A simple, fun, and affordable toy all infants love
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Review:
The world of baby toys can be overwhelming for first time parents- there is so much out there, so what’s really the best? What’s most useful? In terms of fun, sensorimotor development, simplicity, and affordability my vote goes toward… drumroll (I mean shake?) please: a rattle! Here are four of my favorites:
1. Manhattan Loop D’ Loop Rattle: My eight month old really enjoyed this rattle as a young infant and still does today! The colorful silicone loops are easy for infants to grab. The ball in the center of the rattle is slightly weighted, so it can feel heavy for an infant but is a great way for older ones to work on fine motor and upper body strength as they bring the rattle up to their mouths. This toy does not make any rattling sounds, so it’s a good “noiseless toy” option for when you need to keep your little one quietly entertained.
2. Manhattan Toy Skish Classic: I like this rattle and teething toy because of its bright colors and the elastic band and wooden dowel configuration. The round wooden pieces can slide back and forth on the dowel, making a fun cause-and-effect sound. Plus, the rounded ends of the wooden dowels are super fun for teething and oral-motor exploration (at least according to my eight month old). The elastic bands connecting all the wooden pieces allow it to be squished and able to return back to its original shape. Because of its size, I recommend this rattle for infants four months and up who can use both hands to hold objects.
3. Bright Starts Oball Shaker Rattle: This is a super affordable rattle for infants ages newborn and up. For newborns, you can shake this rattle as you move it across the infant's field of view to promote early ocular motor skills, such as visual tracking and convergence. I like the size and weight of this rattle for younger infants who are working on grasping objects.
4. Nuby Textured Twist Ball Baby Teether and Rattle: As the name suggests, this one has several great sensory features such as different textures, shapes, and pieces that rattle. Putting a literal twist on a traditional rattle, this one twists, which helps promote early bilateral coordination skills. I also love the bright colors and small size of this rattle.
Adaptations: The neat part about rattles is that once an infant can grasp and shake them, he then starts his own physics experiment by purposefully dropping them on the floor at least 10-20 times in one sitting. So once your infant arrives at this stage in his cognitive development and you're tired of picking rattles off the floor (or don't want them to fall on icky airplane or restaurant floors), string a colorful ribbon through one opening a few rattles and other teether toys and attach it to the high chair! Your baby can still play and experiment and you can keep your sanity!