There is a wonderful array of award winning baby toys available. Award winning toys are subjected to the highest scrutiny from professionals and parents alike. Rest assured, Genius Babies has researched and compiled the best baby toys for which you may choose.

Choosing Toys for Development

Because children develop at such different rates, it makes sense to choose your toys by developmental area rather than by age. We have arranged our toy guide accordingly. Developmental areas include:
• Fine Motor Skills
• Gross Motor Skills
• Language Skills
• Intellectual Skills
(e.g.,memory, imagination, categorization and counting.)
• Social/Emotional Skills
Within each area of development, toys are listed roughly in the order that they should be introduced. Remember that children will play with the same toy in different ways at different ages. Some of the infant toys you already own will find new uses, while many of the toddler toys you buy during this year can be used by your child well into the pre-school years.

Managing the Toy Chest

Early in the second year, strong toy preferences often begin to show up. It can be frustrating to bring home a toy you think will be fun for your child only to have it ignored. There are a few simple steps you can take to avoid this frustration: • Balance your toy chest with a variety of toys so that all skill areas are represented. When a child has too many toys of one type, she will naturally ignore some of them. Choose toys for active and quiet times, for indoor and outdoor play and for imaginative and imitative play.

• Don’t purchase toys to replace or upgrade a toy your child already enjoys.

• Avoid toys that have only one use for only one age.

• Don’t buy toys just because other people buy them. Consider what’s right for your child.

• Consider toys that your child gravitates toward when she’s playing at a friend’s house or in the aisles of the toy store.

• If your child does start to ignore certain toys (or if you feel like toys are taking over your life), try taking a few of them away for a few months. When you bring them out again, your child will probably be delighted.