Choosing Toys For Infants

Buying toys for infants is quite a challenge - for one thing, you cannot ask your baby if she likes the toy or not! And babies get bored - quickly. Infant toys need to be able to hold the attention of your baby and tickle their curiosity at the same time.

Your newborn baby will have good hearing but her eyesight is not very good. She can really only see about 12 inches in front of her. Anything beyond that is a blur. Toys with strong contrasting colours can help your baby with her improving eyesight.

Your baby will enjoy looking at a mobile with a good contrast of colours. The combination of colours and constant motion helps to develop her focus and the accompanying music acts as a soother - and also a much needed bedtime assistant at times! When choosing a mobile, keep in mind that your baby will spend all of her time lookng at the mobile from the bottom. A mobile that captures your attention when you walk into a store might not be very interesting to your baby simply because from her point of view, it is quite dull. It is a good idea to remove the mobile from her crib when your baby is able to sit up by herself.

When your baby is able to clasp her hands, buy her toys that she can grab hold of easily. Try textured toys with bright colours and one that rattles to capture her attention. Soon she will understand that moving her hands causes the rattle and this helps in aiding the development of your baby's motor skills

Baby soft toys will always sell but the people generally attracted to them are the parents, not the babies! This is due to the nostalgia factor - teddy bears and such tend to drive one down the memory lane. However, the right kind of soft toy will capture a baby's attention quite well. For example, a brightly coloured soft toy that makes a BOING sound when dropped will provide your baby with quite a bit of fun!

When your baby begins to crawl, she will enjoy stretching and reaching for her toys. Get your baby toys that move. This will encourage her to crawl a bit more. Balls are usually a baby's favourite when they begin to crawl. Nowadays, you can also get good electronic baby toys that moves and makes music when your baby gives it a good smack.

Happy toy hunting!