Toy & Activity Recommendations
Physical movement and playing are essential to developing proper cognitive and physical health in early childhood. Too often today, children from early ages are glued to screens. Doing so, rather than playing with toys and exercising, causes children to miss out on the cognitive, metabolic, and muscular development that physical activities allow. In collaboration with OT Samantha DeMartino, below are some toys and activities we advise for your children!
Products
Newborns: While newborns are limited in movement and aren't ready to "play" yet, they can begin supervised tummy time immediately. Some pillows that make it easier to facilitate tummy time are the Boppy pillow, which is highly rated & easy to store, or the Burplee, which supports core strength & digestion for colicky babies.
3 months: Babies begin to develop the ability to grasp, open & close their hands more (the palmar grasp) and respond to faces and external stimuli, such as music. To help encourage and develop these behaviors, some options are:
Toys with a mirror component to promote recognition and mimicry,
Stuffed animals and small dolls that can be grasped & have facial expressions for your baby to observe.
During this age, your babies can continue tummy time. To help keep them engaged for longer periods and stimulate their sensory systems, incorporate interactive toys such as this foldable triangle. Further, encourage your child to reach from all positions to increase core strength, and consider putting their toys slightly in front, to the side, or above them to stimulate this.
When choosing toys:
Choose toys made with safe & non-toxic materials, like this plush bunny, since babies put everything in their mouths
Avoid products with excessive and vibrant colors and ones that make loud sounds since they can be overstimulating
6 months: A wider array of toys, such as multi-sensory ones, can be introduced to improve cognitive development - as babies' responsiveness increases. Aim for toys that simultaneously engage multiple stimuli( audio, visual, tactile, and emotional). In other words, toys that introduce varied textures, functions, and sounds.
Some useful products and activities are:
Toys like this See n’ Say or a spinning toy.
Tissue boxes, toilet paper, or other things they can pull at. This action can help them conceptualize cause-and-effect behaviors and help them develop core and arm strength and mobility.
Reading to your child can encourage language mimicking and color/word association.
9 months: Children can now learn associations and cause-and-effect actions on a basic level. Toys that are good for this age should challenge mobility, muscle development, and associative skills. Their sensory systems are more developed, so the focus is more on evolving past primitive reflex/instinct. Some suggested activities include:
Allowing your baby to pull themselves up to stand and limited use of walkers or standers(maximum 10 minutes per day).
Playing with photos of family members to encourage bonding and recognition skills.
Playing with blocks, instruments, tunnels & play sets, and child-friendly household items to help them learn more advanced functions and develop gross & fine motor skills. These activities further help build confidence as they give children tasks to complete.
Reading. Encourage your child to be physically engaged with the book (grabbing, holding, turning pages).
Playing with small food items since their pincer grasp is beginning to develop. Oftentimes, children are encouraged to do this by playing with Cheerios(which is high in pesticide residue). Opt for cleaner alternatives such as grain-free USDA organic puffs will accomplish the same goal.
12 months: 1 year olds can handle more complex toys & books. At this age, associative components are important. These children's grasp becomes more precise, and they can engage in activities like sorting, placing, building, and scooping.
At this age, baby-like dolls are good for encouraging compassion and responsibility.
Easy puzzles and books are excellent for brain development. One example is this shape-sorting shopping cart, which helps develop gross & fine motor skills and color, word, and symbol association.
Switch to push toys instead of walkers for walking practice.
2 years: Children are now more social, can play with interactive games, and use toys that rely on increased imagination and creativity.
Some activities that allow children to play pretend and interact with others include Puppets and playstations such as play kitchens or cash registers.
Allow your child to use play sets and play outdoors, as they should now be able to run and climb.
Helping develop your child's senses and cognitive development with activities like playing with toys in a water pan or the bath (supervised).
3-5 years: Once children are in this range, they can begin solving more complex puzzles, drawing(Especially on an easel), reading, and playing sports and other physical games, like playing chess or an instrument, gymnastics, or making art. When encouraging these activities and household tasks, it is essential:
They play games with defined rules, such as chess.
Plays sports or other games that utilize teams to teach teamwork and foster social skills such as kindness, sportsmanship, turn-taking, and compassion. As they approach 5 years old, they should be able to keep score in games and win/lose with grace.
Draw or paint on an easel, as it helps build shoulder strength and stability.
Allow your children to be independent and courageous, and motivate them to finish tasks to completion. This is especially true for basic chores as it helps critical thinking and early exposure to the benefits of hard work.
