Give Active Gifts

Whether you are shopping for a shower gift, a birthday or the holidays, make sure you choose age-appropriate active gifts for the little ones.

Birth to Six Months

• Encourage babies at this age to reach, kick, mouth toys, stretch to reach objects,
  lift their heads up and hold objects, gain hand to eye and foot to eye coordination
• Get toys that baby can grab and hold, that are soft and can be put in the mouth
• Get toys that squeak when squeezed, rattle and have different textures
• Encourage supervised tummy time with toys that encourage baby to lift his head and interact. This will allow him or her to strengthen muscles needed for crawling and sitting. There are matts with small objects inside, you fill with water and have fun. Or put a boppy under the baby’s chest, lay in front of the baby and interact together with toys. Some companies make interactive, safe mirrors that encourage tummy time.
• Play or floor gyms that encourage a baby to use both hands and feet are great. (Arch
  with toys that dangle from it.)

Six to Twelve Months

• Babies at this age will be sitting up, rolling over, crawling, pulling to stand, cruising,
  walking, clapping their hands, using a pincher grasp, banging objects, learning about
  cause and effect
• They need toys that encourage children to pull levers, push buttons, stack (ring stacker or stacking cups), safely throw or bang together
• Bouncers that attach to door frame (attach correctly!), toys to crawl after, like
  rolling drums or cars, push walkers (not the kind a child sits in), small toys they can pull
  behind them such as phone are good choices

Twelve Months to Two Years

• This age is mastering walking and running as well as fine motor tasks
• Ride-on toys (child usually first can only go backwards, then learns to push self forwards),
  wagons to pull, shopping carts, slides, activity centers with slides, swings and climbing,
  balls, musical instruments, walking poppers are all good choices
• Dramatic play is starting around 18 months - play kitchens, tools, etc

Two to Three Years

• Children this age want to run, jump, climb, balance
• Good choices include a small basketball hoop, small size soccer ball and net, small trampoline, play lawn mower, dump trucks and sand/water toys
• They also like to play games such as Ring Around the Rosie, Simon Says, Follow the Leader, Musical Chairs
• For dramatic play, choose dress-up clothes

All Years

• Keep them invloved in swimming lessons, physical play classes, but nothing where a child is confined/restricted for very long. Children need the opportunity to move, move, move as much as possible to stay healthy and happy.