April 2007
Toys for babies and young children
Your baby may look like he’s simply having fun when he coos at his rattle or tries his hand at stacking “donuts.” But make
no mistake--what looks like playtime to us is work to babies, and toys are the tools for getting the job done.
Playing helps develop a baby’s social, emotional, language, intellectual, and problem-solving skills, says Marilyn Segal, Ph.D., dean emeritus and director of the professional development program at Mailman Segal Institute for Early Childhood Studies at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Batting at a mobile, giving a musical ball a shove, or transferring a rattle from one hand to another helps babies learn about the world. Such play also helps them connect sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell to objects; to recognize shapes, patterns, and colors; develop hand-eye coordination and memory; and to bond with you and others. “It’s how your baby learns, and so much more,” Segal says.
When you choose toys and activities that enhance your child’s development, you’re speaking your baby’s language and helping him foster cognitive and social skills he can build on. But don’t give toys all the credit. You’re a key player. “The most important toy is the parent and other caregivers because babies crave one-on-one social interaction and need the security it provides,” says Segal. The right toy, though, can make key developmental stages more fun--for your child and for you. Here are some ideas about age-appropriate toys for your baby--and what you can do to play up their important lessons. Note: Retail prices vary widely, so the prices listed here may not match those in the store. Age recommendations are those of the manufacturer. (Consumer Reports has not tested these particular products, however.)
SHOPPING SECRETS
Look for the manufacturer’s recommended age range. It’s on the front of the toy package--take it seriously. A toy labeled for children over age 3 is definitely not suitable for younger children. More than a friendly hint, an age recommendation can alert you to a choking hazard, the presence of small parts, and other dangers. If you’re buying a toy for a child over 3 years old who has a younger sibling, remember that the younger child probably will find a way to get the toy.
Cheap, poorly constructed toys are no bargain. Flimsy plastic toys--the kind sometimes sold in drugstores, airports, and dollar stores--often have dangerous sharp edges or small parts that can break off easily.
Used toys, especially solid, molded-plastic ones, can be a great buy. Thrift stores, consignment shops, and yard and garage sales often have toys in excellent condition. But carefully check every toy to see that it’s well made and safe, and wash it before giving it to your child. Babies experience much of their world through sucking, so expect that most toys will go straight to their mouths.
WHAT’S AVAILABLE
Major brands of toys for newborns, infants, and toddlers are, in alphabetical order: Baby Einstein (www.babyeinstein.com), Bright Starts (www.brightstarts.com), Edushape (www.edushape.com), Fisher-Price (www.fisher-price.com), Infantino (www.infantino.com), International Playthings Inc. (www.intplay.com), Kids II (www.kidsii.com), LeapFrog (www.leapfrog.com), Learning Curve, which includes Lamaze, (www.learningcurve.com), Little Tikes (www.littletikes.com), Manhattan Toy (www.manhattantoy.com), Munchkin (www.munchkin.com), Neurosmith (www.smallworldtoys.com), Playskool (Hasbro, www.hasbro.com), Sassy (www.sassybaby.com), Small World Toys (www.smallworldtoys.com), The First Years (www.thefirstyears.com), Tiny Love (www.tinylove.com), and Vtech (www.vtechkids.com). Prices typically range from $4.99 for basic toys, such as rattles and baby books, to $70 or more for deluxe activity mats and stationary activity centers.
RECOMMENDATIONS
When toy shopping, follow the manufacturer’s age recommendations displayed on the package. Although you may think that a more “advanced” toy will present a welcome challenge, it could be a source of frustration if it is inappropriate for your baby’s stage of development. It also may be unsafe. A stuffed toy, for example, that’s labeled for a child over age 3 could have eyes that are potential choking hazards for a younger child.
The small-parts regulations ban toys made for children under age 3 that have, or could produce, small parts; for example, a toy bar or rattle that breaks, releasing fragments. But sometimes age recommendations can be difficult to find (or nonexistent). You can test an item for safe size by doing the toilet-paper-tube test: If the toy is small enough to pass through the tube, it’s too small for a baby to play with. Look for anything that could be bitten or chewed off, such as hard, sewn-on parts like eyes, buttons, or wheels, and soft, small pieces, such as strings, ribbons, and stuffed animals’ ears. All can be choking hazards.
Playing helps develop a baby’s social, emotional, language, intellectual, and problem-solving skills, says Marilyn Segal, Ph.D., dean emeritus and director of the professional development program at Mailman Segal Institute for Early Childhood Studies at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Batting at a mobile, giving a musical ball a shove, or transferring a rattle from one hand to another helps babies learn about the world. Such play also helps them connect sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell to objects; to recognize shapes, patterns, and colors; develop hand-eye coordination and memory; and to bond with you and others. “It’s how your baby learns, and so much more,” Segal says.
When you choose toys and activities that enhance your child’s development, you’re speaking your baby’s language and helping him foster cognitive and social skills he can build on. But don’t give toys all the credit. You’re a key player. “The most important toy is the parent and other caregivers because babies crave one-on-one social interaction and need the security it provides,” says Segal. The right toy, though, can make key developmental stages more fun--for your child and for you. Here are some ideas about age-appropriate toys for your baby--and what you can do to play up their important lessons. Note: Retail prices vary widely, so the prices listed here may not match those in the store. Age recommendations are those of the manufacturer. (Consumer Reports has not tested these particular products, however.)
SHOPPING SECRETS
Look for the manufacturer’s recommended age range. It’s on the front of the toy package--take it seriously. A toy labeled for children over age 3 is definitely not suitable for younger children. More than a friendly hint, an age recommendation can alert you to a choking hazard, the presence of small parts, and other dangers. If you’re buying a toy for a child over 3 years old who has a younger sibling, remember that the younger child probably will find a way to get the toy.
Cheap, poorly constructed toys are no bargain. Flimsy plastic toys--the kind sometimes sold in drugstores, airports, and dollar stores--often have dangerous sharp edges or small parts that can break off easily.
Used toys, especially solid, molded-plastic ones, can be a great buy. Thrift stores, consignment shops, and yard and garage sales often have toys in excellent condition. But carefully check every toy to see that it’s well made and safe, and wash it before giving it to your child. Babies experience much of their world through sucking, so expect that most toys will go straight to their mouths.
WHAT’S AVAILABLE
Major brands of toys for newborns, infants, and toddlers are, in alphabetical order: Baby Einstein (www.babyeinstein.com), Bright Starts (www.brightstarts.com), Edushape (www.edushape.com), Fisher-Price (www.fisher-price.com), Infantino (www.infantino.com), International Playthings Inc. (www.intplay.com), Kids II (www.kidsii.com), LeapFrog (www.leapfrog.com), Learning Curve, which includes Lamaze, (www.learningcurve.com), Little Tikes (www.littletikes.com), Manhattan Toy (www.manhattantoy.com), Munchkin (www.munchkin.com), Neurosmith (www.smallworldtoys.com), Playskool (Hasbro, www.hasbro.com), Sassy (www.sassybaby.com), Small World Toys (www.smallworldtoys.com), The First Years (www.thefirstyears.com), Tiny Love (www.tinylove.com), and Vtech (www.vtechkids.com). Prices typically range from $4.99 for basic toys, such as rattles and baby books, to $70 or more for deluxe activity mats and stationary activity centers.
RECOMMENDATIONS
When toy shopping, follow the manufacturer’s age recommendations displayed on the package. Although you may think that a more “advanced” toy will present a welcome challenge, it could be a source of frustration if it is inappropriate for your baby’s stage of development. It also may be unsafe. A stuffed toy, for example, that’s labeled for a child over age 3 could have eyes that are potential choking hazards for a younger child.
The small-parts regulations ban toys made for children under age 3 that have, or could produce, small parts; for example, a toy bar or rattle that breaks, releasing fragments. But sometimes age recommendations can be difficult to find (or nonexistent). You can test an item for safe size by doing the toilet-paper-tube test: If the toy is small enough to pass through the tube, it’s too small for a baby to play with. Look for anything that could be bitten or chewed off, such as hard, sewn-on parts like eyes, buttons, or wheels, and soft, small pieces, such as strings, ribbons, and stuffed animals’ ears. All can be choking hazards.
