From passive to active hands
From around eight to nine months old, babies learn to pass objects from one hand to the other. If you watch closely, you will be able to see their hands are working separately rather than in co-operation: one hand will actively grasp an object and the other will be used to keep hold of it. Toys need to be small enough for babies to grab hold of, but large enough to be able to be easily passed from one hand to the other. Toys that can be rolled along the floor will also encourage reaching and catching mechanisms.
The new range of wooden rattles from Dawson & Son (one is shown above) is designed to encourage babies to grasp the hoops and manipulate the beads and rings to produce jangling sounds. Priced 3.99 each.
Telephone 08700 367 869
Tomy's award-winning Neo range contains four small toys to suit from birth, and from three, six and nine months. The Neo 4 emits clicking sounds and its appearance changes when sections are twisted - encouraging sequential movements and assimilation of cause and effect. Priced 6.99.
Telephone 0238 066 2600
Spottiswoode's fabric blocks, with integral bells, measure 23 x 8 x 16cm. A set of six, complete with carry bag, is priced 20.
Telephone 01903 733123
The palmar grip
From around ten to 15 months, babies learn to move their thumbs to oppose their fingers rather than simply closing their fingers over anything that happens to come into reach. As this grip develops, further anticipation comes into play, with hands adopting the grasping position before touching the object. Babies also begin to pick up objects by moving their hands down to grasp from the top, and the pincer grip develops, with objects being lifted between thumb and forefinger.
Little Tikes' Animal Stackables is a set of stacking animals: penguin, giraffe, monkey and elephant, with interchangeable bodies and component parts. Priced 9.99. J Telephone 0800 521558 The Lamaze Clutch Cube has four handles with textured grips, is soft enough to be thrown and easily retrieved and contains a chime ball. Machine washable, priced 9.99.
Telephone 020 8643 0320
Disappear and reappear
The concept that objects still exist even when we can't see them takes root around the nine months mark but is explored and examined very thoroughly in the form of hide and seek games and dropping objects deliberately for them to be picked up again. Toys which can be pressed down to pop back up, shape sorters and stacking toys all provide concrete evidence for this abstract notion.
Weebles - the toys that wobble but don't fall down - first enjoyed popularity in the 1970s and have been revived with an extensive range. A twin pack consists of boy and girl characters which can be comfortably grasped by babies and will roll and wobble about when in use, priced 2.99. A Stack 'n' Tower Slide, consisting of three interchangeable pieces plus a slide and two Weebles characters is priced 9.99. A Shape Sorter Express includes three shape blocks, a train engine, two carriages and three Weebles characters. When the train is moved, the Weebles rock and when the engine stack is pressed the train 'toots'; shapes inside the carriages can be removed and sorted. Priced Pounds 10.99.
Telephone 020 8643 0320
Pop 'n' Sing Apple from VTech (right) consists of a round red apple and little worm which, when pressed, causes a larger worm to pop up, exclaiming 'yippee!'. The apple also sings and plays three melodies, priced 8.
Telephone 01235 546810
