to sleep. When left unattended, a child could get injured, so check often that these are securely attached and not in reach of baby to pull on. In fact, return any crib toy that cannot be secured to the rail.

Vulli Sophie the Giraffe
3 months and up
The soft feel and texture of this squeaky 7-inch giraffe teether attracts touch, stimulates sensory development, and provides opportunity for parent-child interaction. As a baby learns to squeak the toy, he gains a sense of accomplishment. It is handmade in the French Alps out of natural rubber and non-toxic paint. $20

Sassy Cuddle Doll
Birth and up
This lightweight, handcrafted grasping toy is made of selected hardwoods with brightly colored textured fabrics of cotton, satin, and corduroy to enhance tactile stimulation. The wooden rings clap together for click-clack noises and easy grasping. The light lavender scent will calm baby and enhance her sense of smell. $8

3 to 6 Months
This age is all about self-discovery. Toys that baby can play with alone- things that squish, squash, roll, rock, and move - encourage learning about cause and effect. Look for toys that open, close, drop, and move up and down. As baby grows, support open-ended play that allows free expression. Bright colors and different sizes and shapes stimulate thinking skills.

Tummy time is when an infant lies on her stomach and practices lifting her head, encourages fine-motor support and body strength. The best tummy-time toys are textured play-mats made of soft, washable (there will be lots of drool) material with attached teethers for sensory stimulation and a mirror (that is not glass) for self-reflection and discovery. These mats can be placed on a floor, in a crib during awake time only, and they travel well, too.

Do not purchase any toys that have strings or attached pieces that could become possible choking hazards. And whether you are shaking a rattle for her, talking to her, or baby is interacting the play-mat, tummy time must always be a supervised activity.

Kushies Zolo Linki Uni Clip
3 months and up
This teether is ideal for grasping, holding, and shaking, and it strengthens motor skills. A clip is included for easy attachment to a stroller or car seat. $16