A 5 Minute Guide To Developmental Baby Toys

Playing with advanced developmental baby toys lead to more skilled and faster developing infants... or do they?

Not so! Unfortunately, complicated and toys too advanced do not necessarily mean better or faster development.

Shortcuts to suggested toys...

• 0-3 Month olds

• 3-6 Month olds

• 6-9 Month olds

• 9-12 Month olds

• 12-24 Month olds

Here's a much better proven approach for your baby to develop optimally…

Babies learn by playing. Stated differently…

Your Baby's Job Is... To Play!

That’s what babies MUST do. It's the only way they learn all their new skills and gain experience... and get ahead

What many parents do not realize is that learning these skills is a very complicated process. And since babies also develop physically (and a lot more), we find that learning and developing is an integrated and very complex process.

That simply means developing physically and learning new skills cannot be separated.

How Toys Help Teach New Skills

When your baby is born his brain consists of a number of neurological paths between the trillions of brain cells. And, without getting into the detail, these neurological paths are not completely structured and linked.

What this means is that if you press the front door button the bell doesn’t sound, but the garage door open now, the lights go on tomorrow and the kettle starts boiling next week.

In short…

There’s no structure. And there’s no predictable response.

And the thing is, we all need predictable response to function properly in everyday life.

And to function properly, your child needs to form the right connections and pathways between the countless brain cells. These connections enable your baby to learn and think… just to name a few.

Scientists have shown that what a child experiences during the first few years of life forms and improves these brain pathways. These experiences include things like seeing, hearing, touching, and feeling. Also, a whole range of experiences are needed to strengthen and form all these pathways.

So for example, if we read, the idea is to understand the same thing that the author means and to see the same picture in our minds.

That’s predictable response.

Now this is where toys can play a vital role to form and strengthen these brain pathway… while making it fun and make things easier for you.

Educational, learning or developmental baby toys are so designed to connect your child’s neurological paths in the right sequence.

Also, there are hundreds and hundreds of “right neurological connections” we need. So…

One developmental toy is NOT going to teach your child all the skills

Obviously, he needs a number of toys, experiences and environments to ensure that all “connections” are formed and works in the right order.

And the more your baby plays with these developmental toys, the better and stronger the neurological connections are.

Let’s just say that chances of things going wrong if strong connections have already been formed are dramatically smaller… almost none.

So, how does this affect us? You know…

There’s a specific order in which learning occurs

You also know babies develop physically in a very structured and determined way. All babies develop the same abilities in the same sequence and more or less at the same time.

The best way for babies to learn is then to be stimulated and encouraged to learn specific physical abilities – also known as milestones - at very definite ages.

Now, the best way you and I can help them is to give them the right tools and support to learn as much as possible at that specific age.

Stated differently…

Give your baby the right toys for developing the right skills at the right time. That’s one of the fastest and best ways to learn!

Let’s look at an example:

Scientists have determined that about 50% of all babies can crawl at about 7 months old. And about 90% of them have mastered this skill at about 11 months.

Now, many studies have also confirmed that crawling is a very basic skill that babies use to distinguish left and right – amongst other things – which is part of learning to read properly.

So, one of the very best learning things our baby can do at around 7 months is learning to crawl. What’s more, Nature helps our child to learn this skill much faster than at another age.

One of the things I see parents royally mess up is to give their child too difficult toys to play with. And since their baby is still too small and hasn’t developed all the physical and otther abilities, they get very little – if any – real learning value from these toys.

So, although they may be playing, they are not nearly learning at the same rate as another child playing with a toy just right for his age. What this means is simply that Nature wants our baby to first learn something else – which is more important right now.
 

How To Select The Best Developmental Baby Toy For Your Child

Many parents select or buy a toy for their child merely on visual features. Or maybe, on some advice from good salespersons. Rarely do parents buy or choose a toy for the skills they hope to teach their child.

My suggestion is to use my simple A-B formula for correctly choosing the best toy for your child, regardless of his/her age.

Here’s the very simple A-B formula for best developmental baby toys:

·            Step A: Briefly understand what skills and abilities your baby normally develops at a specific age

·            Step B: Know what educational baby toys and playthings are just right to optimally encourage development of those skills. Hint: these toys and playthings are given in this guide J

Keep in mind that this is a guideline based on the “average” child. Some kids develop faster than others… and some slower. Also, some kids develop certain skills faster than other skills.

The most important part for you is to closely monitor and watch your child’s progress to quickly spot serious deviations from the guideline. And then to consult a professional if it happens.

Also, there are literally thousands of baby toys and toy manufacturers today. The toys and playthings I’ve highlighted and indicated in this guide is by no means comprehensive. But, it’s a great aid.

You will be able to substitute those toys I’ve shown here for ones you can readily buy elsewhere… as long as they perform the same learning functions.

In my opinion that’s one of the most important features of this article – giving you the option to get toys anywhere… as long as they teach the same skills suggested here.

So, please do use these toys as mere indications of ones I’ve personally found great success with.

Although there are several ways to help your baby develop, one of the easiest and very best is to…

Give your baby toys to encourage & stimulate development

0 - 3 Month Olds

Baby Miles™ shows the typical position of babies 0-3 months old. They still lie down almost full time with apparently very little other noticeable activity.

Even at this early age there are certain toy types you can use to stimulate and encourage development of specific skills and areas.

Clicking on any of the links will give you a general idea of some toys that would work well to teach these specific skills. Please revisit this site… I am busy writing pages with more specifics for each of these types of toys.

Let’s see how this works

You will notice that Baby Miles™ indicates mobiles as very suitable developmental baby toys for stimulation of your baby’s visual skills right now. These toys types have been tested and proven to stimulate development of these skills.

See how this works? If you click the mobiles link you will be taken to a few great stimulating mobiles. These are typical toys just right for stimulating development of your baby’s sight and visual development.

Likewise, the other toy types are just right for encouraging the other skills shown by Baby Miles™.

For more information on what exactly your baby should be learning and mastering at 0-3 month old, go to: http://www.babydevelopmentnews.com/1styearbabydevelopment.html

3 - 6 Month Olds

Baby Miles™ shows the typical position of babies 3-6 months old. Already there is more movement. Arms, hands and feet are actively used throughout the day.

You can choose any of the indicated developmental baby toys which are just right to optimally encourage development of the skills your baby must learn right now. developmental baby toys

Clicking on any of the links will give you a general idea of some toys that would work well to teach these specific skills. Please revisit this site… I am busy writing pages for each of these types of toys.

For more information on what exactly your baby should be learning and mastering at 3-6 months, go to:http://www.babydevelopmentnews.com/1styearbabydevelopment.html

6 - 9 Month Olds

Baby Miles™ is now sitting up. Arms and legs do not simply sway in any direction.

Pick any of the indicated developmental baby toys to optimally encourage progress of the skills your baby must learn right now. Please note that toys like the push toys may only be relevant at around 9 months. So, please use your own judgement.

Clicking on any of the links will give you a general idea of some toys that would work well to teach these specific skills. Please revisit this site… I am busy writing pages for each of these types of toys.

For more information on what exactly your baby should be learning and mastering 6-9 months, go to:
http://www.babydevelopmentnews.com/1styearbabydevelopment.html

9 - 12 Month Olds

Baby Miles™ is steadily learning to stand up… on his own. Also, notice the hands and finger that now become very active to explore everything. developmental baby toys

Pick any of the indicated developmental baby toys to optimally encourage progress of the skills your baby must learn right now.

Clicking on any of the links will give you a general idea of some toys that would work well to teach these specific skills. Please revisit this site… I am busy writing pages for each of these types of toys.

For more information on what exactly your baby should be learning and mastering at 9-12 months, go to:http://www.babydevelopmentnews.com/1styearbabydevelopment.html

12 - 24 Month Olds

Baby Miles™ learns to walk and run. Arms and legs are much more active now. developmental baby toys

Pick any of the indicated developmental baby toys to optimally encourage progress of the skills your baby must learn right now.

Things your 12-18 months baby do
Standing

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