For the first two months of life, babies typically only sleep and eat. They don’t care about a lot of other things unless it’s having a clean diaper and being cuddled. Beyond that two month mark, babies start to become interested in their world. At first, they simply watch activities going on around them.
Then, at around 4 to 5 months of age, they’re moving around with a lot of energy. That’s when it’s time to really start encouraging them to keep moving and also to learn about their surroundings. The best way to do this is by playing, and the right toys will be needed to accomplish this.
Since babies respond to sight, touch and sound, the right sort of toys will stimulate babies to learn about their world. Depending on the age of the baby, there are various toys that can help them in their exploration. However, there’s rarely any need for toys during the first month of life.
When babies are 2 months old, they start to follow all activities surrounding them. They can focus on something for a few minutes now. Toys in black and white and other contrasting colors should be used at this point. Babies may not be able to exactly play at this age, but they can see these toys and get better at focusing on things.
Babies around 4 months old are moving their legs and arms with lots of energy. They’re pretty enthusiastic to start using that energy, too. They can grab onto things now and crawl around. Playing with the right toys is very important to their development.
Try some of the following toys for your baby at this age:
- Toys for juggling
- Rubber toys of animal shapes
- Small baby proof play mirrors
- Chewing toys
- Small colored circles bound together
- Musical toys: A warning about these toys is to check the sound before buying one. Sharp sounds can damage a baby’s ear.
As babies get older, the need for teaching toys becomes more pronounced. Such things as plastic blocks and simple toys like the game of dropping plastic clothes pins into a plastic bottle can do a lot for a baby’s development as well as keep him entertained.
