The best soft toys for a baby.

As you may have realized, being a bear company, we really love soft toys and we especially love matching soft toys to children. 

There are lots of different developmental stages in a young child’s life and none more so than in a child’s first year. Playtime is a major part of a child’s development, helping them to learn about themselves and the world around them

Soft toys can be used in so many ways to aid play with children and understanding how a baby develops from birth, can help us to understand how we can help them learn.

0-3 months

Between 0-3 months babies begin to learn how to hold up their head and track movement with their eyes, some enjoy time on their tummy, they learn to smile and make cooing sounds. Babies love looking at things and enjoy practising looking at slow-moving objects. Brightly coloured soft toys, ones that make a small noise are ideal for this age. Babies also like toys that are soft, that they can practice grasping and aid in comforting them. Comforters are a great toy for this age and can transcend easily through toddler-hood.
Take a look at our wide range of comforters for babies. We have a wide variety to choose from, many of which can be personalised.

3-6 months
Babies begin to explore their surroundings more between 3-6 months, some master sitting, others are adept at grabbing and exploring toys with their mouths. Rolling is a big milestone at this age and rolling to reach a toy can be a great reward. You can use soft toys to help encourage skills like reaching and play games like peekaboo that aid in social development. Again, bright and vibrant soft toys that catch the eye appeal to babies of this age.
For this age group Gund Peek a Boo Bunny is wonderful gift that will provide hours of fun and entertainment.

6-9 months
Texture is a big thing at this age, feeling and exploring with their hands (and mouth) is what it’s all about. Babies are often beginning to move a lot more and they may have become attached to certain toys. Playing hide and seek with a soft toy is a great game for this age, encouraging your baby to get moving and to exercise their auditory tracking skills. Playing with a mirror and a soft toy is also a great game for this age, aiding your baby in developing a concept of self-recognition, and recognising that their toy can be in seemingly two places!

9-12 months
Babies are becoming good communicators as they get closer to turning 1 year old. This makes it a delightful time for parents. Some are pulling themselves up to standing and even taking their first steps. Understanding love, cuddles and kisses is a big thing at this age and babies may have become very attached to certain soft toys, wanting them for sleep or when they are upset. Between 9 and 12 months, babies take action with a goal in mind. For example, your baby may crawl off as fast as he can when he sees the toy he wants.
Our stunning range of personalised Cubbies make lovely gifts for babies at this age. They are bright and colourful with friendly faces and very appealing to little ones.

We hope this has given you an insight into a young child’s first year and how play can help them to develop skills needed later in life. We love being able to chat babies and soft toys because they are two of our favourite things. If you need help picking out a gift for a baby, a child or even an adult who’s a big kid at heart then do get in touch.

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