What toys do children under one year old need? What toys do children under one year old need by months of development?

Every mother is familiar with this situation - she went to the store to buy bread, but brought home not only bread, but also a new doll.

It would seem that all the shelves in the nursery are already filled with toys, fairy-tale characters peek out from different boxes, but this doll is so beautiful! It was simply impossible not to buy her - she has incredibly charming eyes. Or a similar situation when a child begs his mother for another “minion,” although every representative of this culture is already in absolute oblivion deep in the closet. “Well, buy it, buy it!” - can be heard throughout the entire store. “Won’t you buy it? Well, then, maybe this giraffe from Madagascar? Won't you buy it? You do not love me!". All this is accompanied by loud crying, whining all the way home about how bad the mother is and ends with the baby’s angry frowns.

According to statistics, each child in the average Swedish family has at least 600 toys (data from Esquire magazine). Having learned about this, I decided to count all my one-year-old daughter’s toys. There were more than 100 of them. A lot for such a little thing. At that moment I wondered how many toys she really needed. And why can’t I just go buy bread, and my hands are still reaching for that same doll with unforgettable eyes?

The level of development is directly related to the number of toys

As the child grows up, there are fewer and fewer new toys, and more and more time for playing with his peers. There is an increasing interest in group games, visits to various clubs and sections, as well as family outings, trips to the mountains or on a picnic.

For the first six months, the child needs colorful and bright toys that “squeak”, ring, and make various musical sounds. It is these toys that encourage him to make meaningful and purposeful movements. An indispensable condition for their use is safety. A musical toy should not produce too loud a sound; the maximum acceptable background noise is 65 decibels. Exceeding this norm can affect his hearing perception and even affect the baby’s mental state.

From birth to six months, the baby is very interested in touching and tasting everything. Tactile contact is simply necessary. During this period, the basic skill of grasping and holding is formed, so it is important to pay attention to toys that promote the development of fine motor skills. 5-6 toys made of different materials and shapes will be enough.

It is important for parents to know that a toy intended for such a small child must be absolutely safe for him. No sharp corners, protruding fasteners, small or crumbling parts, paint or varnish. The size of the toy should exceed a diameter of 4 cm so that the baby cannot accidentally swallow it. The material must be of high quality and non-toxic.

From 10 months to one and a half years The child undergoes a new stage of development when he explores everything around him. He already knows how to open closet doors, take laundry out of the washing machine together with his mother, and put his cubes in a box. At this age, sets of light colored cups, plastic pyramids with large rings, wooden nesting dolls, fabric cubes with bright pictures and the most ordinary ball are well suited. The ball develops manual dexterity; it can be rolled on the floor, thrown in different directions and kicked. To do this, it should be no more than 15 cm.

After one year and up to 2 years the child tries to imitate adults and tries to repeat all their actions. He develops an interest in the diverse animal world, so he may be attracted to toys in the form of a cockerel, cat or dog. If such toys bark, meow or crow, the baby will be happy to repeat all these sounds. He will realize that the dog makes one sound, and the cat makes another. Associative thinking will begin to dominate.

A duck on a string is also suitable, which you can drag along with you, and at that moment it will quack or play a cheerful melody. The duck can be replaced with a train or a car - it doesn’t matter. The main thing is that you can pull them along with you on a string; kids love such games. In addition, this strengthens the skill of walking.

Up to approximately 2.5 years Children are interested in knowing themselves and their capabilities. They try to carry a rubber dog on a train, stack cubes on top of each other, then pull one out and watch how the entire structure they built collapses.

Note to moms!

Hello girls) I didn’t think that the problem of stretch marks would affect me too, and I’ll also write about it))) But there’s nowhere to go, so I’m writing here: How did I get rid of stretch marks after childbirth? I will be very glad if my method helps you too...

There must be a place in the house where the child can lay out all his toys. Cabinets for their storage must be provided. Showing initiative and trying to come up with a new way to play with a toy should find approval in the actions of parents. Psychologists believe that toys for children should be simple and allow children to show their imagination in using them.

When the baby reaches the age of 4-5 years old, he needs more practical toys that carry meaning. These can be children's sets of household appliances (consisting of a microwave, washing machine, stove or vacuum cleaner), various construction sets, elements for a puppet theater, puzzles, mosaics and auto tracks. The child can now choose what he needs. He comes up with stories, builds a whole storyline in the game, and he needs all its components to be present. Parents don’t have to run to the store to get them every time; they can make do with “improvised” means. ()

The right choice is the key to a happy childhood

Once I was in a supermarket and heard people standing next to me arguing about whether to buy them another car for their son or a play tent. It made me smile. It’s better to buy a tent for the child, I thought. The car is just another one, but there is no tent yet. A child should have the entire “arsenal” of toys, a little of each type. This will give him an idea of all the objects, ways of playing with them and will develop his imagination.

Those who differentiate toys by gender are mistaken - boys should play with cars, and girls with dolls. This is wrong. In order to develop harmoniously, a child must use both toys for games. A huge amount is useless. Variety is what every child needs.

You will not find information in any book about the exact number of toys a child needs. It is impossible to foresee the characteristics of each child, the conditions of his life, upbringing and give just one comprehensive answer to all situations. But we will still try.

Child and toys – School of Dr. Komarovsky

Not a single child can imagine his life without toys. And parents, in turn, try to make these toys as interesting and safe as possible. And today TV and radio host Sergei Rost came to see Dr. Komarovsky to ask what you need to pay attention to when buying toys, how to care for them and which toys can be considered safe.

What toys does a child need? Mom's school. TSV

There is nothing unusual in the fact that a child is passionate about play - this is the only way children learn about both the world and themselves. At the same time, it is important to understand where the line is beyond which the passion for a toy fleet of cars or princesses in pink outfits begins to harm the baby. Let's consider the situation: less toys - more imagination.

While the child is awake, he can play with toys. Depending on the child’s age, toys can be hung above the baby’s crib or given to him. If the baby already knows how to sit, then you can put it on the mat next to him.

For the proper development of the baby, toys play an important role. What should a baby's first toys be??

Nowadays, stores sell a large variety of toys for children and older children. But with such a huge variety, it’s not always possible to immediately figure out what would be most suitable for my child at a given time, what should the baby’s first toys be? If it’s a rattle, which one is better to take so that it helps in the development of the baby and at the same time does not clutter up the home space too much... Don’t get carried away
When purchasing toys, take only what you have planned.

Toys for newborns

In general, a child’s life does not need toys. It is now more important for him to accept and understand the new world, the environment in which he now finds himself. And for him, every minute is filled with new sensations. He now breathes on his own - this is new for him, he is given food - this is also new, he is now being dressed in clothes - for 9 months. This definitely wasn’t the case. 🙂 Now he hears sounds completely differently, he gets bathed, etc. And the most important thing is that now my mother carries him in her arms and not in her tummy. And his mother now gives him the most happiness, joy and understanding and helps him get to know this still new world for him...

Toys for children from 1 month

After the first month of the baby's life, when he already
learn to look at some interesting
objects, Can you hang a toy above the crib?. But not too loud yet, but better just rustling, which begins to sway when mom enters the room. It needs to be hung at a distance of 30 centimeters above the crib!

There are many toys on sale in stores that cling to the crib. And they sway in the air flow. You can also use a mechanical carousel.

At the next stage of development, a musical box toy will be useful - this is a toy that you need to pull on a ring and parts of this toy begin to move and sound. At first, you can start such a toy yourself, and soon when the baby grows up, he will “start” it himself.

Baby's first toys - Important!
The carousel toy has several positive qualities - the colors of the toys, the music and the movement. But for a very young child, all this together is not necessary yet. Instead of development and joy, he will be tired and irritated.
And one moment: Even if a child really loves musical ducklings overhead, you need to periodically do diversity. For example, you can hang a calm toy, without any music.

How do carousels above the crib develop a baby?
The carousel helps the child develop fixation of gaze, as well as hearing. If you turned on the carousel, the baby heard it and immediately began to look with his eyes where the sound came from. He finds colorful toys hanging above him and looks at them.

A 2-3 month old baby is very interested in looking at human faces. Therefore, at this time it is very important to talk to the baby more often in a gentle voice, look him in the eyes, lull him to sleep, and tell him fairy tales.

A tumbler doll can also become your favorite toy. It is interesting because it makes sounds when it rocks.

Baby's first toys - Advice!
If you want to teach your child to use a spoon and cup early, then by 4 months you can put these items in the crib or on the rug (where the baby is awake). During the game, the child will learn to hold a spoon and a cup. But mom will need to help by teaching him.

Baby's first toys from 2-4 months.

At 2–4 months of age you can show different rattles, rings, etc. Grabbing, squeezing, biting toys and which you can listen to. The child will strive to touch and reach such objects.
And at this time it is important to give the child toys of different shapes, sizes and textures.(fabric, wood, rubber, plastic)

Bright details and different shapes of the rattle stimulate the child's thinking. He explores them with his hands and mouth. All parts of toys must be made of high-quality and durable material and must not have sharp corners.

Look in toy stores for small soft bracelets that are worn on arms and legs. Or there are also mittens with pressed bells. Objects that make sound will help the baby understand that when the legs and arms move, sound is made. But such toys should not scare the baby. If you notice that the child is still afraid of such sounding rattles, it is better to put it aside. for a short period of time. And after a week or two, try giving more.

It is very good when a toy has several different parts. It will be interesting to play with such a toy. The hard part can be touched and scratched, while the soft part can be sucked or bitten.

Around 4-5 months. the child develops grasping movements.

And now everything he can grab will immediately go into his mouth.

After the child examines toys or objects, he will become interested in what they do (fall, ring, roll) and he will throw his toys out of the crib.

Some of the toys can be tied with strings, and the strings themselves are a great toy. They can be made in different colors, lengths and textures). Some ropes can be tied into knots. Just be close and make sure your baby doesn’t get entangled in them.

At the age of 5–6 months. and further Children love to hold toys in their hands, they love to rattle them, knock on the table or move them. An ordinary cotton rag can be a good toy, it can be chewed, crushed and sucked. (you just need to wash it periodically, and it’s better that it doesn’t shed) Also good toys at this age are rubber squeakers, soft toys (without long fur), balls, and cubes.

Baby's first toys - GOOD advice!
1. It is advisable to wash a small child’s toys daily under hot water.

2. Any toy presented to a child will be more interesting if the mother presents it creatively. Mom still remains the main character in the baby's games. Even the most beautiful and expensive toy will remain just a piece of plastic, without your joyful demonstrations and gentle explanations. Not more. Play with your baby. And have fun playing games.

Another article for your memory:

Toys for children

A toy for a baby is a source of new information, a tool with which an adult explains to a child what he feels and sees.

A toy is a way to attract the child’s attention, an attempt to cause the baby to look at a new object.
You should buy toys that are made from materials that are safe for your baby - wood, rubber, plastic. Toys must be durable.
Toys for babies should be bright colors with clearly visible details. The so-called primary colors for a baby are blue, yellow, red, and green. He begins to perceive and distinguish them first. When choosing toys, remember this.
Avoid placing too many toys and objects around the crib. You can overdo it and the baby’s attention will not linger on anything. For a baby, 2-3 toys are enough, which need to be changed after 4-5 days, otherwise the child stops responding to them.
Toys for the first year of life are functionally necessary for:
- obtaining a variety of information and improving the development of the basic senses, primarily tactile sensitivity, vision, hearing;
- development of the child’s fine and gross motor skills (hand and whole body movements);
- acquiring information about the differences in shapes, colors, sizes of surrounding objects, spatial relationships between them.

Toys for children from 0 to 3 months.
1. Multi-colored “mobiles”(movable structures with plastic figures attached to them). These toys contribute to the development of the baby's vision, as they force him to fix his gaze on a moving object, stimulate visual concentration and tracking eye movements. The “mobile” is fixed at a distance of 15-20 cm from the child’s eyes. You shouldn’t hang a lot of toys on the “mobile”; 2-4 are enough, which need to be changed every 4-5 days.
2. Balloons. They contribute to the development of vision (stimulate visual concentration) and coordination of movements. You can tie a balloon to the baby’s hand so that when moving the hand, the child observes its movement and over time can establish a relationship between the movement of the hand and the balloon.
3. Cardboard cubes, prisms, balls with black and white geometric patterns. They also promote vision development. The cubes are hung at a distance of 15-20 cm from the child’s eyes. These objects need to be changed from time to time so that the baby does not get tired of them.
4. Schematic representation of a human face. The baby is endowed with the ability to recognize human faces and examines them with greater interest than other objects.
5. Musical toys (rattles, bells, pipes, rubber squeakers). By the age of 3 months, the child develops a reaction to localize the sound source, that is, the baby turns his head towards the sounding toy.
6. Rattles and any other toys that can be grabbed and squeezed. They form the baby’s understanding of the motor capabilities of the hands and contribute to the development of coordination of movements. It is better to choose rattles and plastic rings in contrasting colors.
7. Singing top, toys like “Vanka - Vstanka”. Such toys promote the development of vision, hearing and cognitive abilities. This toy is intended for a child to play with an adult. For example, take your baby in your arms, show him and let him touch the top. Spin the top and, after it starts to hum, say “Listen to how the top sings!” When playing with “Vanka-Vstanka”, show your baby how the tumbler toy swings. Continue playing until your baby gets bored. Over time, the child will be able to handle these toys on his own.
8. A bright rag bracelet with a bell or bell, fastened with Velcro. It promotes the development of hand coordination and hearing development (stimulates auditory concentration). The bracelet is put on the baby’s wrist, alternately on the right and left hand. The child waves his arms, the bells jingle and attract attention.
9. Toys made from different fabrics(for example, fur, flannel, feathers, etc.) Feeling various surfaces helps develop tactile sensitivity. By touching the surfaces of various materials, the child receives rich information about the diversity of the surrounding world.
10. Wooden or plastic rings secured above the bed. These rings develop the child’s understanding of his motor abilities and contribute to the development of coordination of movements. By the end of the 3rd month, rings are attached above the crib so that they are accessible to the baby. Such toys are needed so that the baby learns to move his half-open palm towards an object.

Toys for children aged 4 to 6 months
1. Ring - teether - a toy designed to be chewed, sucked, or put into the mouth. Such toys are necessary for the baby when he is teething.
2. Toys - pendants contribute to the development of vision, fine motor skills and tactile sensations, since at the age of 4-6 months the child can reach and touch toys. Such toys can be used to hang not only a variety of bright rattles, but also any household items, as well as rubber and rag figurines of animals and birds.
3. Rag ball or cube. These soft toys promote the development of hand-eye coordination and help develop grasping skills. It is advisable to use a small ball that is easy to grip. If there is a bell inside the ball, then such a toy will also develop hearing. By the end of the 6th month, the baby can play with a ball while sitting on an adult’s lap or lying on his stomach and leaning on outstretched arms.
4. A variety of musical toys (pipes, whistles, rattles). Musical toys contribute to the development of auditory perception; with their help, the baby learns to find a sound source located on the right, left, or behind. At this age, the distance to the sound source can be increased. In addition, hearing development is stimulated by loud and quiet sounds that differ in timbre.

Toys for children aged 7 to 9 months
1. Rubber ball or kicking toy. This game helps develop leg muscles and coordination of leg movements.
2. Toy hammer with wooden pegs, which can be scored. Such toys stimulate hand development. With the help of a hammer, a child develops hand-eye coordination and strengthens muscles.
3. Music centers - contribute to the development of hand-eye coordination and stimulate the development of thinking, as it encourages the establishment of a logical connection between the action (pressing a button) and the sound effect.
4. Any items that can be dropped on the floor(cubes, soft toys, wooden spoons, rubber squeaking toys, etc.) By throwing objects out of the crib, the baby develops fine motor skills, cognitive abilities, hearing, and vision.
5. Soft books made of fabric or plastic contribute to the development of visual perception, cognitive interest, understanding of speech, as well as the development of fine motor skills and tactile sensations. At this age, the baby tastes everything, so books should be washed. Teach your child to turn the pages, show pictures, name the animals or objects that are depicted on them.
6. Bath toys(swimming ducks, boats, sponges in the form of animals, etc.) Playing in the bath with a variety of floating toys helps develop motor skills, cognitive abilities and vision (train tracking eye movements).
7. Game centers. As a rule, such centers include a mirror, bright figures moving up and down, spinning balls, cylinders, bells, and a telephone dial. Play centers promote the development of fine motor skills, auditory perception, and also help the baby learn to manipulate various objects.

Toys for children aged 9 to 12 months
1. Pyramids. Playing with pyramids helps develop hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills, as well as cognitive development.
2. Nest toys(cylindrical and rectangular cups nested inside each other). Such toys develop coordination of movements, fine motor skills and cognitive interest.
3. A set of building cubes. Playing with blocks helps develop hand-eye coordination. Teach your child to build and destroy.
4. Puzzle games (matryoshka dolls, etc.) - stimulate the development of understanding of speech and cognitive abilities, the formation of the concept of size, etc.
5. “Logic cubes”, “Magic basket”(plastic forms with slots on the surfaces and figures of the appropriate shape and size) - contribute to the development of hand-eye coordination and stimulates the development of cognitive abilities. You can show your child what pleasure it is to throw balls into round holes and cubes into square slots.
6. Rolling toys on wheels with a long handle. When a child learns to walk, such toys serve as support for him and thus contribute to the development of coordination of movements.
7. Stable cars that can be rolled back and forth. Such games teach how to perform simple manipulations with objects. Cars are necessary for both boys and girls, as they are a kind of support for the child and contribute to the development of coordination of movements.
8. Rocking chairs, balls and sports toys. They teach the child to control his body, teach him to walk and run.
9. Musical toys (drum, metallophone) - promote the development of auditory perception and hand-eye coordination.
10. Inclined chute with ball or special game centers in which the ball rolls along spiral wires. Such toys promote the development of vision and cognitive abilities. By watching a ball roll down an inclined plane, the child learns to predict their movement.
11. Wind-up toys. Toys that need to be wound with a key help develop fine motor skills.
12. Rag dolls with large facial features. With the help of dolls, a child learns simple manipulations (rocking a doll, putting a doll to sleep, feeding). Such toys are a good visual aid for learning the names of the main parts of the body and face.

Not only can toys keep your little one occupied for a while, but if you choose them wisely, they can have a positive impact on his development. High-quality and correctly selected products will stimulate the baby’s fine motor skills, opening up a new world and the possibilities of his own body.

The shelves of children's stores are literally littered with all sorts of goods that are designed to entertain the baby and develop his skills. Many parents, with good intentions, buy a lot of toys, which in the end their child does not play with, and they lie in boxes like dead weight.

What toys are really necessary for a baby under one year old?

We buy toys by age

For children under six months old, traditional toys are suitable, which will contribute to the development of their motor, visual and auditory skills. Since the baby spends most of his time in a horizontal position, and his hands are not yet fully controlled, the objects he deals with should not be too complex. It is enough for them to develop their sense of touch (this is achieved through the use of materials of different textures), hearing, vision and grasping skills.

In the first six months you will need:

mobiles and toys-pendants for cribs and strollers;
developmental mat;
rattles;
toys made of different textured materials;
bells.

Babies from six months to a year require more complex toys. Their fingers are already developed enough to feel objects, and they have enough logical thinking to understand how to correctly assemble a pyramid, build a tower of cubes and put small cups into large ones. Toys during this period are designed to improve coordination, eye control and strengthen hand muscles. The baby remembers that a certain action on an object leads to some changes: hitting a drum produces a sound from it, pressing different buttons on the music panel leads to the appearance of different melodies, and a finger stained with paint leaves a colorful mark on the paper.

From six months you can buy the following toys:

simple cubes;
pyramid;
a set of nesting cups;
sets with figured slots and inserts for them;
toys with different fillings (cereals, beans, peas);
plasticine, finger paints;
musical instruments (drums, xylophone, tambourine);
game panels with music.

You can sew bags of cereals yourself, and instead of plasticine, knead salt dough.

Minimalism

It is believed that the simpler toys are for children under one year old, the better for their development. Instead of buying expensive sensory mats with brightly colored details that can overstimulate your baby, you can surround him with simple bags made from different fabrics that feel different to the touch and fill them with cereal.

Child psychologists recommend not overloading your child with too many toys. Their abundance will distract his attention and make the baby capricious and restless.

Recently, wooden toys in calm, pure colors have become popular. Parents strive to surround their child with environmentally friendly products that will not harm the baby with harmful fumes and will be pleasant to his eyes. Wooden cubes, tumblers, cars and pyramids will appeal to the baby for their simplicity.

When visiting children's stores, choose only the toys necessary for your baby. Think about what products he needs based on his age, and what skills the “best” models suggested by consultants will help him develop. Avoid buying functionally overloaded expensive gaming stations, as your baby may get bored with them quite quickly. It’s better to surround it with simple developmental elements.

Rattles

Rattles, despite their simple design, are very useful for the development of children. They teach the baby to concentrate, enhance auditory and visual perception, and also hone coordination of movements. Rattles develop the baby's grasping reflex and fine motor skills. The baby shakes the toy, it makes sounds - and this helps him build cause-and-effect relationships.

the rattle should not be too heavy for the baby;
if you want to buy your baby several toys, select them in such a way that they are all different shapes and colors; rattles of the same type will not arouse the baby’s interest;
you can choose rattles for your baby from different materials (plastic, latex, wood), this will develop his sense of touch;
it is desirable that the handles of the rattles be different to the touch, let one be smooth, the second ribbed, the third with bulges, etc.;
Rattles that make noise in different ways will develop your baby’s hearing; choose rustling, smoothly rattling models, but avoid too loud ones that can frighten the baby;
children under six months old like transparent models with multi-colored elements rolling inside them;
Feel the toy before buying it for your baby - there should be no sharp corners on it that could harm the baby.

Buy only certified baby rattles and check their integrity regularly. All parts on toys for babies must be well secured. Regularly sterilize all rattles, and wipe those that fall on the floor with a gauze cloth soaked in hydrogen peroxide.

Mobiles and pendants

Mobiles and pendants are usually the first toys for babies. For a little-awake baby, the only type of activity is observation, so bright hanging or moving elements in front of his eyes will interest him and will contribute to the development of his vision and concentration. Over time, the baby will try to touch the pendants with his hands, feel them with his fingers and shake them.

Musical mobiles can not only entertain your baby for a while. Bright moving elements will develop baby's eye muscles as he follows the movement of toys. When the baby tries to grab flying elements, this will train the coordination of his movements.

so that your baby gets a different tactile experience, use garlands and pendants made of different materials - plastic, latex, wood and textile;
there should be different toys for walking and home use;
Regularly treat wooden and plastic parts of your mobile, garlands and pendants with hydrogen peroxide, boil removable parts, and wash fabric parts with baby powder;
hang garlands in a newborn’s stroller, crib or car seat in such a way that it can be touched by involuntary movements, the sound from the rattles will attract the baby’s attention;
for an older baby who can consciously control his hands, the garlands can be hung a little higher so that he can reach out and grab them;
the colors of the elements should be bright and simple, and the shapes should be varied, so it will be more interesting for the baby;
The sounds produced by music mobiles should be quiet and melodic.

Pyramid

The pyramid can be different: simple, consisting of 3-4 rings, as well as complex and multi-level. It can have a standard cone-shaped shape, repeat the outlines of stylized animals, or be an integral part of other toys - tumblers and rollers. Rings come in textile, wood and plastic. The purpose of the pyramid in any of its manifestations remains the same - to teach the baby to think, correlate the sizes of parts and help develop his coordination.

With the help of pyramid rings, you can teach your child to recognize “big” and “small”, “wide” and “narrow”, “top” and “bottom”. Also, for many kids, this toy becomes the first visual material when learning colors.

For children under six months old, pyramids with a small number of rings are suitable, and their diameter should be significantly larger than the rod on which they should be strung - this will make it easier for the baby to learn this difficult action for him. Since the baby will constantly pull the removed rings into his mouth, you should regularly care for them: wash textile parts, and treat plastic and wooden parts with hydrogen peroxide.

Nesting toys

Insert toys are quite primitive at first glance, but are very useful for the development of infants. By working with such sets, the baby learns to analyze and coordinate his actions. The child will love both nesting multi-colored cups, from which you can also build a turret, and insert frames with small parts of different shapes.

With the help of nesting cups and parts, you can teach your child to identify colors, shapes and sizes, and in the summer you can use them to play Easter cakes.

Don’t rush to buy complex models for your child, otherwise, once you fail to complete the task, your child may begin to have a negative attitude towards the toy. Start with simple sets: cups that can be easily inserted into each other for a child with poor coordination, and small frames with simple geometric holes. You can buy a matryoshka doll for your baby, just check first whether the wooden parts of the toy fit together easily.

Cubes

Cubes are perhaps the simplest educational toys for children under one year old. Your child will need plastic or wooden products for a very long time. They will be useful to him not only for building towers, but also for studying colors, sizes, and, if there are appropriate pictures, the alphabet and numbers.

By the age of six or seven months, buy your baby the simplest painted wooden cubes and show him how to use them. Pay his attention to the fact that they are different colors, compare their shape with balls, try to roll them. The child will really enjoy such research, and you will see how he will begin to experiment with other toys, gaining his own experience.

By 10-11 months, you can purchase children's cubes with a simple pattern on the edges, which need to be assembled by turning the sides. With your help, your child will quickly learn to add simple pictures. Once your baby understands the principle, you can start buying wooden or plastic blocks with more complex designs. Don’t worry that too many of these toys will accumulate—the child will later need them to build towers and castles.

Dynamic toys

Children under one year old constantly explore the world; they taste every object they come across, shake, crush and throw, observing how the object reacts to their actions. Dynamic toys will delight the baby and keep the little tester occupied for a long time. The baby will love that after pressing the lever, the spinning top begins to spin, the car rolls, and the tumbler, no matter how much you push it, does not want to fall.

When choosing a dynamic toy, avoid acidic colors; the shades of the product should be in harmony.
Some spinning top models have pictures on their body that create interesting illusions when moving.
The sounds that dynamic toys make should not be too sharp or loud.
Before buying a spinning top, make sure that the product is correctly centered, otherwise the toy will not rotate as expected and will not give your baby the pleasure it deserves.

Tactile toys

Starting from six months of age, children actively explore the objects around them using the sense of touch. Various tactile sensations stimulate the nervous system of infants and thus directly affect the pace of development. The more you provide your baby with objects of different textures to explore, the better this will affect his nervous system.

You can place your baby on a sensory mat made from different-feeling materials, or let him play with toys made from mixed fabrics with sewn-on beads, buttons, and ribbons. By exploring such useful and interesting toys with his fingers, the baby will enrich his tactile experience.

Some mothers sew bags for their babies and fill them with different cereals. By kneading such “homemade products” with peas, beans and millet in his hands, the child will develop fine motor skills.

After six months, you can purchase finger paints for your baby and practice drawing with him. The baby will really enjoy leaving bright marks on the paper. It is important to ensure that the paints you buy are non-toxic and child-safe.

Activities with plasticine or dough are also very useful for tactile experience and the development of fine motor skills in children under one year old. You can teach your child how to roll sausages, flatten pieces of plastic material, and connect pieces together. Of course, the baby’s crafts will be barely recognizable, but the main thing now is to develop his fingers, bringing pleasure to the baby.

Figurative toys

Such toys, in their appearance, copy living creatures - cats, dogs, bears, children, as well as cartoon characters. Children under one year old do not yet know how to play story games on their own, but such toys are very useful for getting to know a new world, for the ability to relate images on the screen and in books with stylized objects.

With the help of plush pets, you can introduce your baby to the world of animals and teach him the sounds they make. Using dolls, you can show your baby what body parts people have, and he will associate himself with the toy. Closer to one year, the child will already copy your actions and take care of the baby doll, seat plush animals at improvised tables and feed them.

for a child under one year old, it is better to choose toys with a positive facial expression;
if the toy is musical, then the sounds it makes should be soft and melodic;
the color scheme of soft toys for babies should be close to real ones so that the child develops a correct idea of the world;
Allergists recommend washing soft toys at least twice a month to rid them of dust accumulated in the pile.

Toys for physical development

Such products are designed to physically develop a child at different stages.

Suspensions and stretchers in the crib and stroller develop the grasping reflex and coordination of movements in children.
At the 3rd month of life, the baby will be delighted with inflatable balls, which he will like to push away with his arms and legs; during such a simple game, all the baby’s muscles will be strengthened.
Small textile balls will teach your baby to grasp, hold and throw round objects.
After six months, textile or rubber balls will develop crawling skills in babies.
Games with a ball (rolling, pushing, throwing) develop coordination and eye control in infants.
Stable rolling toys help children feel more confident when mastering the skill of walking, and they also improve coordination of movements.

It seems that everything is simple - it is enough to surround the baby with a variety of play aids for better development. However, experts are convinced that each age needs its own toy, since a child’s capabilities differ significantly between 3 months and 1 year.

The right toys lay the foundation for intellectual and physical development. That is why it is necessary not to let the process of choosing gaming aids take its course, but to very thoughtfully and carefully examine the shelves of children's stores. What are the best toys for babies?

A few words about the number of toys

The number of toys for babies on the shelves of children's stores is amazing. It is not surprising that some parents, trying to give their child the best, immediately after his birth, buy everything.

As a result, the nursery is littered with rattles, dolls, blocks, cars and teddy bears. Is it correct? Of course, every mother decides for herself how many toys her child will have. However, the opinion of experts should still be listened to.

Psychologists are sure that at an early age it is enough for a child to play with 2-3 toys at a time, while the rest play the role of exhibits in a museum. You can fill a child's room with a bunch of bright trinkets, but at the same time not provide the little one with useful material for understanding the world around him.

Playbooks for babies can be considered one of the main sources of knowledge about the surrounding reality. Toys help to explore colors, sizes and shapes, develop coordination and fine motor skills. All this will definitely affect the formation of speech skills.

That is why, when stopping in front of a shelf with another gaming aid, you need to think about whether it can awaken a child’s activity and cognitive interest, or whether the child will play with it for a few minutes and then throw it in a distant drawer.

Thus, it is not necessary to purchase a huge number of toys; a few aids are enough, as long as they correspond to the age and capabilities of the baby and fulfill their main function - the development of the little man.

A toy for a child, no matter how old he is - 3 months or 5 years old, should imitate a real object, while repeating its shape, color and basic qualities. That is, a green elephant or a purple hedgehog are not the best options for playing equipment.

TV doctor Evgeny Komarovsky is convinced that the main properties of good ones are safety and realism. That is, the ball should be round, the cube should be square, the sky should be blue, and the chicken should really look like poultry.

In addition, we should not forget that any toy evokes emotions in a child, which is why it is important for infants that such information content is positive and does not create anxiety and aggressiveness.

Monsters with ugly facial features and disproportionate figures, aggressive-looking cartoon characters, overly naturalistic dolls - all these are examples of bad toys that will definitely not benefit a small child.

It is important to take care of the baby’s emotional comfort. Play aids should be of pleasant colors and shapes, preferably naturalistic in appearance. Well, if they are “talking” or “singing”, then the sound should be soft and quiet.

It remains to figure out exactly what toys a child needs from birth to 12 months.

A newborn baby is just adapting to a world unfamiliar to him, getting used to his mother’s and father’s face and voice. Therefore, children in the first month of life do not need toys as such, since all their time is occupied by feeding, sleeping, or interacting with their parents.

What toys does a 1 month old baby need? It should be understood that at this age the baby is already learning to see and hear relatively well, therefore For its development, toys such as:

The benefits of a mobile

This device is one of the best gaming accessories for little children. It performs two functions at once: educational and entertaining.

A child in the second month of life listens to music, thereby improving auditory perception. And when he grows up a little, you can use the motor abilities of the mobile so that the baby learns to follow moving objects.

In addition, such a toy can entertain and distract the baby for a short time. And during this period, the mother will be able to either rest a little or do some homework without being distracted by the children’s demanding cries or tears.

In stores you can buy simple models with a small number of functions (melodies plus movement of figures) or multifunctional game carousels, which, in addition to the basic options, can be used as a music player, projector and night light.

Electronic mobile

The rattling and noisy toys will be with the child for almost the entire 12 months. To do this, you need to purchase several rattles at once, for example:

You should not think that rattles are necessary only to entertain and calm the baby. These play devices contribute to the comprehensive development and especially the improvement of fine motor skills.

By placing a rattle in a child's hand, you thereby stimulate the development of tactile perception. For this purpose, you need to purchase the lightest, most compact and comfortable toys. A three-month-old baby will gradually learn to play with them on his own.

In addition to the development of fingers, rattles improve coordination between the eyes and hands, and teach them to act purposefully: the child takes the toy, then pulls it towards him to carefully examine it from all sides.

Do a simple exercise with your baby to develop eye coordination. Show your child the rattle, wait until he begins to fix his eyes on it, then move it in different directions. The baby will follow the bright object with its eyes.

From 3 to 6 months

At 4 months the child makes another leap. Now the baby not only observes the world around him, but is also actively involved in its exploration.

Children also like old toys, such as rattles. Noisy and rattling play devices are studied even more carefully, they are examined, they are taken away and brought closer to the face, the kids wave them, shake them, and put them in their mouths.

Such simple exercises, in someone’s opinion, are actually extremely important. They help build connections between parts of the brain, develop visual, auditory, and motor centers in the cerebral cortex.

A child not only explores toys, but with their help he explores his own capabilities. Raising arms, legs, head - all this teaches the baby to overcome difficulties in order to get such a desirable and attractive toy.

A baby at this age will need a teether. Of course, it is difficult to attribute it directly to play equipment, but this item has educational functions: small pimples contribute to sensory stimulation when the baby touches the teether.

At 5 months, the child is already rolling over and making his first attempts at crawling, so the range of toys expands significantly. He will definitely be interested in:

rubber bath toys;
textile rustling objects;
tumblers;
development mats with pockets, buttons, fasteners and a mirror;
arcs with toys of various sizes and colors suspended on them;
children's piano, etc.

For a 5-month-old child, you don’t need to put toys directly into the hands. Experts advise leaving them within sight and reach so that the baby can reach them on his own. This helps improve crawling and grasping skills.

Tumbler

Children at 5 and 7 months are, in fact, babies completely different in capabilities and abilities. Now motor skills are more complex and advanced. The child is able to move on all fours and attempts to stand up are noted.

Hand coordination and fine motor skills are improved. If at four months the baby moved chaotically, now he consciously grabs the desired object not just by a handful, but also with a pinch and with his fingers. The “prey” rises and rushes again, reaching into the mouth. After studying, interest in it immediately disappears.

What will be useful for a child at this age? Experts advise stocking up on the following gaming aids:

A six-month-old child learns to use two hands at once in exploring the world. That's why babies love to tap rattles, blocks, and other play equipment on surfaces.

The child has reached the age of fascination with earbuds. This role can be played by various containers, bowls, glasses, and molds that can be inserted into each other.

Playing with them not only helps to improve motor skills and coordination of visual-motor skills, but also helps to master the concept of “more-less” in a playful way. A large glass cannot be placed in a smaller one, and the baby understands this after using physical force.

As a result, the child changes the tactics of working with objects. Now he moves from physical effort to thinking. Different containers begin to interact with each other as they are related in size. In this way, the baby develops perception and thinking abilities.

A nine-month-old child learns not just to grab toys, but to study the surrounding reality. Now he is a real experimenter and researcher.

The baby is actively looking for favorite toys hidden in the box, finding a use for old items, and trying to establish cause-and-effect relationships. For example, he can watch for a long time how water is poured out of containers and cereals are poured out.

Since the baby is already more active and mobile (some babies are trying to walk), he needs to be closely monitored. An important rule is to remove all objects that pose a danger to the baby higher and further away.

Basic toys for this age:

Sorter is an educational play aid, which is a closed container in the shape of a house, a cube, or a mailbox, in which there are various openings. The point of the game is that the child drops either geometric shapes or silhouettes of animals into the slots intended for them.

Sorters are usually of 2 types:

with figures covering the openings;
with figures pushing through the slots.

For a child under one year old, you should select toys with 3-4 holes or indentations. Otherwise, the baby simply cannot cope with the gameplay, as a result of which the “incomprehensible” toy will smoothly migrate to the basket with unnecessary items.

The very name of the game aid “sorter” indicates the principle of its operation. The child must sort the figures, that is, place objects in the slots, focusing not on his strength, but on their shapes, sizes, and shades.

Such exercises help train the eye, motor dexterity, logical thinking, subtle finger movements, observation and perseverance. All these qualities will be useful in developing and improving speech skills.

In addition, tactile sensations develop. The child, interacting with the “magic box”, learns to distinguish and recognize shades and shapes. Psychologists are convinced that such a toy is also involved in the formation of creative skills. After all, knowing the shapes, kids will be able to quickly move beyond the scribble stage to understandable images.

It is at this age that most children take their first steps. To facilitate learning and training of walking skills, toy manufacturers offer special rolling carts. They are another support point, holding on to which the child begins to walk.

Typically, such gurneys are made in the form of animals, cars or simple carts. Some devices have game pads that let you listen to music and learn things like numbers.

The benefit of such a gaming device is the development of:

But many experts have a rather negative attitude towards traditional walkers. If a child spends too much time in such a device, then problems with the development of the musculoskeletal system in the future cannot be ruled out.

Roller-walker

The first year is an important milestone in a baby's life. The main achievement of a 12-month-old toddler is the ability to walk independently, without parental support or additional support. To improve balance, it is worth purchasing a wheelchair horse, a tolokar.

Additionally, balls and games with them develop the vestibular apparatus and coordination of movements. Children push the big ball with their hands and feet and run after it to stop it. Small balls are useful for throwing and catching. This will help develop additional motor dexterity.

Now fine motor skills and dexterity have become even more perfect. One-year-old children begin to deliberately throw toys on the floor so that their mother will pick them up and put them in her hands again. This factor must be taken into account when choosing play equipment for children.

One-year-old children will definitely love the metallophone and drum. They not only develop auditory perception, but also teach the child to take into account the force of influence when extracting sounds.

One-year-old children love to tinker with plastic phones and sets of toy dishes. With these toys, the baby performs the same actions as the parents. You've probably watched kids "call" on a plastic mobile phone or "drink" from a plastic cup.

A sandbox set is a must-have toy for a one-year-old baby. A child, playing with sand, develops fine motor skills and speech, learns to hold a scoop, which will be useful to him in the future when learning to use cutlery. Creative abilities are also being developed.

In addition, the child is given soft pencils and crayons at his disposal. Objects that leave a mark delight little explorers. And regular “drawing” helps to quickly master speech and writing skills.

You should not think that for the full development of a child it is enough to simply purchase a toy. Not a single, even the most multifunctional and sophisticated gaming aid can be of benefit to a child if you do not play with him.

And here there are rules that depend on the age of the baby:

If a child does not understand how to play with a toy and gets angry because of this, remove this object, and after a while try to offer to play again. Most likely, this time the baby will accept your offer and master the previously impossible task.

Absolute safety is, of course, the main requirement for play aids for young children. You should not unconditionally trust certificates and markings; it is better to thoroughly study the product you like from all sides.

Plastic toys should not have a strong or unpleasant smell. A toxic “aroma” indicates the use of low-quality material. Purchased plastic items must be washed in soapy water and rinsed thoroughly.
Devices with scratches and chips should be immediately rejected, even if you really liked the toy itself. Such shortcomings indicate low quality of the product, which poses a threat to the health of the child.
Rubber elements must be dense and non-fragile. If they crumble, such toys should be disposed of immediately. Naturally, the same requirements apply to rubber as to plastic products.
Textile toys (especially if they have filling) should be carefully examined for frayed seams. Broken threads may cause a child to swallow the contents of the product and choke.
Wooden toys must be free of burrs. In general, it is not advisable to give wooden products to children under 6 months of age, since the baby may hit himself on the head with the edge of a wooden cube. And this threatens injury.
Before purchasing, also try to rub the product you like to assess the quality of the paint job. The coating should not stain fingers, shed, or leave a feeling of a greasy or waxy layer on the skin.
Avoid purchasing toys with small or fragile parts. Babies always put everything in their mouth, so there is a risk that the child will bite off a piece of plastic and swallow it.

The child needs to play with toys made of various materials. However, for infants, devices made from food-grade plastic are preferable. They are lightweight and safe, so you won’t have to worry about your baby putting them in his mouth.

It is no secret that a child under 12 months (or even older) puts everything into his mouth, as a result of which dirt and bacteria can enter the body. That is why it is necessary to carefully care for the toys that are always near a tiny person. What are the basic rules of care? It all depends on the material.

The following solution is suitable for disinfection: dissolve four tablespoons of soda powder in a liter of water. You can also destroy pathogenic bacteria using diluted vinegar. Surfaces are also wiped with alcohol-containing liquids.

Toys used outdoors are disinfected and sanitized several times a week. Household items should be washed once a week.

So, from birth to one year, a child goes through an impressive “route”. Toys can help with development, but only if they are suitable for the baby’s age.

The list of play aids for newborns and infants is impressive. But we can highlight the “obligatory” toys that should be in every home where a little miracle grows up:

This is a minimum set of educational toys for children under one year old. Later it will be joined by play aids with lacing, large mosaics, construction sets, cars, dolls, and a sandbox set.

What does a good toy mean? First of all, it must be safe. To do this, you need to check the reliability of the assembly and the quality of the material. You should also remember that high-quality game aids are always realistic. And, of course, the toy must correspond to its purpose - the rattle makes noise, the rubber ducky swims.

In the first 12 months of a child’s life, experts equate play activities with exploring the world around them. Toys help a child up to one year old to master basic concepts, gain knowledge and skills.

However, you should understand that choosing the right toy is not the most important thing. Only by communicating with mom and dad, playing with them, will the baby be able to fully develop and feel the desire to explore the world around him. So be there and help your child!