Top 6 toys that will help develop your baby

There is much more to toys than it meets the eye.

Parents often value these items for their entertainment value; as long as baby is happy, it does its job. But there is a good reason these toys are made in a certain way. Each one of them should teach an important lesson or develop certain brain or motoric functions. By properly using them, you are allowing your child to develop the right way.

It needs to be noted that there is a clear separation between the toys: some of them are beneficial for newborns, some of them will be good during the first year while others can be used later on. The proper usage is directly connected to kids development; there are even consequences to giving a toy to a child too early or too late.

In order to make these small distinctions, we’ve made a list of top 8 toys that will help your baby develop. Read on!

• Toys that play music and activity mats (for newborns)

Some parents think that by exposing their kids to various stimuli, this will help them develop faster. This is necessarily true. In fact, this can even lead to confusion. Two best toys for newborns are activity mats and toys that play music. One is used to stimulate visual sense while the other is used for developing hearing. At this early stages, the most important thing to do is to start developing basic senses without overdoing it.

• Mirrors, grabbing and simple toys (from 1 to 3 months)

At this point in time baby will start exploring its body. This might not seem as much but during this period baby will set up the basis for motoric functions. By having a mirror nearby, it will quicken the process.  Grabbing toys will also be necessary as they will help baby develop grip and start doing things with its hands. Make sure it’s always surrounded by toys; as the baby reaches for them, it will force it to move and contort its body which will help develop certain muscle groups.

• Basic books and toys that can be combined (from 3 to 6 months)

Now you’re able to introduce books with a hard cover. The important thing is not only to read to a baby but also provide visual stimuli. At this point, the baby will slowly improve its grasp and will able to play with some basic toys that require combing. This will teach the baby about dimensions and problem-solving.

• Multipurpose toys (from 6 to 12 months)

While baby still requires constant stimulation, now is the time to combine several effects. You can start giving your child toys that combine shapes, sounds and colors. This will simulate several senses at the same time. It is also important for these toys to be activated; this way baby can have a direct impact on things and see how its actions affect things around it.

• Toys for walking, cars and cubes (from 1st to 2nd year)

Babies usually start walking when they are 12 to 15 months old. It’s necessary to force and stimulate walking and stumbling. Baby has to develop its legs and spine and also to be accustomed to falling down. As the baby starts walking, you need to allow it to explore its surroundings. You can also start buying small cars as well as cubes. While the first will help with motoric functions, the second one will help brain development.

• Reborn dolls, musical instruments, jigsaws (from 2nd year)

If you did everything correctly, your baby should have basic motoric functions and its senses should’ve developed properly. Now, you can start using more complex toys. Each toy will have a particular purpose. For example, jigsaws can help the brain, reborn baby dolls can help teach baby about responsivity while musical instruments for kids are a good way to improve senses and creativity. A good place to start looking for a reborn doll is at reborn-dolls-for-sale.com where you can find tons of newborn babies starting from $39.

In some cases, buying too many toys can be bad for a child. It’s necessary to purchase just the right toys for the particular period and focus on them. In other words, if you bought LEGOs for your baby, it can only be counterproductive. Even dangerous! Instead, focus on toys that will work for that particular age.