Baby Games and Activities
Toys for every child
When you’re choosing toys for your baby,
consider cost and safety. Toys need to be
sturdy. They should have smooth edges
and not break, splinter or crack. Make
sure the toys can be cleaned easily. Test
all toys regularly to make sure there are
no loose parts.
All babies explore with their mouths. Make
sure toys are safe for mouthing. Avoid play
materials that are made of foam. Your baby
could bite off a piece and choke.
Use these guidelines when you’re choosing toys for your baby.
- The toy is interesting to explore and manipulate.
- The toy is not a choking hazard.
- The toy matches the child’s physical abilities.
- The toy challenges but does not frustrate.
- The toy is well-constructed and durable.
Great toys for babies
Great toys can help your baby grow and learn. Most are inexpensive. Many
can be hand made. Remember to check the toys often for safety.
- Books—Buy plastic or cardboard picture books. Get books with
pictures of common objects. - Dolls—Offer soft, simple dolls with painted faces.
- Stuffed animals—Provide soft, plush animals with sewn or painted faces.
- Transportation toys—Buy sturdy, one-piece cars and trucks. Buy toys
your baby can carry and roll. - Grasping toys—Offer toys that have interesting textures and parts to
explore. Examples include plastic linking chains, stacking rings and
shape sorters. - Sand and water toys—Offer unbreakable household cups, spoons,
funnels and strainers. - Construction toys—Buy
sturdy wooden blocks. Offer a
few at a time for your baby to
stack. She will build with
them when she’s older. - Puzzles—Buy simple wooden
inset puzzles with two to four
pieces. - Mirrors—Share unbreakable hand mirrors. Hang a mirror low on the
wall where your baby crawls. - Nesting and building toys—Buy or gather cups and boxes of various
sizes that “nest” inside each other. Turned upside down, they can be
stacked on top of each other. - Balls—Buy a variety of sizes and textures for rolling and tossing.
- Art and craft materials—Offer a few large, nontoxic crayons. Use tape
to hold paper in place. - Musical instruments—Buy or make shakers, rattles and drums.
- Audio materials—Buy or borrow recordings of simple songs, rhymes
and rhythms.
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