Do you think a musical mobile with pretty birds and rolling beads, hanging on your baby's crib, is just a decorative piece? Think again....It's more than that, say researchers. In addition to eeping your baby fascinated, these pretty mobiles can actually help a lot in the development of a baby's brain.
Among the variety of toys, developmental toys have been proven to improve a baby’s sensory and perceptual skills, and enhance imagination. While babies tend to understand textures and sounds, toddlers learn to recognize colors and sizes. There is a multitude of toys available for the modern tot. Here are some of the toys that are extremely popular with infants and toddlers.
Water Pat Mat: Your baby will grin as she sees the animals float in the water every time she pats the mat. This water-filled mat containing floating little sea animals can be interactive for babies of six months and up. This toy is more appropriate for Tummy time as it helps in building abdominal strength, especially for babies sleeping on their backs.
Soft blocks: Recommended for the early years of a child, soft blocks are light and easy to handle. These blocks jingle, rattle, crinkle and have peek-a-boo doors too. Babies improve their hand-eye coordination, hearing and motor skills by trying to place blocks on top of each other.
Stacking toys: A toy with a stack of rings or nesting cups is a great way to build hand and eye coordination and develop cognitive abilities. It can be used for over a period of time. As the baby learns to stack the cups or the rings one over the other, you could introduce colors. Once the tiny tot starts to talk, you can ask her about the colors and sizes.
Hanging mobiles: Toy manufacturers have introduced a new generation of mobiles ranging from the ones that can sing soothing lullabies to playing melodies from Bach and Mozart. A mobile with varied colors and patterns can strengthen baby's eye muscles and enhance visual senses. The whirling sounds encourage her to reach out and grasp things.
Sensory toys: A toy that quacks, squeaks or tweets when pressed will delight your baby for months to come. The surprising squeaks will help the baby become aware of her hand movements. Rattles, teethers and soothers prepare a baby’s mouth for feeding skills. Chomping on a cooling rattle can reduce pain during teething. Besides, teethers are said to make a baby’s
teeth and gums stronger. Some toys have fruit textures and a flavored scent incorporated so that a child gets to experience the smell as well.
Having understood the importance of these toys, how would you go around buying the best ones? Check if the toy meets the safety requirements. If it's for an infant, you need to ensure it doesn’t have little pieces that could be a choking hazard. Prefer toys that can be used for a long time. Look out for sturdy toys with tightly secured parts.
Playing is fun and a learning process for little ones. So make sure you give your baby safe toys that can help speed up physical and cognitive development.
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