Our Advice: Picking the right toys for babies under six months
Your tiny newborn will have spent a lot of time sleeping, feeding, and gazing into your face. However, surprisingly quickly, your baby will become more alert and start to take a real interest in their environment and the people around them.
Playing will not only keep your little one entertained but it will also really help with their development. Here’s a guide to the best baby toys to entertain and encourage your baby in their first six months.
Cuddly and colourful: toys for your one-month-old
Soft, cuddly toys designed for newborns are perfect, especially if they have clear faces (babies love faces). Toys with embroidered features are the safest. Cuddly animals or dolls with different textures help your baby to discover and develop their sense of touch. Their eyesight is still developing, so choose simple and contrasting colours.
Movement and music: toys for your two-month-old
Many babies start to smile and gurgle around now. Encourage your baby’s sense of fun by introducing a few new toys. Wrist rattles are fabulous for attaching to those waving little arms. Young babies aren’t very coordinated, and tend to hit themselves in the face with whatever they’re holding, so soft rattles are the best.
Baby gym bunny: toys for your three-month-old
As your baby’s strength increases, encourage them to raise their heads with plenty of ‘tummy time’. This can be made easy with a baby gym. Baby gyms consist of lots of wonderful dangly things hanging from a floor-standing arch. Your baby will find them fascinating to watch and even more fun to try and bat. Some gyms come with their own mats, and have stimulating objects and pictures to engage babies during tummy time.