Toys given to babies and toddlers can be commercial or home-made, as long as they stimulate, says Alice Sharp
0-1 year
Once babies are old enough to show an interest in toys, encourage them to track the movements and sounds of the toys so that they have to turn their heads and bodies. The best toys to use are interesting to the eye and ear. A baby must gain first-hand experience of an object to maintain interest in it and learn about it. Toys that are manipulated easily produce wonderful responses from young children.
Introduce toys that produce unexpected sounds. Use a playmat to introduce toys with different textures. Toys that encourage babies to grab and reach will aid physical development while enabling them to interact with their environment.
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