Sometimes Simple Baby Toys Are Best

by: Gretchen McClure

Baby toys help children learn faster than they would on their own. They can help to develop language, motor skills, counting, colors, and a whole host of other things.

In this day and age, it seems everybody wants their child to be the smartest one in the neighborhood. They spend big money on high tech gadgets made by companies that claim they can make your child super intelligent.

Sure, that sounds like a great idea. On the other hand, you have parents worried about their kids growing up too fast. The world is a confusing place – do we want our kids to enjoy normal childhoods or be more intelligent at an earlier age?

Baby toys are being geared, more and more, towards mind stimulation. Some have bright colors for mind stimulation. Some speak different languages. Shouldn’t our kids master their own native language before having toys that speak multiple languages?

Whatever happened to baby toys that allow babies to be babies? Some of the best toys for our babies are oldies but goodies - like the ones that rattle and roll. These teach them cause and effect - move something and get a sound.

When my daughter was little, I was more focused on her having fun being a child. Her baby toys were cute, cuddly, colorful and noisy. I wasn’t showing her flashcards and teaching her arithmetic when she was six months old.

I got in the floor and played with her, teaching her about animals and colors. I made sure her toys allowed her to be a baby - I didn't feel any need to rush things.

One of the best items I bought for her wasn't a toy, it was a video. She adored the Baby Einstein videos. The music and colors kept her undivided attention for the entire length of the video.

You could almost see her brain being stimulated and learning things while she was watching them. And she watched them over and over again - you know how kids are.

Most baby toys nowadays help your child in one way or another. The toy might require your infant to lie on her stomach for some ‘tummy time’ which strengthens her muscles - that's something all babies need. Or, perhaps the toy is more focused on teaching your child colors and sounds.

No matter what toy your infant or toddler uses on a daily basis, their minds are being stimulated. In my opinion, there's no need to be focused on creating baby geniuses. We need to be focusing on raising healthy, happy and intelligent children. We can't ask for anything better than that.

Gretchen McClure is married with one growing daughter. She works in private industry and enjoys writing articles about hobbies, baby and family issues in her free moments.