As aware and involved parents, we want to do what's best for our kids and for their development, even from a very early age. Even though each child develops at their own pace, there are games, habits, and small actions that every parent can take to help with kids' growth — both mentally and physically. Whether it's reading to babies from the time they're in the womb, to playing Mozart and other classical music, to games and toys that help, parents can aid their kids in their development journey. And these toys will make the job much easier!
Toys that help kids with learning are great tools.
With so many toy choices in the market, it may be hard to pick just one. The best toys, though, are the ones that help with learning. Even from the time they're babies, these toys help with different elements of development, whether it's visual or tactile, perfect for prepping them for preschool and beyond. This is why I'm a big fan of the Little Tikes® Learn & Play™ line of toys that help teach preschool basics while encouraging active play.
The Little Tikes® Learn & Play™ My First Learning Mailbox is a perfect example of a toy that not only helps babies learn from as young as 1 year but grows with them. Kids get to interact and have fun, all while learning shapes, colors, numbers and counting through pretend play and interactivity. The play mailbox has more than 50 activities, phrases, and songs that get kiddos excited to "get mail" and have fun.
Another great tool for learning is the Little Tikes® Learning Activity Suitcase. The pretend case features three double-sided scannable maps with all seven continents, their own boarding pass, and passport, so they can travel the world from home! You can use the maps to show kids where their ancestors are from — or in my case, where I was born, Colombia in South America — and use that as a jumping off point to teach them about traditions, foods, facts from all different parts of the world. The maps are wipeable and all have different dry erase activities to make each time kids use it unique. With an interactive LCD screen that lights up, the suitcase plays more than 60 songs and phrases and the boarding pass and passport scan to activate different activities, so they'll be having fun, engaging in pretend play (super important for development), and learning numbers, colors, shapes, and about the bigger world around them.
Toys that help them stay active are also important in their developmental journey.
Exercise is crucial in kids' healthy mental and physical growth. Studies have shown an important link between kids' brain development and physical fitness. It's true for adults that physical activity helps with mood, energy levels, and health in general. In developing kids, keeping active is even more important, both for their emotional well-being, for their health, and for their continued mental development! Toys that encourage physical activity are great, but toys that do both help keep kids active AND engaged are even better!
One of the best toys for encouraging active play and learning preschool basics is the Little Tikes® Activity Garden™. The Activity Garden is like a little playhouse which can be used closed or opened up to be a two-sided play center (and no tools are needed to make this cool transformation as your child grows!). There is a removable panel which can be taken on the go and has a bead tumbler, mirror, gears, and music. The windows open and close — a perfect opportunity to play peekaboo with your kiddo. Since the playhouse has so many different pieces and parts to play with, kids will love moving around it, interacting with all the fun features, all while learning some of the basics that will prep them for preschool.
Another toy that I have found is amazing is the Little Tikes® 3-in-1 Activity Walker™, which has been for my family personally a great tool for helping our 1-year-old start to learn how to walk. Besides that, the music and cheerful design of the 3-in-1 Activity Walker™, which can be used from the time babies are 9 months old, also grows with baby—kids can use it to sit and play, or stand and explore all the activities, sounds, colors, and lights (the stage we're at with our baby), or push and walk.
All of these great options in the Little Tikes® Learn & Play™ line of toys will engage children and help keep them active, while setting them up to become little geniuses!
