10 best educational toys for children under 1 year

Even before the birth of a baby, the first toys begin to appear in his room, and after a year, an army of bears, rabbits, dolls, telephones, cars and other good things sometimes just have nowhere to go! To prevent this from happening, we recommend from the first days to buy a child not one-day fun, but high-quality and useful toys that will take the baby for a long time and bring maximum benefit to his development.

Criteria for choosing a good educational toys up to 1 year

Educational toys for kids under 1 year should:

• match age. Age marking is on each product;
• develop one or more skills relevant to children at this age. For example, crawling, speech, the ability to distinguish between sounds, sensory perception, etc .:
• be very durable, do not contain small parts that can be bitten off and swallowed;
• have rounded shapes without sharp corners;
• consist only of quality materials (plastic, fabric, latex, wood);
• it sounds nice, not harsh and not loud;
• to withstand numerous cleaning and washing.

The best manufacturers of educational toys for children up to 1 year

The toy market for children is so diverse that the relatives of the baby are happy to spend money on more and more new portions of children's fun. However, not all toys are then pleased with durability and developmental possibilities. In order not to make a wrong choice, pay attention to the products of world famous brands: Tiny Love, Taf Toys, Bright Stars, Chicco, Fischer Price, Klddieland, Playskool, Playgro, etc. .

Somewhat cheaper are toys from Chinese brands Canpol Babies, Smoby, Jetem, Rich Toys, Happy Baby, Lider Kids and others. Their quality is less stable (unsuccessful toys and even marriage come across), but in general it is acceptable and the price is affordable. But what exactly you should not do is to choose cheap products of little-known brands for your karapuz. Poor quality toy - a direct threat to the health of the baby.

The best educational toys for children up to a year

Price Expert chose high-quality and popular toys for the development of babies under one year of age. In this article we will not rate and highlight the favorites, because each of the selected toys is good in its own way and must be in the kid.

1. Rattle - the first educational toy of the child

Educational toy rattle "Flower" Tiny Love. Average price: 420 p.

It is with these simple toys that the child’s passive acquaintance with the surrounding objects begins. You can look at the rattle, find it by the sound, and later feel and even nibble. Perhaps the best developing rattles are those that cover the development of several senses at once: sight, hearing, touch. Particularly interesting are the combined versions with moving parts, fabric elements, built-in rodents, etc.

Pros:

• affordable price;
• ease of use and opportunities for development.

Minuses:

• it is necessary to constantly and thoroughly wash the rattles;
• you have to change them often so that the baby is not tired.

Expert Tips: «Encourage the child to grab items, and then slowly take them away from him, gently pulling out of his hands. It is important that the baby should grab onto such an item. If he likes this game, give the child a wand and teach him to hang on it. Then teach the child to take and give the object (from the book of Cecile Lupan. Believe in your child) ".

2. Mobile - a popular educational toy in the crib of a child up to 3 months

Mobile Tiny Love "Island of sweet dreams." Average price: 4700 p.

Mobiles - pendants in the crib with small bright toys.Often, manufacturers provide them with the functions of rotation, playing tunes and backlight. Bright moving figures and melodious sounds attract the attention of the baby and soothe him, allowing his mother to move away from the bed at least for a while. This educational toy is on the list of the best for the little ones - after 3 months (sometimes earlier) the classic mobile ceases to interest the child.

Pros:

• automatic operation of the mobile frees the hands of mom;
• beautiful toys, nice melodies;
• develops visual and auditory perception of the child.

Minuses:

• high-quality mobile is not cheap;
• short term use;
• quickly annoys the child;
• does not replace live communication with parents.

3. Developing a rug with arcs - the best educational toy for children from 3 to 6 months

Developing a rug TAF TOYS 2 in 1. Average price: 3600 p.

Manufacturers of soft multi-colored mats are positioned as an “all-in-one” for the development of a baby who does not crawl yet, but no longer wants to lie quietly in a crib. Indeed, unlike the mobile, intended only for contemplation and listening to music, the rug with arcs opens up more opportunities for the development of the baby. Toys here can not only be considered, but also grabbed, pulled towards oneself, tasted, felt different textures, caused sounds. Some rugs have areas with noise and sensory effects - for those who like to play sitting or lying on the tummy.

Pros:

• many opportunities for the development of visual, tactile and auditory perception;
• stimulation of the activity and independence of the child;
• beautiful appearance, a great gift for a newborn;
• compact storage.

Minuses:

• as soon as the baby crawls, the mat will not be needed;
• high price.

Expert opinions: «If the baby has already studied well the possibilities of his developmental mat, try to “extend the life” of this toy, adding new tools for playing on the tummy:
Make small “doors” of pieces of fabric. Having opened them, the baby will see a picture, a sewn toy or a small button. "Doors" can be closed on different fasteners - Velcro, hooks. Attach small toys to the ends of the ribbons and sew these ribbons inside the pockets. Now these toys can be removed from their pockets and put back as much as they like. Sew some carpet rings in a row, pass a ribbon through them, at the ends of which two small toys will go here and there (from the book by Lena Danilova “Encyclopedia of educational games”).

4. Soft cubes - the best toy for the development of spatial thinking of children under 1 year

Soft cubes in a boxK ’sKids. The average price is 1500 r.

Soft cubes for the smallest, or "crumbs", are a great alternative to wooden and plastic cubes. They are large, bright, they can be thrown, they can safely sit, jump and fall. It is convenient to study animals, objects and first colors with them. Particularly interesting are the soft velcro cubes: they allow you to develop not only motor skills, but also the creative skills of the crumbs.

Pros:

• completely safe for the child and others;
• soft surface trains sensory skills;
• develop spatial thinking;
• useful for fine motor skills.

Minuses:

• not very suitable for "serious" construction, because designs of them are unstable;
• get dirty quickly.

Expert opinions: “Sets of building cubes develop coordination of eye and hand movements, cognitive abilities. Teach your child to put the cube on the cube. Build a high tower in front of his eyes, and then destroy it, exclaiming: “Bach!” Such a game will give the child great pleasure. Teach him to build and destroy (from the book Olesya Zhukova "Encyclopedia of educational games from 0 months to 3 years"). "

5. Game Center - the best multi-purpose educational toy for kids under 1 year old.

Game house Kiddieland. Average price: 4200 p.

A wonderful purchase (and gift idea) for a baby who is already sitting by himself. As a rule, such centers are equipped with sound capabilities, have bright colors, sound accompaniment and many other pleasant discoveries for the crumbs (buttons, moving figures, inverted images, etc.). The baby can play this game for a long time, allowing the mother to relax and calmly do household chores.

Pros:

• develop simultaneously several skills: visual, sensory, auditory, motor.
• stimulate self-play;
• for a long time they occupy the crumb in one place.

Minuses:

• often high price;
• the need to change batteries.

Expert advice: «The child loves to throw toys out of the crib and watch them fall to the floor and knock. If you are tired of constantly throwing things back, you can tie them with ribbons to the bed, the baby will very quickly figure out how to drag them back to throw them on the floor again (from M. Andreeva's book “Home Psychologist. 100 Secrets to Educate Children”).

6. Baby piano - the best musical educational toy for children under 1 year and older

Learning toy piano "Puppy" Fisher Price. Average price: 1600 p.

Small size and weight, large bright details, large keys with a slight touch, melodic songs - these are the criteria for choosing a piano for the little ones. And if the manufacturer takes care of several levels of loudness (so that the kid does not get scared of loud sounds), several modes of play and training, and an interesting, non-beat repertoire, you can safely buy such a toy for your baby.

Pros:

• beautiful and safe toy;
• develops auditory perception and musical ear;
• helps to easily learn children's songs;
• does not bother you for a long time, you can use it in plot games.

Minuses:

• fun but noisy;
• you need to periodically change the batteries.

Expert opinions: “Put the musical toy out of sight of the baby. Get her and ask: "Where is the music?". When the baby turns on the sound, be sure to praise him, not stint on compliments. Repeat the game, putting the toy in different parts of the room. If your child is already crawling, hide the toy under the pillow or in any other available place so that he can crawl to it (from the book by Jackie Silberg “125 educational games for children under 1 year”) ”.

7. Pyramid "Cups" - an indispensable educational toy for children from 6 months

Pyramid "Developing cups"FischerPrice Average price: 900 p.

Cups are an example of inexpensive and amazingly functional educational toys for children from 6 months to 1 year. It is completely safe from the usual pyramid: it has neither small details, nor a sharp pin for rings, nor a chance to break anything. Cups can be put on each other, collect one in another, used as containers in a bath or sandbox. The dexterity of small fingers, the eye, the ability to compare similar objects - these are the main skills that develop this simple pyramid. In the future it will be convenient to study with her colors and bill.

Pros:

• security;
• affordable price;
• long service life;
• functionality, different ways to use for games and training.

Minus: you can not lose a single cup, otherwise the pyramid can not be built.

Expert Council: “Teach your baby to play independently. Independence in the game develops a fantasy. But first you have to show the baby how to handle the toy. If the toy is collapsible (for example, a pyramid), disassemble and assemble it - so that the child can see. And then let him play himself (from the book of S. Zaitsev, “The handbook of a young mother”) ”.

8. Wheelchair is the best educational toy for the physical development of a child under 1 year.

Walker 2 in 1Playskoool. Average price: 2300 p.

Wheelchair-walker - one of the best educational toys for the first independent steps of the baby. According to the doctors, it is more preferable for the child than the classic walker.Yes, she will not add peace to her mother, because now her child will be able to move around the house much faster. But a high-quality, stable wheelchair trains muscles, teaches a child to keep balance and allows him to more easily and harmoniously move on to independent walking.

Pros:

• excellent training of motor skills and large motor skills;
• can be used at home and on the street;
• Game elements on the case - additional entertainment.

Minuses:

• perhaps the baby will fall more often;
• some models slide on parquet and laminate.

Expert Council: “If a child expresses a desire to walk, it is necessary to stop using the stroller, unless it is necessary. This period is quite complicated, as it turns out that helping a child with walking is not so easy. The best time for this is a day walk. First walk 50 meters, then gradually increase the distance. You have to keep brisk and confident all the time. This should give courage to the baby (from the book “Believe in your child” by Cecile Lupan) ”.

6. Sorter is a good toy that develops the logic of children under one year old.

Sorter "Logical Teremok" Polesie. Average price: 800 p.

Sorters can be of various shapes, from a simple box to a house, a car, a train, etc. Their main feature is the presence of slots of various shapes and corresponding figures. Selecting a figurine to the slot, kids learn to compare objects according to the form, to find common signs and differences in them. Along the way, fine motor skills of hands and, of course, perseverance are trained. Sorter is not easy fun, so at first the help of an adult child is necessary.

Pros:

• as a rule, sorters are bright and safe toys;
• development of logical thinking and finger motor skills;
• figures can be used in training and story games.

Minus: figures are easily lost.

10. Pegs and hammer - a useful educational toy for the development of fine motor skills in children aged 1 year

IKEA MULA Pegs and Hammer Set. Average price: 369 p.

It is still difficult for babies at the age of 1 to perform small actions with their hands. All kinds of knockers consisting of a wooden base, pegs and a hammer are intended for training fine motor skills of the hands. In order to score a peg, coordination of movements and a considerable effort, by children's standards, is required of the child. But even indiscriminate knocking with a hammer on pegs is not just fun, but a useful developmental activity.

Pros:

• develops fine motor skills and, therefore, speech;
• wood - environmentally friendly, natural and durable material;
• each peg is colored in its own color; colors can be studied;
• useful after 1 year.

Minus: a child and a hammer - an insecure duet (watch your baby during the game!)

Expert opinions:“Children like to hold various objects in their hands and strike them against the surface. Such actions are excellent coordination and, in addition, deliver a lot of fun. Give the child a wooden spoon and show how you can knock it on the floor. When you beat the spoons together, sing your favorite songs. (From the book by Jackie Silberg "125 educational games for children under 1 year") ".

So what kind of educational toys to choose a child under 1 year?

Of course, a baby should have a lot of games and fun, good and different, but it is always better to buy one good educational toy than two bad ones. Preferring high-quality, “long-playing” options with wide gaming and learning opportunities, parents make a contribution to the successful development, well-being and health of their baby.

Related videos: Baby and toys. School of Dr. Komarovsky