The best toys for babies/toddlers development
It’s amazing how much babies and toddlers learn through playing. Play is a major way that children master new skills. Wouldn’t it be cool if that lasted into adulthood?! The toys below are great for fine motor skills, motor planning, and for gross motor skills. They are also beneficial for a million other reasons too- speech, stimulation, sensory processing, visual perceptions- you name it.
My daughter has had global developmental delays for her entire life. She has been in Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech, she has a special teacher come, and the amount of work we do with her is endless. By work, I mean playing, talking, repeating words, stretching words out, giving her access to toys that she can use to walk. It is a lot of work, but it’s what you typically do as a parent regardless. She just needs a bit more. Luckily, the toys available are made to help develop babies muscle groups. All of these toys are great developmental toys. Until Siena, I had to idea just how important toys were for babies and toddlers, and their development. I’d never thought much about it, I just had toys that my older kids liked. Now, I purchase toys with great thought. These in particular have helped our Siena tremendously, and she LOVES THEM! We hope this helps!
1. PLayskool Busy Poppin’ Pals Pop Up Activity Toy: Ages 9 months and up:
For Siena, this has been great for her to manipulate how each little animal pops up. She has to push one button to get the monkey to pop up, she has to turn another for the elephant and so on. It is also great for speech, as we name and talk about each animal as they pop up.
POP GOES THE...PANDA?: And giraffe, monkey, elephant, and lion, too! This colorful baby and toddler toy for kids 9 months and up makes it fun to figure out how to make the cute little critters pop up
HAPPY HANDS-ON FUN: You can help get their hands busy practicing motor skills as little fingers slide, pull, push, twist, and press to make the animals pop. Snap the lids shut to play again and again
PLAY RIGHT AWAY: No batteries, no loose parts, no problem! Encourage hands-on exploration with a cause and effect toy that brings old-fashioned fun without any lights, sounds, or assembly
2. Learning Resources Counting Surprise Party
Siena’s Occupational Therapist suggested this one, and I’m so happy she did. There are 10 colorful present boxes, all with dots to count on the lid, and a different little animal inside. For the younger babies, it is great for them to manipulate in their hands, and Siena LOVES shaking them. As she’s grown we open and close them, and talk about the animals inside. Soon we will be able to start counting with them.
COUNTING & SORTING SKILLS: Unbox counting, sorting, and matching skills with these two-piece presents with a surprise inside!
10 SURPRISE TOYS: Discover a different surprise toy in every box - 10 in all!
FINE MOTOR SKILLS: Build fine motor skills as they box and unbox again and again!
COLOR RECOGNITION: Learn recognition skills with the presents' unique colors and numbers!
Homeschool supplies for any toddler ages 3+
3. Good ol’ Play-Doh: Play and Store Play-Doh Activity Table:
Yes, it’s messy. But it is SO good for fine AND gross motor skills. They mold, Siena loves to pull it apart and make the biggest mess possible. BUT, it occupies them for a LOOOOONG time, and it’s totally worth the clean up for that alone, and for all the learning that takes place while they play. It is great for identifying colors, and for sensory processing as well. As they get older, they will be able to pretend play by making different objects, food and animals out of the play-doh. Added bonus, we get to play with is and squeeze our stress away :)
Play-doh compound is the world's no. 1 reusable Modeling compound with over 50 colors
Quality formula, satisfyingly squishy texture, and famous scent
Themed tools and playsets encourage kids to use their hands and minds to figure things out, tell stories, and play pretend
Trusted by families and teachers for over 60 years to spark imaginations and to help inspire hands-on, uninhibited creative fun
4. Monilon Water Beads Ocean Sea animal set with sensory table:
Another one that may be a bit of a mess, BUT another one that they LOVE and that keeps them occupied for hours. If you have little, little ones, be careful that they don’t put them in their mouths. This set is amazing for imaginative play, and for tactile sensory play. It is also great for fine motor skills as they grasp and play with the individual beads. Siena LOVES transferring whatever she is playing with in the sensory bins into different containers.
Special ocean water beads set: Including 9oz of sea colored water beads, 24 pieces simulated ocean creature models and a 23.6” x 17.7” inflatable water play mat for kids. Kids could build the sea world from their imagination to reality. Absolutely a great water crystal gels set for your children
Great sensory toys for kids: It's important to provide opportunities for children to actively use their senses as they explore their world through sensory play, which is crucial to brain development. Through sensory play of water beads ocean set, children could learn how to block out noise and focus on the play which is occurring with their peers
Environmental & reusable: MONILON water beads are 100% non-toxic, totally safe for toddlers and kids. The water beads can be recycled. Just put them in a basin and dry in the sun, then place them in a sealed jar after that. They could be used over and over, which could add value off the money you've paid
Have fun with your families: put a quarter water beads of the lid of the jar and moderate water into the inflated water Mat. After water absorbed, The magic crystal jell balls become so elastic and slippery that you want to smash it in spite of yourself. The water beads could also be filled into balloon, you could make it as a little stress ball or a big water gel balloon depend on different intended uses
5. Baby Einstein Curiosity Table Activity Station:
Ok, I know there are a LOT of variations of activity tables, but this one is AMAZING. My sister in law got it for Siena over Christmas, and literally any aged kid that comes to my house will play with it. The first cool thing to note is that the legs come off for babies who are not yet standing so that they can play with it on the floor. Siena stands and walks all around this table. There are so many things to manipulate and play with, and it’s light enough that she can push it and use it as a sturdy walker.
Multiple activities spark baby’s creativity
Removable legs for different modes of play
Multiple kids can play at once
Includes 65 melodies and sounds
Gears, color circuits, lights & more
“Draw out your child’s naturally curious spirit with Baby Einstein’s Curiosity Table. From removable, spinning gears to color-discovery circuits and flashing lights, the two-sided art and science table will capture your little one’s attention for hours. Watch as the gears connect to make the light bulb turn on! Experiment with color mixing using the mess-free “paint pots.” Your little one will love investigating all the gadgets on this double sided table. It plays more than 65 melodies and introduces vocabulary in English, Spanish or French. Volume adjusts to either high or low settings, or can be turned off completely. When the sounds are turned on, you and your baby will enjoy a better musical experience from the higher end quality speaker. Whether he’s stepping or crawling, the activity station grows with baby. The middle art panel is removable to make more space for baby’s arts and crafts – it even attaches to the end of the table. And removable table legs make it easy to convert the table for floor play. A drawing art surface and a dry erase whiteboard leave plenty of room for big brother or sister to join in on the fun too. Pull up a seat – this play station is fun for parents too!”
If price is an issue, or your kids would rather play with a box than any toy that you’ve spent money on, don’t worry! Put noodles in that box and give them Tupperware and dishware to transfer it to and from different containers. Give them a box and markers to go to town. Cut different shapes into the big cylinder oatmeal container and give them items around the house that fit into each uniquely cut hole. There are millions of options to keep them busy, and learning, and gaining motor skills! Don’t worry, more or these ideas to come in another blog!
XOXO
Lyndsay & Nicole
