Which toys are suitable for a baby aged 0 to 6 months? Below, I'll give you 11 toy tips.
Exploring with the mouth
In the beginning, babies sleep a lot and don't need much. They discover the world around them through their senses: seeing, feeling, and experiencing. They learn a lot by exploring with their mouths. Everything attached to the toy must be securely fastened so they can't accidentally swallow it. The Sophie la Girafe rattle allows for a lot of oral exploration and is safe.
Playing in the box as part of the rhythm
In the beginning, a baby's rhythm usually consists of: Feeding-cuddling-playing-sleeping-feeding-cuddling-playing, etc. It's good for a baby's peace of mind that this routine is regular. After cuddling, a little time alone in the playpen to "play" is also part of this. Initially, this can be done without toys, and later with a few.
'Large' toys with gripping possibilities
Babies can't hold small objects yet. So it's important that toys are large enough to grasp and have gripping features. Everything attached to them needs to be securely fastened so they don't accidentally swallow them. The Pebble octopus rattle and car rattle are perfect for this.
Toys with soft sounds
Babies often enjoy soft sounds, such as rattles or squeaky toys. These toys allow them to create the sounds themselves, which provides an additional learning experience. Sophie the Giraffe makes a sound quite easily when you squeeze it.
The ability to see contrasts
At the very beginning, babies don't distinguish colors, only contrasts. They'll also find black and white or toys with distinct contrasts very interesting. The face of a rattle caterpillar, for example, will certainly capture little ones' attention.
Colors, shapes and textures
Later, they'll discover different colors, shapes, and textures. Cuddly toys and cloths with different fabrics, shapes, and textures are excellent for exploring and learning. In our webshop, we offer several Moulin Roty varieties that are also very beautiful and feel wonderful.
Not too many toys in the playpen
Babies can become overstimulated by too many toys in their playpen. A few toys are more than enough at first. You can rotate these every so often or every few days. Storage bags are available that you can attach to the playpen. For a DIY pattern, visit the Skattich Pinterest page.
A baby gym (but preferably not too busy)
There are some really fun and comprehensive baby gyms available. A baby gym is a kind of stand that you place over the baby. All sorts of toys hang from this stand, some even have sounds. This is fun for babies from about three months old, but earlier is often too busy. I would advise against choosing a very busy baby gym. I also recommend not letting your baby play with it for too long at a time; 10 minutes is more than enough. Monitor your baby closely, and if they become very fidgety or start turning their face away, it's wise to remove the toys.
Nice cuddle
Just snuggling up to a cuddly toy can be wonderful sometimes. A nice big one, not too plump, that they can hold tightly. This way, they'll have some company in the playpen. A Kanindocka rabbit or a Maileg cuddly toy could become your baby's best friend.
Do not leave baby alone
Stay close to your baby, even if they're in the playpen. Even babies can do things with toys you didn't anticipate or for which they weren't intended. Also, test the toys first to see if there are any loose parts.
Autumn walk
You can also take a lovely autumn walk with your baby. Bundle up warmly, lower the stroller hood, and just enjoy the walk. Point out what your baby can see. Once your baby is a little older, you can place a cushion in the stroller to raise their head and shoulders a bit and see more. Let your baby play with a nice big autumn leaf.
Next time: toy tips for babies aged 6 to 12 months.
