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Toys and games for your child

How to play with your 0-1 month old

Toys and games for 0-1 month olds

  • Look for toys that your baby can look at and listen to
  • Black and white or strong contrasting colours are the most visually stimulating for the time being
  • Toys that play calming music are a good gentle introduction to sound
  • If your baby’s likely to spend a lot of time in the car, think about a toy that will attach to the car seat. You can also get non-breakable mirrors so you can keep an eye on them from the front seat
  • Don't worry about over stimulating your newborn. If it all gets too much for them, they’ll simply switch off and go to sleep

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Top toys for newborns

  • A cot mobile
  • A play mat

How to play with your 1-3 month old

Toys and games for 1-3 month olds

  • Your baby will be more interested in seeing toys that dangle
  • Your baby will soon be able to lift their head to look for toys they can play with on their play mat. Putting toys just out of reach will encourage your baby’s motor skills and hand-to-eye coordination 
  • Square blocks that are soft and colourful will help them discover more about textures, colours and shapes

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Top toys for 1-3 month olds 

  • A cot mobile
  • A play mat
  • A play gym
  • Dangly toys that attach to your pram or pushchair
  • Rattles and ‘hand and foot finders’

How to play with your 3-6 month old

Toys and games for 3-6 month olds

  • Different shapes and sounds will intrigue your baby
  • Toys that incorporate a number of elements will keep your baby discovering for a while
  • They might enjoy toys that feature flashing lights and sounds
  • Rattles are still highly entertaining. Look for ones which make different sounds or which are see-through, so your baby can see what’s making the noise
  • Rubber ducks and squirty or squeaky bath toys make bath time lots of fun
  • Books are great for all ages. Look for soft fabric ones or board books that feature touchy-feely textures or sounds

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Top toys for 3-6 month olds

  • A play gym
  • Soft balls and blocks
  • Stacking rings and stacking pots
  • Teethers
  • Bath toys
  • Fabric or board books

How to play with your 6-9 month old

Toys and games for 6-9 month olds

  • Toys that feature different shapes, sounds and react to your baby’s actions will help develop their motor and thinking skills
  • At this age they may get attached to particular soft toys, and start to have a favourite teddy
  • Rolling, throwing, chasing…balls are fun for all ages from now on
  • Building blocks, and knocking them down again, are very popular at this stage 
  • Board books are great fun to read together and your baby can practise turning the page

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Top toys for 6-9 month olds

  • Soft toys or dolls
  • Balls
  • A play mat
  • Stacking toys  
  • Board books

How to play with your 9-12 month old

Toys and games 9-12 month olds

  • Musical instruments are great fun as your baby learns to bang a drum, shake a tambourine and jingle bells
  • Stacking rings and shape sorters will help develop their hand-to-eye coordination
  • Push toys will encourage your baby onto their feet in preparation for walking. Choose a well-weighted one to avoid any accidents
  • Balls are still great fun. If your baby can now stand, they’ll love dropping the ball to the ground and watching it bounce
  • Books are great for development and for one-on-one time with your baby. Board books are a great way for them to explore new textures, sounds and surprises (think pop-ups) and paper books are great for bedtime stories 
  • Consider outdoor toys too. Balls are a good choice, but if you have the space a sandpit, bucket and spade could keep your baby entertained for quite some time! Make sure that Baby is supervised at all times.

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Top toys for 9-12 month olds

  • Musical instruments
  • Stacking toys
  • Walkers
  • Board books and story books
  • Outdoor toys

How to play with your 12-18 month old

Toys and games for 12-18 month olds

  • Toddlers learn by mimicking, so role-play toys and games are great fun at this age. Toy telephones, floor brushes are all great fun. As are musical farm trucks and houses, cars and diggers. Or even a toy kitchen or workbench, if you have the space
  • Any toys that encourage imitating are good. Look out for electronic toys that can help teach new words or sounds
  • Ride-on toys are very popular and help your toddler get their independence. There are many types available, so make sure you can accommodate them in your home. And if you’re not a fan of DIY, look out for ones that are easy to assemble
  • Washable paints and crayons will help them express their creativity
  • Building toys also come into play at this age. Either wooden blocks or toys like Lego Duplo or Mega Blocks
  • Toddlers love to be outdoors. Balls and tunnels are great fun outdoors, as are climbing frames, slides and swings if you have the space. As always, you need to supervise your child at all times

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Top toys

  • Role play toys
  • Ride-ons
  • Washable paints and crayons
  • Building blocks 
  • Outdoor toys
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