Essential Baby Toys in the First Month

Playing with your newborn: What are the essential baby toys in the first month of a child’s life?

Toys for your baby’s first month

Playing helps your child learn how to interact with the world around him, and toys can be the perfect tools to stimulate his senses. Yet, finding the right toys for the task can be challenging, especially when your baby is in his first month. Read on to learn more about the essential baby toys in the first month of a newborn’s life.

Safety

As with any object introduced to your child, safety is paramount. Toys for newborns usually have a safe design, with no sharp edges, and are composed of non-toxic material. However, you should always check the warning labels to ensure there is no choking or chewing hazard. Also, avoid attaching a toy to a stroller or playpen using string or elastic, as these pose a strangling risk for your baby.

Vision and play in the first month

During the first month of his life, your baby will have fuzzy vision and will be unable to focus on objects closer than 20-30cm from his face. When offering him a toy, make sure to hold it at relative distance from his face.

What to look for in toys

With safety in mind, there are a number of essential baby toys in the first month that can help stimulate your newborn’s senses of sound, touch, and sight:

Sound

Although her vision may not yet be fully developed, your newborn will have developed hearing from the moment she is born. Newborns enjoy sounds, and toys such as wind chimes, rattles, and musical mobiles are wonderful for stimulating their sense of hearing.

Touch

In his first month, your baby will enjoy discovering different textures. Babies love to touch and grasp things. Essential baby toys in the first month include soft toys such as stuffed animals, small balls of fabric, small rattles, and baby mobiles.

Vision

Since babies do not develop full color vision until 16 weeks of age, they need toys with a lot of color and pattern contrast. The first colors your baby will be able to recognize are white, black, and red. Toys with color and pattern contrast will more easily grab your baby’s attention. Colorful mobile toys provide great stimulation for your baby’s sense of sight.

During his first couple months, your baby will spend a lot of time in the arms of loved ones, peering at lots of faces. As such, toys with faces on them can provide your baby with a source of comfort. Also, toys with unbreakable mirrors help your baby begin recognizing his own face.

So, follow these guidelines to help you choose baby toys in the first month and start introducing your child to a world of fun, stimulating play.