An Age by Age Guide to Buying Toys
Based on child development research,
the following guide will help in your selection of toys
for various age groups. Some playthings are recommended
for more than one age category, as children of different
ages often enjoy the same toy, each playing with it
at his or her own level.
Birth to 6 Months
Abilities and Interests
Experts agree that even babies
benefit from toys. Infants use their senses to learn
about their world. For the first few months of life,
babies are unable to grasp objects with their hands,
but enjoy exploring with their ears and eyes. Therefore,
toys that make noise or feature high-contrast, black-and-white
or brightly colored images are especially appealing
to newborns and young infants. Once infants can reach
for objects, they enjoy toys that are textured and safe
for mouthing. Remember, to avoid dangerous entanglement,
toys never should be hung or attached to a crib, playpen,
stroller, infant seat or around a child's neck with
elastic, string or ribbon.
Toy Suggestions
- Crib gyms*
- Floor gyms
- Activity quilts
- Mobiles*
- Safety mirrors
- Teething toys
- Large, interlocking rings or keys
- Cloth toys
- Soft dolls
- Stuffed animals (with short pile fabric)
- Musical and chime toys
- Rattles
*Remove when baby is five months
old or is able to push up on hands and knees.
6 Months to 1 YEAR
Abilities and Interests
In the second half of the first
year, infants master the motor skills that enable them
to play with toys in new and exciting ways. When babies
can sit up, they enjoy playthings they can manipulate
- to bang, drop, stack up, put in and take out, and
open and shut. Once they can crawl, "cruise"
(walk while holding furniture) and walk, they enjoy
things that move along with them. Toys that show cause
and effect are also thrilling at this age.
Toy Suggestions
- Balls (1¾ inches and larger)
- Push-pull toys
- Busy boxes
- Nesting and stacking toys
- Simple shape sorters
- Pop-up toys
- Soft blocks
- Bath toys
- Teething toys
- Large, interlocking rings or keys
- Soft dolls
- Stuffed animals (with short pile fabric)
- Simple musical instruments
- Rattles
- Squeeze/squeak toys
- Cloth and cardboard picture books
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