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Not sure what, to look for in toys for babies and pre-schoolers? There are so many options, but the best toys are those that engage developing minds and busy hands. And luckily, today’s baby and pre-school toy category is a world away from simple rattles and plastic blocks. It’s a category featuring dynamic, interactive, and remarkably engaging playthings that not only entertain, but also educate and inspire.
For parents and collectors, a closer look at what makes these toys so special can reveal how these modest-looking objects can actually set up little ones for greater success down the road. More and more, interactive toys are being incorporated into teaching strategies for young children because of the multiple ways they engage with the child. By integrating aspects of kinesthetic, auditory, and visual learning into one compact toy, parents can take a much more measured approach to picking out something that will make playtime both fun and productive.
Let’s take a quick tour of some highly-recommended products that can be found in this category.
First up, the Bath Raiders Ship Bath Toy is a fantastic toy to bring to the bath for kids who think they need to be dragged to the tub for a wash. The toy features a water cannon, two wind-up submersibles and a pirate ship, complete with a large cannon perched right at the front of the vessel. Kids can fire water from the large cannon to knock over shipwrecks and other figures, where the smaller cannons on both sides serve as support fire. The ship is designed to float and stay upright in the water. The base holds a small amount of water, which helps the ship balance even while little hands are pushing it around in the tub. The non-toxic materials used to make the ship ensure that safety isn’t an issue should a child decide that the ship looks like a delicious snack. Little ones can use the water cannon to shoot water up to 6 feet away with every pump, while the ship comes with an easy push-button design for small hands.
Another fantastic early learning toy is the VTech Busy Bee Activity Table. This toy was designed specifically for babies 6 months and older, with several different interactive elements incorporated to help stimulate sensory development. There are four different elements on the activity table - an interactive clock, a star with a spinner, 2 musical notes and 5 piano keys. Tapping these different buttons activates different sound effects. As the table is targeted at babies, all the sounds made by the activity table are gentle and pleasant to ensure that children aren’t overwhelmed. The round edges throughout also make sure that there’s no risk of children hurting themselves during play time. The activity table’s 21.6 cm height helps kids reach over and start playing with it while sitting or kneeling, making it suitable even for children who aren’t walking yet.
For a more hands-on experience, the VTech Discovery Play Centre is a large standing baby gym that has loads of interactive elements and toys for kids to play with. A total of 14 elements, including a steering wheel, roller ball, horn button, key button, light up buttons, gear stick and a wing mirror come together to make this activity centre one that will keep children entertained for hours at a time. The toy gym is equipped with over 80 songs, melodies, sounds and phrases that help promote sensory awareness and sound recognition in children. The standing activity centre doesn't require any assembly and can be used as soon as it is taken out of the box. The thick base helps ensure that the toy cannot be knocked over by leaning into it, while the sides feature rounded edges to further promote safety. The bright and vibrant colours throughout make it visually appealing, drawing attention to different toys and helping children distinguish between them easily.
Finally, there’s the Push & Go Quackie Duck, a small push-toy for babies 12 months and older. This little duckling is powered by children pushing it, with an internal mechanism that converts that pushing force into movement for the duck. As it glides on the floor, its feet make a “quacking” motion. The pull-and-go feature promotes strength-building and develops gross motor skills in children who haven’t started walking yet. The high-quality construction makes it durable enough to take a beating with little risk of breaking any parts, while still being lightweight enough for babies to move around easily. It is also rounded throughout so there are no sharp or pointed edges.
These few toys only scratch the surface of what’s available out there today. For parents looking to keep their children entertained while supplementing their education and development, these are some of the best options out there.