Developmental Baby Toys

A newborn baby's senses are immature in the first few months. By the end of the fourth month or so, a baby's senses develop and are almost as mature as those of an adult. This means that in the first four months of a baby's life, their entire world is limited by sensory capabilities. For instance, it is difficult for a newborn baby to distinguish between similar colors, such as orange and yellow. So when a baby looks at picture or book, her perception of the picture is not exact, limited by her sensory capabilities.

When our babies see, they learn to distinguish between size, shape, colors and movement. They hear a symphony of sounds, with their volume, pitch and tone. They taste and smell, and grasp and feel texture, temperature, weight and more with our sense of touch.

During this developmental stage toys that are brightly colored and make noise will help bring your baby into their developmental stage.

Baby Einstein Disney Baby Neptune Ocean Adventure Play Gym

0+ Months
This soft activity gym features an electronic aquarium with classical melodies and dancing lights. A whale shaped prop-up pillow accompanies baby on this underwater adventure, which comes to life with the crisp and colorful real-life scenery of the sea on the play mat. Tummy time is enhanced by the animal peek-a-boo flaps with real-life imagery, and the ability to reposition and attach toys to loops on the mat or loops on the whale pillow. Soft textured border encourages tactile development.

Tiny Love Gymini Monkey Island

Suitable 0-24 Months

Gymini's Monkey Island activity gym is packed with 18 developmental activities, including crinkly elephant ears, hanging toys, a sunshine mirror, a teething ring, and a musical monkey. Made for discovery and developmental learning, it grows with your baby through tummy-time and sit-up play. The soft, padded mat provides plenty of cushion and entertainment, with engaging toys that dangle from the bendable arches, and the musical monkey that plays tunes when touched. Lower the arches for tummy-time fun and use the special pillow to provide extra support for extended play.

Gross motor skills development enable our babies to perform many activities, such as raising their heads, rolling over, crawling, sitting up and walking. Development of these muscles begins in the first weeks of life with the neck and the ability to raise the head. It is important to note that gross motor development occurs in a set pattern. Each stage is a precursor to the next. For example, a baby will not be able to begin to sit before she can raise her head and chest off the ground, and strengthen her arms to support her weight. The progress and direction of this development is from the neck muscles down, from the center of the body outward, and eventually in coordination with the entire body.

Fine motor skills development is what enables our babies to perform controlled movements such as grasping and manipulating object. coordinating eye and hand movements (hand-eye coordination), speaking and moving our eyes. Repetitive practice and exercise strengthens the muscles on the one hand, and contributes to the brain's development, on the other.

From the day your baby is born, they are communicating with you. Communication is not only verbal. We have as many ways to communicate as we have feelings -- a glance, a smile, a soft touch, facial expressions, hand movements, crying, or a shout for joy. From the earliest stages, your baby "speaks" to you via different types of crying, laughter, smiles; and by the second half of the first year, using a wide range of gestures and signs. A baby who lifts her arms asking to be picked up, or who turns her head away because she doesn't want to eat, is communicating her desires very clearly - well before she utters her first word.

During the first year of life, babies make significant developmental progress. At birth, they have only the most primitive reflexes to communicate their psychological and physical needs. Soon though, they become social beings, actively initiating social contact. On an interpersonal level, babies can anticipate the actions of others, react to social initiatives made towards them, and even initiate social interaction, such as a game of "give and take." On an intrapersonal level, a baby is born with ability to express two basic emotions: one when something is unpleasant, such as hunger, pain, etc. And the other is to express pleasure, such as calmness, interest, etc. The ability to express many diverse emotions, such as happiness, sadness, anger, and surprise, is derived from these two basic emotions. In addition, babies begin to learn how to regulate or control these emotions, such as turning their head when over-stimulated.

Verify Compliance to Safety Regulations. Safety above all should be your primary concern. Make sure that the developmental toy you choose has no heavy metals, no lead, no sharp edges, small pieces or loose parts. If a toy does not have the ASTM F963 or CE mark, you cannot be certain that it meets the industry's safety standards.

When you remove the toy check to make sure that there are no sharp edges, small pieces, loose threads or strings, long hairs or loose parts.

Do your homework. What is the purpose of the toy? Will your baby be laying on his back or sitting up? Is the toy colorful and make sounds to further develop your babies developmental senses? Does the toy stimulate the senses or help develop motor skills? Is the development toy age appropriate?

Choosing the right developmental baby toy will help your baby develop their skills helping them move onto the next step in their development.