Six Important Toys for the First Six Months

In the first 6 months of life a baby is developing their physical and mental motor skills. Certain toys can help your baby with this developmental process.

1. Gym or Playground
A gym or playground is a great item to have for your baby. A mat that you lay on the floor that has activities for your baby to enjoy while working on strengthening their muscles as they lay on their belly or back is considered to be a gym or playground. Often playgrounds have more elaborate activities. Depending on the kind that you get for your baby will determine all that it can help your baby with. In the simplest form they will help with hand-eye coordination, physical development and cognitive development depending on the design and the activities that it has. In the more elaborate ones development of speech and social skills may come into play.

2. Bouncer or Swing
By having a bouncer or swing for your baby you will not only have a place for them to play you will also have a place for them to nap. Bouncers are small chairs that vibrate with the slightest touch. Babies are able to be buckled into them and rest easy, when they move they are gently bounced back to sleep. When a baby is awake they are able to be comfortable as they peer at an arch that you are able to hang toys from. Swings are great if your baby, and often many babies enjoy this, likes to be gently swung to sleep. Once they are asleep you can keep them in the swinging motion by keeping the mechanical swing on. Plus when the baby is awake they have a very comfortable place to play in. Both the swing and the bouncer can help a baby with their hand-eye coordination and cognitive development when you are able to hang toys from them but depending on the toys that are hanging your child may be able to work on their speech and social skills as well.

3. Soft Rattle
Some babies have a very good grip as early as at birth. However their reflexes will often have them accidently hitting themselves with the items that they are holding. By having a soft rattle your baby will be able to work on that grip of theirs and not harm themselves. Another thing that rattles are good for are your baby being able to learn cause and effect. They will learn to understand if they want to hear the sound that the rattle makes they have to shake it. They will also be able to work on their hand-eye coordination when they decide that they want to stick the rattle in their mouth.

4. Links
Links are a helpful toy to have for you and your baby. You will be able to use the links to hang your child's toys from their bouncer, swing, playground or gym. Plus they are made of a lightweight plastic so your baby can hold them and you won't have to worry about them hurting themselves. When you baby is older and if they have a walker you can attach toys so if they drop them while in the walker the toys won't hit the floor and your baby can pick the toys up by pulling on the links.

5.Picture Book or Cloth Books
When you baby is very little the colors black and white are easier for them to see. There are great picture books that are of black and white images. Cloth books are great for your baby to hold when they are young, often they will have tags which baby quite often will enjoy. Colorful books as well as theme picture books are great too. When you read to your baby you will help develop their speech and social skill.

6. Mirrors or Mobile
If your baby has a mirror, either by itself or on another toy, it will help them develop a sense of identity. Mobiles are often something that incorporates a mirror and if your baby naps where they see a mobile when they wake up they will see the familiar image of their mobile and this will help them to think and remember.

Of all the toys that are made for very young babies it is best to avoid having stuffed animals where the baby can get to them. When babies are this young they may roll into the stuffed animal and get the air passages covered and not be able to roll back over.