Babies and kids have a lot of stuff! From the big items like the crib, stroller, and high chair, to the smaller necessities like blankets, bottles, and diapers, bringing a new bundle of joy into the family quickly means having your home hijacked with tons of baby “stuff.” Parents are already overwhelmed with the daily baby essentials, and they’re hesitant to bring home too many unnecessary toys. At Mom.Shop we get it! We only want you to bring the most practical, well-made and aesthetically pleasing baby and kids products into your home and life. Every item in our shop has been thoughtfully selected with parents and children in mind to help raise your family in the most convenient and joyful way possible. Your life is chaotic enough with little ones at home, you don’t need unnecessary and useless clutter to add to it.
Toys are often the culprit of excessive clutter in our homes. With little ones around it feels like we’re constantly clearing up messes and trying to tidy the home. But, did you know that one of the most important jobs your child has is to play? Seriously, play isn’t just a fun pastime, but a fundamental part of your child’s growth and cognitive development. Here at Mom.Shop, we’ve sifted through the clutter and selected only the best products for your children to learn, grow, and most importantly have fun! Here are five things to keep in mind when selecting toys for your babies, toddlers, and young children.
Does the toy promote physical development?
They say that we grow more in the first three years of life than at any other moment in time. From learning to lift their heads and grasp a finger, to rolling over, crawling, pulling up and eventually walking, babies go through major leaps of physical development in just the first year alone. Both gross motor development and fine motor skills are important to your child’s healthy growth. Any toy that gets your child moving is positive for honing those motor skills. Gross motor skills like pulling up, standing, and walking are needed for good balance, strong muscles, good reflexes, and a healthy heart. Fine motor skills like pinching, grabbing, and manipulating objects with their hands are necessary for tasks like eating, writing, and future daily tasks that promote independence.
The Baby Push Walker by KÜB promotes both gross and fine motor skills. Babies learn to pull up and walk with a stable walker with wheels that glide smoothly over any surface and can be locked in place for unsteady beginners. The front play panel stimulates fine motor development with gears and shapes that can be moved and taken out, and a panel in the back stores balls and shapes when not in use. Encourage your baby to grasp balls, push them through the hole and practice throwing to foster their motor skills and have fun! The KÜB Baby Push Walker is the perfect toy to promote physical development in your child.
Does the toy promote cognitive development?
Cognitive development is important for babies and toddlers because it’s how they learn to think, reason, and figure things out, as well as explore the world around them and try to make sense of it. Toys that promote problem-solving skills encourage healthy brain development in your little one and help hone skills like spatial awareness, sensory development, and literacy skills.
Toys like the 88 pieces wooden Castle Block Set are perfect for learning shapes, letters, numbers, colors, sorting skills, and improving awareness of time and space by building towers and knocking them down. Your baby and toddler will learn new concepts each time they play all while having fun.
Does the toy promote social + emotional development?
Children are little sponges and are constantly soaking in the world around them. A smile from Mommy, a tickle from Daddy, and a lullaby from Grandma are all loving and nurturing gestures that promote the social and emotional development and well-being of your baby. Toys that promote social and emotional development can also promote realistic modeling and real-life skills like sharing, cooperation, taking turns, and empathy.
The Wooden Play Food Set is an excellent crossover toy that not only promotes social and emotional development but also cognitive skills like counting, sorting, fractions, color recognition and vocabulary expansion, fine motor skills development by gripping and cutting, and open-ended play encourages imagination and creativity. It’s the perfect toy to grow with your child for years of amusement.
Does the toy promote creativity + imagination?
Nurturing creativity and imagination in our little ones is just as important as teaching them to count or learn the alphabet. While right-brain thinking has often been placed as less important than the use of our logical left-brain functions, creativity teaches us to be curious, flexible, and enchanted. Toys that foster creativity help kids learn to read between the lines, see things from a different perspective and develop critical thinking skills needed as they grow. Great creative toys are open-ended and allow children to explore and play without adult interference.
A great creative toy for all ages is the LCD Drawing Pad. Your child can practice endless creativity and fine motor skills by drawing and coloring over and over. The drawing pad boasts an LCD screen that protects little eyes from blue light eye strain and can be erased and drawn on over and over again. The low power consumption means the battery life is extended up to a year, and the lock button allows you to save a drawing from accidental erasing. The lightweight and shock-absorbent exterior mean you can take the drawing pad along for car trips, restaurants, or anywhere else to keep your little one engaged and improve their creativity.
Does it grow with your child or can it be reused for many years?
The last and final thing to keep in mind when selecting toys for your child is whether the toy is well-made, long-lasting and if it will grow with your child and your family. All of the toys meticulously selected by Mom.Shop and offered in our store go above and beyond in quality assurance, safety certifications, and practical use and enjoyment for your child and family. We stand behind each and every one of our products because we’ve tried and tested them with your family in mind. Our favorite Magnetic Blocks, are a great crossover toy that are entertaining, educational and grow with your child for years of enjoyment. When you choose a toy from Mom.Shop to improve your child’s physical development, you are most likely choosing a toy that also helps advance their cognitive, social, emotional and creative skills as well. We know you’re going to love all the products offered on our site because we only choose the best, high-quality, baby and kids products for your family.
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Resources
https://raisingchildren.net.au/babies/play-learning/play-baby-development/imagining-play-babies
https://www.epl.ca/blogs/post/importance-of-play-for-kids/
https://discoverybuildingsets.com/blogs/dbs-articles/cognitive-development-in-toddlers