Pediatric Physical Therapist Approved Infant Toys Guaranteed to Delight on Christmas Morning!
I hate to alarm you, but do you know where your Advent wreath is? Because Advent has snuck up on us again. And you know what that means… your kids are gearing up to have mega meltdowns over who gets to blow out the candles after dinner.
A bit of advice: look in the bottom of the freezer under the large bag of peas. That’s where I found mine in mid-December last year. (Granted, my wreath is on the smaller side.) I had put it there eleven months earlier to freeze the wax out of the little glass candle holders because I had heard it would be easier than digging out the stuck-on melted wax with a butter knife. Unfortunately, I completely forgot what I had done with it.
It seems that the Season of Advent (often overshadowed by The Season of Overscheduling, The Season of Stressful Traveling and/or The Season of Dealing with Very Difficult Relatives) tends to make me lose my mind! Generally, I smile through the mess, but I do need lots of reminders to slow down and remember Him Who is the Reason for this beautiful season.
So, to bring a tiny bit more peace to your Advent season (and hopefully give you a few more minutes to focus on its True Meaning!) I have already done the scrolling for you and created a list of infant toys specifically chosen to delight the little people in your life on Christmas morning! These were chosen particularly to encourage important motor milestones such as rolling, sitting, crawling and walking. This isn’t an exhaustive list or in any particular order. If you have any questions about whether you should spend part of your holiday budget on a specific toy not listed here, I’m happy to give you some guidance.
(Please note: I am not affiliated with Amazon. It’s just where I spend a lot of time. You may be able to find these items elsewhere for a better deal.)
I pray you have a peaceful and purposeful Advent Season.
O Come O Come, Emmanuel!
Toys for newborn to rolling babies to promote happy tummy time and floor time:
These toys encourage baby to lift his head up from the floor while on his tummy, as well as push up onto his arms and then reach with one hand. Eventually, baby will want to pivot around on his tummy to get to a toy. While on his back, baby is encouraged to bring his hands and feet together to play. Baby will then start rolling from tummy to back and back to tummy too!
Splashin'kids Inflatable Tummy time Premium Water mat
Taf Toys All Around Me Activity Hoop
Fisher-Price Perfect Sense Deluxe Gym
Fisher-Price Baby Playmat Glow and Grow Kick & Play Piano Gym
Lamaze Mortimer the Moose Clip On Car Seat and Stroller Toy
Manhattan Toy Winkel Rattle & Sensory Teether Toy
Bright Starts Oball Shaker Rattle Toy
Sassy Developmental Bumpy Ball
Manhattan Toy Skwish Classic Rattle and Teether Grasping Activity Toy
Bright Starts Oball Easy-Grasp Rattle
Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes Musical Toy
Fat Brain Toys PipSquigz Combo Set
Melissa & Doug Flip Fish Soft Baby Toy
ALASOU 3PCS Pop Suction Cup Spinner Toys
Battat – Cause-And-Effect Toy – Developmental Toy With Buttons & Colors
Baby Einstein Glow & Discover Light Bar Musical Toy
Baby Mirror Tummy Time Toys Black and White High Contrast Baby Toys
ArtCreativity Light Up Magic Ball Toy Wand for Kids
Baby Rattles Sets Teether, Shaker, Grab and Spin Rattle
Fisher-Price Newborn Toys Rattle 'n Rock Maracas
Toys for babies who are learning to sit on their own:
Baby may need a bit of support to begin to learn to sit, but eventually his core is strong enough to keep him upright. He will first start to play with a toy with both hands in front of him while sitting. Then he will want to reach for the toys he sees nearby. Baby will also need to learn how to get from lying on the floor to sitting, and back down to the floor again.
Fisher-Price Infant Toy Set with Baby’s First Blocks (10 Shapes) and Rock-a-Stack Ring Stacking Toy
Fat Brain Toys InnyBin Shape Learning Toy
VTech Busy Learners Activity Cube
Mini Wooden Musical Shake & Rattle Rainmaker Toy
Melissa & Doug First Bead Maze
Sassy Wonder Wheel Spinning High Chair Tray Toy
Toys for emerging crawlers:
Look out world! An emerging crawler starts by getting into all fours and rocking. Often, he sits back on his haunches first until his hips and shoulders get a little stronger. Then he’s ready to go after those toys by reaching for them! He will also need to practice transitioning between sitting and all fours, and back again. Some babies will army crawl first.
Beginner Crawl Along Baby Roller
Skip Hop Developmental Learning Crawl Toy, Pull & Go Toy Car for Baby
20Pcs Farm Animals Toys Montessori Counting, Matching & Sorting Fine Motor Games
Roly-Poly Mirror for Tummy Time
Move2Play, Toddler & Baby Ball with Music and Sound Effects
Toys for babies working on pulling up to standing, standing balance, and emerging walkers:
Once baby has strengthened his core, shoulder, and hip muscles enough by rolling, sitting, and crawling, he’s ready to stand! First, baby will try to pull himself up to kneeling, and then all the way up to standing. Then it’s time for cruising along the coffee table. Once he’s strong enough, he will let go with both hands and stand by himself. Next, it’s stepping with assistance, and then walking by himself!
Battat - Activity Cube With Farm Theme
Skip Hop Baby Walker, Explore & More 4-in-1 Toy Walker
Radio Flyer Deluxe Push & Play Cube Walker
Baby Einstein Curiosity Table Activity Station Table
Melissa & Doug First Play Children’s Jungle Wooden Activity Table
Country Critters Wooden Play Cube by Hape
Stay tuned for more toy recommendations for older toddlers and pre-schoolers, coming soon!
Photo Credit: Photo by Daniel Seßler on Unsplash
