Toys for Your Smart Baby

Do buy toys that require imagination. Don’t buy toys that rely solely on batteries. Do buy toys that stimulate different senses of your baby, such as seeing, hearing, and touching.

Do buy toys that focus on role-play, letting you say: “I’ll be your Mom (or Dad), and you’ll be the baby.” Role-play not only enhances your baby’s awareness of his role in the world around but also develops his own creativity. Do have unstructured playtime with your baby: this develops your baby’s language and prolongs your baby’s attention span, which is critical to learning. Do engage in many role-playing games, such as “let’s pretend.”

Do introduce to your baby one or two new toys at a time. Don’t overwhelm your baby with too many new toys. Do allow your baby to explore new toys while having access to familiar objects. Do make your baby feel secure.

Do engage in creative play activities with your baby all the time.

1 to 3 Months

Rattles, stuffed toys, unbreakable mirrors, music boxes, large rings, books with high-contrast pictures should be attached to the crib or the activity center of your baby. They should be in black and white, or with brightly colored patterns. Use these toys to engage your baby’s attention and stimulation.

4 to 6 Months

Squeaky toys, building blocks, beach balls, books made of cloth are some of the popular baby toys at this age. Play peekaboo with your baby as often as possible.

7 to 9 Months

Get your baby some stuffed animals, large balls, pop-up toys, stacking blocks and toys, dolls and puppets, and squeeze toys. Play patty-cake with your baby.

10 to 12 Months

By this time, your baby may need push-and-pull toys, such as miniature cars. Be creative, and give your baby some ordinary household objects, such as empty egg cartons, bath toys, or old magazines. Play simple ball games with your baby.

One-year-old and beyond

There are many different types of toys to suit the personality of your baby: toy telephones, simple musical instruments, toys to take apart and put back together, easy jigsaw puzzles, large crayons and markers, shape sorters, finger paints, and action toys, such as fire engines. Play more outdoor games with your baby.

Many experts believe that computers can enhance cognitive development only in five-year-olds and beyond. For under-three-year-old babies, do use your discretion to determine your baby’s exposure time to the computer.

The bottom line: do keep it fun; and do take a brief walk after your baby has learned something new because the neural connections formed in your baby’s brain needs time for more reinforcement before he can process more new information.

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau