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Basic guide to choosing toys for babies A baby's only activities until the age of two months are sleeping and eating. He is not interested in anything else. After two months, the baby starts being more curious about the world around him. At first, he just watches the activity in the room. At the age of 4-5 months, he is already moving his arms and legs with a lot of energy.
At this point, as a parent you should stimulate the baby to continue this rhythm. The best way to do this is through play. And since play is unconceivable without toys, you should consider getting some for your baby
Researches made in the last few years revealed that babies too can have an assortment of toys. Babies respond to sight, sound and touch. Toys that stimulate these senses can help your baby learn about the world around him, how things work and so on.
To help you find best toy for your baby, I've made here two age groups, birth to 6 months and 6 to 12 months. The difference between these age groups is huge because a baby grows very fast and so his needs differ from month to month.
Toys for babies of one to six months:
In this period, a baby isn't very active. He is mostly sleeping. When the baby is awake, he does not seem to be interested in anything else but eating and crying.
At the age of two months, the baby starts following every activity in the room. He is able to focus his vision on an object for a few moments. This is when you must introduce the baby in the world of toys, if you haven't already done so. Use black and white and high contrasting color toys. The baby can't play at this age because he can't make complex moves like grabbing, or turning around.
At the age of four months, the baby is already moving his arms and legs. He has more energy than ever, and he is eager to use it. He is able to grab things and crawl. In this situation, a new activity is making room in his life: play. Although it is very rudimentary, play is very important for the baby's development.
Here are some toys I recommend you to buy for your baby:
Be a bit more careful with musical toys. Buy musical toys for your baby only after you have checked that the sounds they produce aren't very powerful. Musical toys that produce sharp noises are dangerous because babies tend to get the sound source close to their ear, which, being fragile can be affected.
Having a newborn child is an overwhelming feeling especially for the new parents. New moms and dads are gets very excited buying supplies for their new bundle of joy. And perhaps the most essential baby items they would first buy are clothing, feeding bottles, blankets and crib. However, there's no one who could hinder these excited parents to purchase adorable toys for their little one. When buying baby toys for your little bundle of joy, the most important thing you should consider is to buy safety toys.
Babies are quite delicate with toys and they love to put anything into their mouth, so it is very important to think of their safety first. If you want to shop for stuffed dolls or soft animal toys, choose those that are made from durable clothing materials. Other stuffed toys that are made of fibers or faux fur are not advisable for they can be hazardous to babies when inhaled or swallowed. Always think cautiously, do not forget to check the materials of the different types of toys to avoid your baby from danger.
Another consideration when looking for baby toys is, avoid those that have sharp edges. Do not pick toys that have pointy ends or anything that could possibly injure your child. Toys with small or tiny parts can be very dangerous as well. Remember, babies would tend to touch and taste them, therefore, always keep in mind whenever you shop for baby toys.
Consider to choose toys that have vivid colors and pattens to help your child improve his or her sense of sight as well as imagination. Colors that attract babies' attention most are red, black and white. According to research, these are more favorable colors for infants because these can help them focus on the object. Texture and other bright colors also help develop babies' sense of sight and touch. Also, toys that are musical or sound-emitting are also ideal for infants. Just make sure musical toys you want to buy is not sharp as your child's hearing is still developing, rather choose ones with sound or music that could calm, relax and entertain your baby.
Toy's size should be as big as your child's size, however again, avoid one that have tiny parts. Choices that come in sets such as baby gyms and play centers are great examples of big piece toys that can give fun as well as function.
Toys are fun gifts for babies, and as much as you wanted to make your child happy and entertained, when your little one's health is on the line, make sure that your gift - toys to be exact - is safe for you child's health. Apart from safe and entertaining toys to serve as your baby shower gift for the newborn child, you may want to give baby gift basket that is filled with different adorable items such as baby blankets, bibs, baby bottles, bathing supplies and likes. You can even include some surprises for the new mom and dad such as parenting guide book, spa supplies for the new mom, baked edibles and others.