At first glance, choosing developmental toys for your newborn baby may seem like a daunting task. The store aisles are filled with flashy infant toys of every type, and your new baby does not yet have the skills to play with most of them. Babies grow fast, and while it’s a good idea to buy toys that can grow with your child, some developmental toys are more suitable for newborns than others.
Consider the following toys for newborn babies:
1. Fisher-Price Ocean Wonders Aquarium – This soothing crib toy features fish that “swim” in bubbling water as calming lights slowly fade on and off. The aquarium plays five different songs and sound effects. In addition to relaxing your newborn baby, this toy encourages babies to visually track moving objects, a skill that they will likely master by two months of age. Buttons and a spinning ball on the front of the aquarium also help babies learn about cause and effect as they reach for the toys.
2. Infantino Tag Along Chimes – Although he won’t purposefully grasp objects at first, your baby may quickly figure out that swiping and batting a toy causes it to perform an action. Infantino Tag Along Chimes are small, soft, animal shaped toys that can be held or attached to objects. They feature bright colors and patterns, rattling sounds, and have a variety of soft textures for baby to feel.
3. Fisher-Price Crib-to-Floor Lion Mirror – This toy is a baby-safe mirror that can be attached to a crib or placed on the floor. It has a stand to angle it towards the baby for floor play, and four feet with rattles and squeakers. By about two or three months, babies may be trying to lift their head and chest off of the floor, and placing a mirror in front of them is a great way to encourage this.
4. Black, White and Red Mobile by Genius Babies – A black and white mobile is a good developmental toy for newborns. Next to the human face, it is believed that babies prefer high contrast colors like black and white. This attention-grabbing mobile will provide plenty of visual stimulation for your newborn baby.
5. Fisher-Price Rainforest Melodies Gym – This gym will help your baby develop a variety of skills, such as lifting off of the floor, rolling over, and tracking and batting objects. The play mat features lights, sounds, and a variety of animals and objects that hang overhead. Babies will learn cause and effect as their movement activates lights and music, and even the youngest newborns can enjoy the beautiful colors and patterns.
There are a lot of expenses involved with caring for a newborn baby, but fortunately babies this age are relatively easy to please in the toy department. A few eye-catching toys are all that your baby needs to begin developing the skills that he will build on in the months ahead.
Sources:
Personal Experience
Developmental Milestones. American Academy of Pediatrics.
