Dolls and doll accessories (carriage, cradle, high chair)
Books with different textures and brightly coloured pictures
Wagons
Large crayons
Play dough
Child-sized table and chairs
Cars, trucks, trains and other vehicles
Why your baby will enjoy this toy now:
Toy vehicles stimulate the imagination as they steer your child through pretend play. Along the way, he'll learn the fun and freedom that comes from making his own decisions: "Where is the truck going today? And where should it stop? Who's driving it? What's their job?"
What you can do to help your baby learn more with:
Read picture books to your child about different types of vehicles and what they’re used for. Talking with him about all sorts of subjects is important at this stage, when he’s building his receptive language.
Heighten your child’s awareness of things by pointing out the various parts of the toy, and then relating these parts to the images you see in books or to real vehicles you see on your travels.
Prompt your child’s ability to listen to directions (keep them very simple at this early age) and get him thinking about problem solving by creating little stories and giving him little jobs to complete—“Can you drive the truck over to the door and unload the boulders there?"
Let him haul things around in his vehicles, or use them to transport people from place to place. In this way he’ll begin to understand and appreciate each vehicle’s purpose. Tell him how helpful he is, and you’ll really bolster his confidence.
All children develop at their own pace, and reach milestones at different times. The highlights mentioned in this web site are meant as approximate guidelines only. If you have any questions about your child's development, consult your healthcare provider.
