AGE APPROPRIATE TOYS
IMPORTANCE OF AGE APPROPRIATE TOYS
Play forms an important component of an infant’s daily routine and may also provide a window into their development and a context where valuable teaching and learning may occur (Kelly-Vance & Ryalls, 2014). As such, the selection of age appropriate toys that complement an infant’s stage of development and emerging abilities, are intended to facilitate infants’ engagement in physiotherapy assessments and treatments.
AGE APPROPRIATE TOYS: 0-3 MONTHS
During early infancy (ie. 0-3 months), infants predominantly remain in prone and supine positions. Therefore, toys that may be easily seen and heard are appropriate for this stage of development (Hockman, 2019).
As the infant’s retina has not fully developed during early infancy, high-contrast, black and white toys and patterns are best visualised during this stage of development (Reynolds, 2015). Furthermore, infants primarily fix on objects that are 20cm from their face during this stage of development. Therefore, it is important that objects are placed within the infant’s visual field during assessments and treatment (Hyvärinen, Walthes, Jacob, Chaplin, & Leonhardt, 2014).
​
GRASPABLE TOYS
As infants learn to open and close their firsts, a relatively small rattle may be placed in their hand to encourage grasping of objects (Hockman, 2019). Rattles may also be used to assess an infant’s ability to visually track an object.
Figure 2. Graspable Toys
(Sassy, 2019)
BELLS
Bells may be used to assess an infant’s ability to respond to sound (Hockman, 2019).
Figure 3. Bells
(Special Needs Toys, 2019)
CHILD SAFE ACTIVITY MIRRORS
Mirrors may improve focus on faces and objects and stimulate social and language development (Hockman, 2019).
Figure 4. Activity Mirror
(Sassy, 2019)
MOBILES WITH DANGLING TOYS
Mobiles with dangling toys encourage infants to swipe at objects, bring hands to midline, kick their lower limbs and maintain their head in the midline position. As mobiles are generally of high contrast and have a musical element, they may also soothe the infant and stimulate the infant’s visual and auditory development (Hockman, 2019).
Figure 5. Mobile
(Fisher Price, 2019)
ACTIVITY QUILTS / PLAY MATS
Encourage the infant to partake in tummy time and develop strength in upper and lower limbs (Hockman, 2019).
Figure 6. Activity Play Mat (Sassy, 2019)
BOOKS OF HIGH CONTRAST
During early infancy, newborns show a large interest in faces. Therefore, books with baby faces and animals may stimulate cognitive and social development (Hockman, 2019).
Figure 7. Infant Books
(Sassy, 2019)
AGE APPROPRIATE TOYS: 4-6 MONTHS
During middle infancy (ie. 4-6 months), infants’ tolerance of tummy time is greatly increased. Infants usually commence rolling, sitting with support and reaching and grasping objects to bring to midline (usually their mouth). During this stage of development, infants enjoy bright colours, making noise, shaking and banging objects. Therefore, toys that vary in pattern, texture, colour, sound, size and encourage the infant to bring their hands to midline, are ideal for this stage of development (Dosman, Andrews, & Goulden, 2012).
GRASPABLE TOYS
Rattles, key rings and textured balls encourage infants to utilise a palmar grasp motion to reach and grasp toys and bring them to their midline. As the toys may be transferred between hands, they may also encourage the development of hand eye coordination and manipulation skills (Shah et al., 2017).
Figure 8. Graspable Toys
(Sassy, 2019)
SOFT SQUEEZE TOYS
Soft squeeze toys may be used to develop reach and grasp and manipulation skills. They may also be used to encourage gross motor milestones when placed in different positions (Eg. may be used to encourage an infant to roll when toy placed outside of reach; Hockman, 2019).
Figure 9. Soft Toys
(Sassy, 2019)
ACTIVITY CUBE
An activity cube contains five sides of different activities and textures that the infant may touch, roll and/or grasp. The cubes tend to be of bright colours and reward movements with sounds (Hockman, 2019).
Figure 10. Activity Cube
(Fisher Price, 2019)
ACTIVITY QUILTS / PLAY MATS
Activity quilts and play mats encourage infants to partake in tummy time and explore different textures, shapes, colours and sounds. Therefore, play mats may enhance cognitive, visual, physical and auditory development (Hockman, 2019). Furthermore, play mats may encourage the infant to begin to understand simple cause and effect (Shah et al., 2017).
Figure 11. Activity Mats
(Fisher Price, 2019)
FINGER PUPPET BOARD BOOKS
Finger puppet board books include bright colours with different textures and are usually brief enough to hold the infant’s interest. As such, these books may contribute to the infant’s cognitive, and sensory development (Shah et al., 2017).
Figure 12. Puppet Book
(Sassy, 2019)
RAISED TOYS
As stacking rings and shape sorters are raised off the floor, they encourage the infant to begin assuming a sitting position to play with toys (Hockman, 2019).
Figure 13. Raised Toys
(Fisher Price, 2019)
AGE APPROPRIATE TOYS: 7-9 MONTHS
During late infancy (ie. 7-9 months), infants begin to sit independently, creep or crawl, and reach for toys outside of their base of support with dissociation between their thumb and fingers. Therefore, toys that encourage crawling, demonstrate cause and effect, and may be easily transferred between hands are ideal for this stage of development (Hockman, 2019).
SIMPLE CAUSE AND EFFECT TOYS
Pop up toys and activity cubes encourage the infant to learn about cause and effect (ie. the connection between an action and an outcome). The different dials, levers and buttons on both toys, will promote development of the infant’s fine motor, manipulation skills, and coordination skills (Shah et al., 2017).
Figure 14. Simple Cause and Effect (Fisher Price, 2019)
RAISED TOYS
Toys that are raised off the floor promote independent sitting during this stage of development. Furthermore, infants are able to voluntarily release objects during this stage of development. Therefore, stacking rings, building blocks and the shape sorters will promote fine motor and problem-solving skills (Shah et al., 2017).
Figure 15. Raised Toys
(Fisher Price, 2019)
CRAWLING PUSH TOYS
Toys that may be easily held onto when rolled, will encourage the infant to creep or crawl. As the rolling toys usually have buttons to press, they will also encourage cause and effect play (Shah et al., 2017).
Figure 16. Crawling Toys
(Fisher Price, 2019)
CHILD SAFE ACTIVITY MIRRORS
As an infant develops, they begin to imitate faces. As such, they become more interested in looking in a mirror and exploring their different facial expressions. Mirrors may also promote self-awareness, social and language development (Hockman, 2019).
Figure 17. Crawling Activity Mirror (Fisher Price, 2019)
MUSICAL TOYS
Infants enjoy banging objects, particularly when they make sounds. Therefore, the xylophone will encourage the infant to grasp the object, sit independently and partake in cause and effect play (Hockman, 2019).
Figure 18. Xylophone
(Fisher Price, 2019)
LIFT THE FLAP BOARD BOOKS
As infant has developed the ability to utilise a lateral pincer grip during this stage of development, lift the flap board books are recommended. Whilst developing fine motor skills, the books will also develop cognitive and communication skills (Shah et al., 2017).
Figure 19. Lift the Flap Book (Shah et al., 2017)
AGE APPROPRIATE TOYS: 10-12 MONTHS
During transitional infancy (ie. 10-12 months), infants usually develop mature crawling skills, and the ability to pull to stand, cruise and potentially walk. Infants also become more interested in interactive games and toys that challenge their problem-solving skills (Park, 2019). Therefore, toys that encourage standing and cruising, hand-eye coordination, language and communication development and early role play are ideal for this stage of development (Shah et al., 2017).
PUSH TOYS
Push toys primarily develop an infant’s gross motor skills. Having a broad, stable base of support, push toys encourage infants to pull to stand and walk behind the walker. They also usually contain multiple dials, buttons and levers to continue developing an infant’s understanding of cause and effect (Park, 2019). Furthermore, most will introduce the infant to words, the alphabet, and numbers to encourage language and cognitive development.
Figure 20. Walker / Push Toy
(Fisher Price, 2019)
CRAWL THROUGH TUNNEL
As infants become more proficient at crawling, a crawl through tunnel may enhance their crawling abilities and may also be used to develop the concept of object permanence when coupled with a peek-a-boo activity (Shah et al., 2017).
Figure 21. Crawl Tunnel
(Shah et al., 2017)
TEXTURED BALL SET
Grasping balls of various colour, size and texture encourages visual, sensory and fine motor development. It also encourages the infant to maintain sitting balance whilst rolling the ball or dropping / throwing a ball (Shah et al., 2017). Moreover, rolling balls back and forth also increase an infant’s hand eye coordination (Park, 2019).
Figure 22. Textured Ball Set
(Shah et al., 2017)
SHAPE SORTERS
As infants are predominantly able to release objects into a container with a large opening during this stage of development, shape sorters are an ideal toy to encourage development. Grasping blocks of different shape and placing them in the correct holes encourages development of hand eye coordination, dexterity and problem-solving skills (Hockman, 2019).
Figure 23. Shape Sorter
(Fisher Price, 2019)
FINE MOTOR SKILL TOYS
Threading beads, piggy banks with coins and stacking rings all develop an infant’s hand eye coordination skills and understanding of cause and effect. Due to their relatively small size, they may also develop an infant’s fine pincer grip skills (Park, 2019).
Figure 24. Piggy Bank
(Fisher Price, 2019)
TOY TELEPHONE
During this stage of development, infants imitate adult actions and sounds. Therefore, a toy phone will encourage language development, communication skills and early role play (Park, 2019). Toy phones may also introduce infants to numbers and encourage development of fine motor skills to spin the dial.
Figure 25. Toy Telephone
(Fisher Price, 2019)
CHILD SAFE ACTIVITY MIRRORS
As an infant develops, they begin to imitate faces. As such, they become more interested in looking in a mirror and exploring their different facial expressions. Mirrors may also promote self-awareness, social and language development (Hockman, 2019).
Figure 26. Mirror
(Fisher Price, 2019)
BOARD BOOKS
As infants develop the ability to utilise a fine pincer grasp during this stage of development, books with pull tabs are ideal to further enhance their fine motor skills. Furthermore, books will develop an infant’s cognitive and communication skills (Park, 2019).
Figure 27. Board Book
(Park, 2019)