Let’s play!

In the first moment of their life, your bundle of joy gets a mountain of gifts from your family and friends. Clothes, toys, books… The majority of them will have to wait at the bottom of the wardrobe for their moment, but how to decide what toy to give your child and when, to ensure it does its job?

Before you even start thinking on when to give your child their gift, remember to check whether they were produced from certified materials and are safe to use. Make sure they provide your child with proper stimulation and meet their needs at the current stage of their development. A cellphone is definitely not a right toy for a two-year-old.

At the beginning, your kiddo does not need much. A rattle, a chew toy and baby bed carousel on which you can hang toys or picture cards, are a good start. During the first three months, you should focus on the sense of sight. Your child cannot grab a toy yet, but their sight is developing and it is worth stimulating it with static and slowly-moving objects. It might be a good idea to watch contrast books – it is an opportunity to snuggle and children love to be close to their parents and listen to their voices. Additionally, babies like to look at black and white patterns, as they can see them well. It helps them learn how to focus their sight and concentrate. Leaving a book in front of lying child will motivate them to raise their head. If your baby is not interested in such activities, you may consider a plushy in contrasting colors – preferably in black and white. You’d better limit auditory stimuli, but a toy may emit quiet, soft and nice sounds.

When your child is two months old, you can introduce chew toys. Even before they start teething, they will provide your baby with great stimulation, new experiences and stimuli.