Toys provide an opportunity for babies to learn develop and to interact with their environment. Even for a young child, age appropriate toys, game and other play activities can be fun too. Make sure that all toys used are marked appropriate for small children and do not present any potential choking hazard(small pieces that easily come off). According to the American Academy of Pediatrics the following toys or play activities are recommended for babies aged 12 to 24 months:
- Cardboard books with large pictures
- Books magazines with pictures of babies or children
- Blocks, preferably larger ones
- Shape sorter games or boards
- Beginner’s jigsaw puzzles
- “Pretend” toys such as child lawn mowers, kitchen sets
- Digging toys such as shovels and buckets
- Dolls
- Cars, trucks, trains(without removable parts )
- Bath or water toys
- Balls(big enough not to fit into the mouth)
- Push and pull toys
- Outdoor toys such as swings and slides(meeting all current safety standards for age)
- Stuffed animals
- Child musical instruments
- Large crayons(no toxic)
- Toy telephones
- Unbreakable mirrors
- Dress-up clothing
For safety’s sake make sure your child is always supervised when playing with these toys.
Parents should find out what their particular child likes, as some children prefer one type of toy game or play activity over another. Experiment and have fun with baby. Remember this is an opportunity to have some one-on-one time with baby even at this age; it is never to early to get into the habit of one-on-one play time with your child! If you have older children they can play along too.