Natural Baby Toys

What are the best baby toys for your little one? What about  "educational" toys? Are they all they're cracked up to be? And with the recent concerns over massive toy recalls, many parents are wondering if the toys their babies are chewing and playing with are even safe in the first place, which is of course a very important consideration.

Recent research has shown that the best toys are ones that stimulate imagination. If you've wandered around a toy store lately, you've probably noticed that most toys plug in, plug up or require batteries. Some of them seem to "play" all by themselves! Natural baby toys have aesthetic appeal and are made from chemical free materials. Plastic toys may contain PVC (polyvinyl chloride) which has been linked in some research to cancer and other health issues. You have probably noticed the strong smell many of these toys emit once they're opened from the package. It's that "new Barbie" smell!

In addition, new research has found that so-called "educational toys" for babies, including videos, do no good and are certainly not a substitute for the ordinary contact that baby has with his loved ones. Talk to your baby a lot, sing to him, hold him for much of the day and breastfeed him, and he'll live up to his genetic capacity for intelligence.

When your baby is old enough for toys, choose wooden toys that are solid wood, not particleboard that is held together with toxic glues. Cloth toys, especially those made from organic cotton and silk, are also recommended. If you're looking for wooden, cloth and other environmentally friendly toys that stimulate creativity and dramatic play and bring out your child's imagination, click here for more information: natural baby toys.