A different side of you can come out when you're playing with your baby; you may rediscover your inner child, you may thrive with the chance to share your passion like music or drawing, or you may find a reignited fascination for the senses.
So what’s your signature play style? Are you The Architect, The Wrestler, The Creator or The Dreamer? Read these descriptions to discover your parenting play profile, as well as our top toy pick for you!
You like hands-on toys, especially those that encourage building, critical thinking and exploring cause and effect. The type of toys you're drawn to will likely support fine motor skills by teaching stacking, gripping, pinching, or other movements that require the wrists and fingers. You might have loved playing with building blocks as a child, and as a parent, you may find yourself making grand creations that your little one then destroys – devastating!
Here’s the toy for you: Fat Brain Spoolz
Fat Brain Toy Co. are a team of toy specialists committed to designing colourful, stimulating and unique toys for healthy development.
Fat Brain Spoolz is The Architect's dream toy. This set of 7 spools is made from durable yet soft-to-touch and easy-to-grip plastic and come in varying sizes. You and your little one can roll them on their side or stack them in endless configurations. Support your baby's spatial reasoning, fine motor skills, problem-solving and creativity with Fat Brain Spoolz.
You like physical, sensory toys that encourage movement and stimulate the senses. Your instinct for play is likely helping develop your little one's eyesight with high contrast designs and bright colours, including an element of interactivity and curiosity. Their gross motor skills are probably getting a workout, with things that encourage them to crawl, scoot, reach or use their limbs in big movements.
Here's the toy for you: ELC Flutter Balls
This 4-pack of ELC Flutter Balls provides different types of stimulation in each ball. Your baby can find a mirror for self-discovery and experience the wonder of light and reflection. They can also listen to the rattle sound as they shake the beads inside, and crawl or chase the balls as they learn to move more and more. Plus, their hand-eye coordination can benefit from engaging with these small, round and sensory objects. Check out the ELC Flutter Balls here.
You enjoy seeing your baby engage with anything that promotes creativity, and you probably love playing creatively right alongside them. You may even be a musician, a writer, a painter, or have a creative passion you'd love to share with your little one. The toys you enjoy playing with your baby likely encourage the imagination and bring the senses alive through sound, colour and tactile stimulation.
Here's the toy for you: Baby Einstein Hape Magic Touch Piano
Foster a love of music and a sense of rhythm with the Baby Einstein Hape Magic Touch Piano. Complete with classical music and colour coded sheet music, the Baby Einstein Hape Magic Touch Piano can bring your tot hours of fun in Play Along Mode or Play & Learn Mode. Help strengthen their listening skills, coordination and auditory stimulation with this real-sound piano. Rock out with your mini maestro with the Hape Magic Touch Piano.
You love offering your baby unstructured free play with toys that are open to interpretation. Toys that are easy to take along no matter where you go are amongst your favourites. You may be the type of storyteller that puts on different voices for each character or be known for a solid game of peek-a-boo now and then.
Here's the toy for you: Fat Brain Pipsquigz.
The Fat Brain Pipsquigz is a collection of brightly coloured shapes with suction cups, ideal for capturing their imagination anywhere. Help your little one stick them to the bath, stroller, highchair or any smooth surface for anytime stimulation. Support your baby's motor skills as they learn to push, tug, shake or pull the shapes together while their fingers discover tactile bumps and ridges over the surface. Plus, the rattle sound and the pop of the suction cups will delight their ears. Keep the good times coming however they may come with the Fat Brain Pipsquigz.
No matter your parenting play preference, these first few years will become a time full of memories. At the end of the day, play is about connection and learning, so no matter what the game is, as long as you're around, your little one is sure to have a blast.