10 Must Have Educational Toys - 0-12 Months

[KobaAlexander]

Hello Everybody,

I am soon to be a father for the first time and as you all know very well it is a mine field of emotions out there about what you should and shouldn't do!

I just want to know what are the best educational toys to get, to help my future baby in the first year of delevopment.  I am just confused at this moment in time about what to do to prepare...Any help and suggestions on toys would be good.

[PokerDad]

As a soon to be father myself (any day now), I'm with you here. I've JUST NOW started to think about what toys to put together.

I've recently gone through Dr. William Fowler's Talking From Infancy and in the book, he says that we should have a "kit" that we use for playtime language work.

I think to answer your question, the toys you use should serve a particular purpose. Are you just trying to entertain? Are you trying to capture their attention? What exactly are you trying to do? (obviously your goals would make a big difference in the types of toys you get)

Some of the suggestions from Fowler are to have a few sizes of containers (boxes, cans) that you can put things in; to be used approx 4-6 months onward. He has a particular way of using containers. Then different sized toys such as balls, blocks, animals with distinct features, dolls, and toy utensils (utensils for maybe 9 mos onward?) - his objective is to be able to use the toys in an interactive way that you can simply and easily narrate to the child.

Anyway, that's what I'm working on right now... so thought I'd chip in on that.
We have several soft toys, but I think finding very obvious toys that can have a simple label would be the best (such as "block", or "elephant", etc)... whereas I have a blue elephant with crumply paper in it to make noise and I'm not so sure this is the best toy for my purposes, but will perhaps garner lots of attention those early months... I have countless toys like this that will perhaps be inutile to my goals... but we'll see.

Good luck & subscribing to the thread for ideas!

[cokers4life]

I think basic toys are most versatile

1) wooden building blocks or any variety of building blocks that don't pose a choking hazard
2) stacking toys
3) sorting toys of different shapes and colors
4) lots of Balls of different sizes and colors
5) basic music instruments like maracas, baby size piano, xylophone and a drum
6) toys with wheels that are for their age group (i.e not a choking hazard)
7) For newborns any toy/stuffed animal that has different colors, patterns and textures that is safe for them to put in their mouths.  Babies love the crunchy, crinkle sound, and there are lots of good baby stuffed animals that make that sound.
baby dolls (I think these are good for both boys and girls.  My son is all boy but playing with baby dolls has made him gentle and caring towards others especially babies  
9) Real life looking toy animals
10) Toys that open and close  and that you can put things inside of and take out.

I am sure that there is more.

[Mandabplus3]

The two most useful toys I ever had for any of my 3 kids were
1) links. These are plastic links, they come in a variety of shapes they clip/link together to form a chain and can be used to hang toys from the pram, car, cot, roof.....they make great teething rings and a cool toy on their own. For a bored mum, big sister, or baby. Get them! 
2) wrist rattles. These are little soft rattles that attach with Velcro to babys wrist or ankles. Te make a noise when baby kicks or waves arms and encourage movement. My kids often kicked to hear the noise. Movement is good.
After those two I would say some home made visual discrimination cards, an abacus ( always surprised by how many years use you get from those!) a soft bodied doll, a ball with dimples, a baby swing to hang inside or on the verandah ( again years of use!) and a multi use trike/bike ( most people buy the bike for the kids first birthday but all my kids were using them much sooner than that as they walked early)  That's it. Really you will be given soooo much stuff. Don't buy baby toys, someone else will buy them for you. Those stuffed toys, well we have 3 toy bins full of top quality ones now! I didn't buy a single one! 
I really think buying toys for babies is mostly a waste of money. You can make so many things for nothing they can play with or look at. It's not until they are over 6 months that toys really get noticed. If you want to spend money get books and little reader

[Korrale4kq]

Other than foot and wrist rattles a crinkly sounding book and a Bouncer chair with things hanging over head James didn't really have toys until he was 4 months old.
I then starteted to buy him toys that would match his development. Stackers, sorters, balls, big soft blocks etc.

[A_BC]

I personally prefer simple and educational toys the Montessori way. There is huge range of toys on the market and this is so confusing. Filtering toys on Amazon by popularity doesn't really help when someone is not that "mainstream" (i.e. early learning parent). I remember I did a long search while pregnant about what toys would benefit my baby the best. I read about Maria Montessori and it just made sense to me. I am trying to be kinda minimalist when it comes to toys. The baby will get the most of them when he/she has a limited selection that has been carefully chosen according to his developmental stages. I have a posts series on my blog about toys dring infancy and beyond ( http://babyalbab.blogspot.com/search/label/toys )

If you are thinking to embrace her philosophy, you may need these toys during the first year and they will be more than enough to keep an infant busy while teaching him/her about the world around him (I included examples to give an idea about the toy or a further explanation of its use)

- 1- The Visual Mobile Series

http://montessorihomes.blogspot.com/2011/02/visual-mobile-series.html

http://www.etsy.com/listing/80393223/montessori-visual-mobile-series-kit-pre?ref=sr_gallery_14&ga_search_query=montessori+mobile&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_min=0&ga_max=0&ga_ref=auto1&ga_search_type=all

- 2- Simple Rattles and teethers
     
http://www.amazon.com/Manhattan-Toy-Natural-Skwish-Rattle/dp/B001QKIVO0/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2BMRYAU8J38B5&coliid=I1OK48YP2BXS6N

http://www.amazon.com/Manhattan-Toy-200940-Winkel/dp/B000BNCA4K/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2BMRYAU8J38B5&coliid=I2U9M2ZA0LE8S0

- 3- Manipulative toy

http://www.etsy.com/listing/76221808/montessori-baby-toy-interlocking-discs?ref=sr_gallery_21&ga_search_query=infant+montessori+toys&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_min=0&ga_max=0&ga_includes

• =tags&ga_search_type=all

- 4- Baby gym

http://www.amazon.com/My-First-Gym-by-Hape/dp/B0070ZZ0HG/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2BMRYAU8J38B5&coliid=I3TOY1OFWL0EFZ

- 5- Egg and peg

http://www.etsy.com/listing/84394612/bambino-bamboozles-a-montessori-and?ref=sr_gallery_13&ga_search_query=infant+montessori+toys&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_min=0&ga_max=0&ga_includes

• =tags&ga_search_type=all

- 6- Object permanence box

http://www.amazon.com/Montessori-Object-Permanence-Tray-Ball/dp/B007IS364E/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1340090119&sr=1-1&keywords=object+permanence+box

- 7- Wooden blocks

http://www.amazon.com/Haba-47253-Discovery-Blocks/dp/B0002HYFLG/ref=sr_1_11?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1340089349&sr=1-11&keywords=haba+wooden+blocks


- 8- Stuffed toys with different textures (a ball, a wrists and feet toy and an animal are more than enough)

http://www.amazon.com/Haba-3672-Rainbow-Fabric-ball/dp/B002LDXZLU/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2BMRYAU8J38B5&coliid=I1GVL0R7IQT5H0

http://www.amazon.com/Lamaze-Garden-Rattle-Finder-Footies/dp/B004LDDO6Y/ref=sr_1_2?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1340089434&sr=1-2&keywords=lamaze+wrist+rattles+%26+foot+finders+set

http://www.amazon.com/Lamaze-Play-Freddie-Firefly-Along/dp/B000I2Q0F4/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1340089474&sr=1-1&keywords=freddy+the+firefly

- 9-  A mirror

http://www.amazon.com/Jonti-Craft-0619JC-Infant-Coordination-Mirror/dp/B000RZQDGI

- 10- Baby pushing cart

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40060836/

- Here are 2 cute sets of some of the previously mentioned toys:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/44781706/montessori-baby-toys-5-sweet-toys-in-one?ref=sr_gallery_40&ga_search_query=infant+montessori+toys&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_min=0&ga_max=0&ga_includes

• =tags&ga_search_type=all

http://www.etsy.com/listing/85642006/montessori-baby-toy-gift-set-5-natural?ref=sr_gallery_38&ga_search_query=infant+montessori+toys&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_min=0&ga_max=0&ga_includes

• =tags&ga_search_type=all

- Here is a great resource to read about the theory behind the aforementioned toys:

http://www.michaelolaf.com/JCcontents.html

- A comprehensive book about Montessori and early childhood:

http://www.amazon.com/Montessori-Start-Child-Birth-Three/dp/0805211128/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1340090660&sr=1-3&keywords=montessori+at+home

Wow, this list doesn't look minimalist at all although it there are more or less 10 toys. But I think I included the "must-haves" I used with my DS and that really prepared him for toddlerhood and worked nicely with his early learning program. I also replaced these conventional items this way:

- A crib by an organic mattress on the floor next to a coordination mirror with bar;
- A High chair by an infant-sized table and chair;
- A bouncer by a baby carrier;
- Tippy cups by  small candle glasses;
- A playpen by a gate mounted at my baby's room door.

HTH

[lotteantipuesto]

  i am so happy to be new here.i am so amazed with your shared concept. i regret why at this time i knew this site, how i wish i could turn back time. there are lots of topics here i could use for my baby but i think its not too late.

[A_BC]

Oh no, it is not too late! There are even sections for older kids and homeschoolers. I am sure you'll find a lot of info here. You can start by Brillbaby and read the free ebooks. Then you can search the forum for many topics about early learning and parenting. If you can't find what you are looking for, just post a question.

Welcome to the forum!

[Mandabplus3]

Yes welcome, don't worry my youngest is 4! You have years on me!

[KobaAlexander]

Wow... thankyou so much to everybody who has given me some great ideas.  It really help knowing that there are other parents out there that think the same way I do.  Most people look at me like I am mad when I start telling them I want my baby to learn to read.  I just want the best for my future baby.  I feel it is my duty to be able to help my child to learn the three major foundations which all of our culture depends on:

1. Language
2. Maths
3. Writing

I have already started to create some of the word cards at work and now I have lots of good ideas for toys and games which will help my baby!

I am going to try and make a Solar System Mobile for the cot, as I really want my child to have an interest in Astronomy!  Big dreams, but I am sure it will all help.

Thanks again

[celiacelia226]

Worth come to see, learn from to prepare for the future.

[ancac]

Hello Everybody,

I am soon to be a father for the first time and as you all know very well it is a mine field of emotions out there about what you should and shouldn't do!

I just want to know what are the best educational toys to get, to help my future baby in the first year of delevopment.  I am just confused at this moment in time about what to do to prepare...Any help and suggestions on toys would be good.

Hi,
There are lots of Educational and fun games on the market !

I made a website about all sorts of games. A whole topic is about educational and fun learning games, like math, word, problem solving, concentration games and much more.
You can also find active indoor and outdoor games.
Check it out here:
http://www.educationaltoysforkids.info/

[MarthaT]

Thanks for the link

[nonit4]

thank you this help me made a decision

[dessydell]

It is really the best option to buy educational toys for your baby to make them clever and wise. Generally kids very much like to play with designer modern toys, but this educational toys are the perfect toys which are used to play as well as baby can learn while playing.

document.getElementById('recent_loading').style.display = 'none';document.getElementById('recent_page_box').style.display = '';

Page: 1/4  

Loading...

Members

• Total Members: 214769
• Latest: Meobi

Stats

• Total Posts: 110526
• Total Topics: 19136
• Online Today: 525
• Online Ever: 826
• (January 22, 2020, 12:09:49 AM)

Users Online

• Users: 0
• Guests: 451
• Total: 451