Play - your child's job
Playing is what children do full-time - and in their free time. They play in bed in the morning and fall asleep with toys in hand. Children's daily duties include having the most exciting play adventures, diving into fantasy worlds, and just having fun. But toys are so much more than just distracting entertainment for children. Especially in the early years, it is an indispensable tool to support the development of your favorite. After all, with the right toys, physical, cognitive and social skills are enhanced. A child tries out everything and thus learns through play to understand events, but also to know social rules. In play, your child discovers the world. We select our assortment with this sentence in mind and that is why you will find only high quality toys in our store.
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Do I need toys from birth?
No - at the beginning your treasure will only observe its environment and therefore a mobile or a music box is sufficient. Only when the natural grasping reflex knocks on the door, simple toys such as rattles and Co. Interesting.
Always pay attention to the developmental stage, because toys should neither over- nor under-challenge. And of course it must be fun. -
What material should my toys be made of?
It is important that the material is free of harmful substances, as babies often like to put their toys in their mouths. We recommend toys made of natural materials.
Tips when buying toys
Many parents are at some point faced with the question of which toy is the right one and what material it should be made of.
1. Always consider the developmental stage
Toys must fit your child and be fun to play with. Toys that do not meet the child's needs can quickly under- or over-challenge and thus disrupt development.
2. The material of toys
In addition to the developmental stage, the material should also play a major role in the purchase decision. Make sure that the material is safe and free of harmful substances, as toys often end up in the mouth. Of course, no small parts that could be swallowed should come loose.
That's why we recommend toys made of natural materials, such as wood or natural rubber.
Advantages of wooden toys for children
- extremely robust and can withstand being thrown from one end of the room to the other
- if it comes from a controlled, sustainable forestry it is free of harmful substances and good for our environment
- can be cleaned easily
- has a low germ load
- wood has a self-cleaning effect and is therefore more hygienic than other materials
Important!
Never clean wooden toys in the dishwasher. The best way to wipe it is with water, a little dishwashing liquid and a new kitchen sponge.
At this point we would like to recommend the brand PlanToys to you. The focus is on the development of age-appropriate products made of FSC wood free of harmful substances. It is exclusively wood from retired rubber trees. For every tree that is processed, a new one is replanted. Only the best parts of the tree, such as solid wood and plywood, are used. The remaining parts are shredded and pressed into a robust and material called PlanWood, and the root balls are turned into electricity in the factory's own power plant. 2.)
3. The CE marking
Look for the CE mark when you buy. Every toy must be tested by independent laboratories for its mechanical and chemical composition. Here it is determined whether it complies with all European standards and only then it receives a CE mark.
The right toy for every age
In the beginning, your infant's "main toys" are social games like making contact with you and playing with their own hands: Hands in mouth, looking at and touching hands.
We recommend a mobile hanging above the crib and changing table. This will initially attract your baby and it will become part of the familiar environment - just like the curtains or furniture. It gives your baby a feeling of security.
Babies learn about the world not with their eyes, but with their mouths and hands.
At four to five months, a baby begins to grasp objects, which are then immediately brought to the mouth and explored. It is important to offer toys with different surfaces and materials, such as fabric, wood, natural rubber or silicone, so that they can always discover and feel something new.
From about 10 months, your baby's urge to move becomes greater and greater and he tries to pull himself up on furniture, at about one year he takes his first steps and finally tries to climb.
At the beginning of this developmental phase, children also have a great preference for moving objects of all kinds in and out of the room; it is not until around 15 months that building a tower becomes interesting.
From 20 months, sorting toys also come into question and children begin to understand simple shapes, such as circles, squares or triangles, and to assign them.
Motor skills continue to develop and simple stacking and plugging toys are exchanged for more complex toy trains or other building toys. An interest in adult life also develops now. The time of role play begins and the first role plays with dolls or stuffed animals are tried out.
Picture books now help to get to know the world and to name things. The pictures should be simple and as realistic as possible.
The foundation for role play has been laid and is now being steadily expanded. Toys that imitate everyday life, such as dollhouses, a workbench, a play kitchen, but also audio books now come into focus and help develop an understanding of social duties and rules.
Not only everyday things are acted out, but also fantasy worlds are invented and the simple tepee becomes a wondrous fairy cave. In the sandbox, 5-course menus are cooked and the climbing frame becomes a knight's castle.
The understanding of shapes has also developed. Also the patience to occupy oneself longer with one thing grows and so also Link-Textpuzzles become more and more popular. But also the first parlor games, like memory.
Creative and active games are especially fun for your child now. He or she begins to take an interest in technical contexts, to build more complex things and to tinker. Also, the start of school is getting closer and when playing with other children, such as catch or card games, he learns to follow simple rules and improves his social and communication skills.
Gift ideas: The right toy for every age
- 0-6 months: mobile & play bow
- 6-12 months: grasping toy, mobile, music box, play bow, rattle, cloth book, cuddle cloth, teething toy & play blankets
- 12- 24 months: stacking toys, sorting boxes, rocking animal or board, baby walker, pull-along toy, plug-in cup, climbing triangle, climbing bow
- 24- 36 months: doll, picture books, wooden train set, simple construction toy, painting utensils, modeling clay, running wheel, indoor climbing frame
- 3-5 years: Role play toys, picture books, dollhouses, puzzles, more complex construction kits, marble run kits, audio books, musical instruments
- Ages 5+: Marble run kits, card games, non-fiction books, simple board games.
We have the right toy for you!
It is not so easy to find the right toy in the jungle of offers. In our assortment you will find a carefully selected range for all ages. If you have any questions, we will be happy to advise you: mail service@herrundfrauklein.com.