We begin in the name of God, the most Loving, the most Wise,
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Our dear son just turned 1 year old this month. I cannot believe it!!! The time has just flown by and he has changed so very much since he came out ferocious as a little lion cub, shouting at the nurses to pass him to his papa. We have chosen as a family not to celebrate birthdays – both my husband and I were raised this way and we feel like this is the proper decision for us. I understand that not everyone sees it in the same way, but from an Islamic standpoint, we have learned that it is not permissible to celebrate birthdays.
I do very much, however, believe in offering our children toys and activities that are age appropriate to help facilitate the different milestones and skills they are mastering throughout the different stages of their lives.
With that said, here are 12 toys we’ve really loved the past few months as Asad hops, crawls and prepares to walk into being a year old:
So a few quick notes before I jump into the list, there are a couple things I try to stick to when it comes to choosing toys for our child(ren):
a. Wooden toys are preferable. They are usually more durable and well built. They can handle being tossed, drooled on and all the other things babies and small children do with their toys. It also is not plastic, which is ideal because plastic is not good for our environment.
b. It doesn’t need batteries. I am not against toys with batteries to the fullest extent, I simply prefer toys without them. I find that toys without batteries are the ones that are most open-ended and require, and thus help to foster, a great imagination. I am not of the opinion that babies need a bunch of light-up things and sounds that come from toys.
c. Multipurpose toys. I love a toy that can be used in a variety of ways. That could be such as with balls – you can throw, bounce, kick, juggle, put them in & take them out, etc; that could be with a vehicle – you can come up with so many stories of what kind of vehicle, what the vehicles role in the story will be, etc. It is also a great plus if the toy is multipurpose in the sense that it will still be fun as the child grows to another stage.
d. While we don’t care much about brands, we have found some great ones that we’ve been turning to again and again to include but definitely not limited to: Green Toys, Melissa & Doug, and Hape toys.
Now onto our list of favorites:
1. A simple stacking toy
We had the Melissa and Doug stacker and love it. Pretty much any stacking toy is pretty cool though! I was so awestruck the first time I saw my son trying to put the pieces on for the first time – he was working really hard! Now, a few months later, he’s a little pro at it. I love it because it’s a classic and it’s nice and simple. He feels so accomplished when he gets the rings on the little dowel part.
This toy is perhaps the toy for learning hand/eye coordination. It takes quite a bit of practice to get the little hole on the ring lined up to the dowel when you are just learning how to make your little hands work with what you’re seeing. It’s great for gross motor skill practice. And…it’s a great confidence builder for your little one!
2. A basket full of sensory balls
It’s pretty hard to stay away from plastic when it comes to ball toys but I think every child needs a good assortment of balls. Different textures, different sizes and different colors. We still try to keep our stash to a minimum but this set was actually a gift from my mom and it’s definitely well played with.
These are another set of toys that are great for building fine motor skills. Throwing, rolling, etc all require use of various muscles that are being developed through this kind of play. It also provides opportunities for practicing transferring objects between hands and also, taking turns with others if you are playing with your child.
3. A bucket of trucks and cars
Vehicles have been a serious favorite around here recently! When he’s not driving them all across the floor, he’s flipped them over and playing with the wheels. We have a handful of favorite brands – Oball, Green Toys and Melissa and Doug of course! We also love old school tonka trucks and the simple little matchbox cars! Even though some of them are plastic, they are really great quality toys. The Oball, I love the little holes for little fingers to be able to grab! For Greentoys, I love that they use recycled material and they’re made in the U.S.
Cars & trucks also help with developing the skills of reaching, pushing, and pulling. Things we might not think of because it seems so natural to us…but these are developmental skills for babies. Vehicles in general are another toy for learning cause-and-effect. They also introduce the concepts of motion and trajectory. Obviously your child isn’t going to understand it like that in their first couple years but through play, they are learning how things move and what affects that.
4. Chunky Wooden Knob Puzzles
There are so many options with knob puzzles. I try to stick to the ones that are a bit more realistic and relatable. So far some of our favorites are the pets, the farm themed one and the shapes! My little guy hasn’t quite officially mastered putting the pieces into the puzzle but as he works on that part, this has been a fun way of introducing a few new animals, the sounds they make, as well as the idea of putting the pieces in the proper places. He’s almost there – he actually only recently became interested in trying to put the pieces in their places.
Puzzles are also a fabulous tool for language development. Different puzzles offer opportunities to introduce new things, which turns into learning new words, new sounds and new ideas. Puzzles also offer a great way to expand imagination. The pieces can quite easily turn into toys, they can be included into a song or story, or just about anything else your child comes up with.
5. Percussion instruments
As a Muslim family, we have to be diligent in our choice to introduce music to our children but…it definitely has its place in our child’s life. Percussion instruments, from my understanding, are a safe choice. We love exploring all the different sounds, all the various ways to make said sounds…and just enjoying the materials as well.
6. A simple cloth doll
The baby boy stella doll is our favorite!
7. A bead maze
Another great classic! I love this one in particular because it’s mini-size so our little guy can hold onto it, take it where he wants to and be as hands-on with it as he wants. I also love this one because it has suction cups on the back of it, making it great for vertical play and keeping your little one occupied for a nice little while – both with the actual toy and the curiosity of how it’s staying in place & how they might be able to get it off.
8. Animal Figurines
9. Dot markers
10. Playdough
11. Sticks, leaves and pine cones
AKA “nature treasures”, as they’re called in our home, are an ultimate source of fun. Whether your little one is in the stroller, a swing, in the grass – get outside as much as you can! Don’t be afraid to let your little one touch the grass, get a little muddy, hold the rocks and sticks, test out the pine cones. Not only is it an excellent source of exploration and a party for their senses, it also is grounding and nourishing to connect with these pieces of nature.
Outdoor exploration and play really allows our baby to become more acclimated with their environment. Not only learning to notice where they are, where they’ve gone and where they’re going but also the different aspects of their surroundings. They start to develop a sense of direction and a sense of belonging. Having fresh air and sunlight, preferably on a daily basis, is quite vital to your health and happiness. This is applicable for you just as much as it is for your little one.
12. Pots, Pans and Other Kitchen Items
The kitchen is also full of exploration for little ones. Pots and pans for banging on, putting things in and taking them out, sliding across the room. Spoons and colanders for making musical sounds and cooking along with you. Drawers to open and close. Cabinets to open and perhaps climb in. Remember babies don’t need that many toys, household items are pretty engaging! Babies are super interested in what all the big people are doing around them. When they get the opportunity to hold or use something they attribute to “big person stuff”, that is super awesome to them!
Lots of sensory exploration happens in the kitchen. You can provide a plethora of different smells, textures, tastes, sounds. It is amazing the fun that can be had with plain old kitchen utensils. While these objects are simple to us, they are great for fostering imagination and creativity. It’s also a great opportunity for your little one to become familiar with certain skills/tasks. As they grow older, he/she will start to want to mimic your activities. Being in the kitchen and seeing you cooking, cleaning, eating or whatever you’re doing in your kitchen, your little one is learning and will soon want to take part.
Play is pretty serious in our home. I think that it’s incredibly important for our little’s to get plenty of time to explore, express and exercise their whole body, their whole brain, their whole range of emotions,… you get it, their whole selves in a wide variety of ways. Keeping things simple and (fairly) minimal seem to be very helpful in encouraging this. We’re still living and learning as we explore this journey. We’d love to hear from you!
Question for the comments: What’s one of your toddlers favorite toy? How long has it been a fave?
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