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Toys for Babies

Toys for children ages 0 -3 years of age are aimed at helping your child to develop and learn. Brand such as Leapfrog, Tomy, Fisher Price and lots more release toys which for example can help your child with shapes, talking, movement and more.

Research shows that a baby’s learning skill can be helped hugely when aided by sensory stimulation so when you are thinking of purchasing toys you should keep in mind if it has sound, lights or even a clever combination of both to help with child sensor development. You will notice your little ones face light up when different music and bright colour appear making all of these toys a fun way of development.

For example:

• Baby walkers come in all shapes, sizes and colours most of these also have grip handles and textured wheels.
• Soft toys which interact such as My Pal Scout where you can here songs, play games and more.
• Books can also be interesting and fun not only will your baby love to hear stories but they will be in awe at the pictures and sounds they can make,
  some book even have buttons to press so your child can interact too.

What to Look for When Buying Toys?

Safety is always on the mind of parents and rightfully so! When you buy baby toys you need to make sure of a few simple factors to ensure your childs safety. Here are a few of these below:

Age Suitability – You will always need to check the recommend age on the toy. Most toys have age guidelines and UK retailers will also put this as part of their online description of the toy. We at UnderTheChristmasTree will put up what age each specific toy is suitable. As each child developments and maturity is different you should consider this before buying the toy for example some four year old will put just about anything in their mouth so maybe small Lego pieces would not be suitable.

Size – If its to big to hold or small enough to put in their mouths this could cause problems. If the toy is big and bulky your child may drop it and if the toy is too small and could easily fit into your child’s mouth are some of the points to consider when buying toys for babies and toddlers.

Edges, Attachment and Design – toys especially when young children are playing with them should not have any sharp edges, spikes or any dangerous protrusions. When checking the toy make sure everything such as buttons are not likely to fall off or little hands cant get into gaps and potentially trap their hand. If you buy a toy that you feel is unsafe for the purpose, report it to your nearest Trading Standards Office. Check that new toys comply with all the relevant safety standards; the CE mark and the Lion mark are the key ones to look out for.

Overall the majority of UK toys all comply with safety standard and these are really just pointers for you to look out for before buying.