Baby & Toddler Toys

Baby & Toddler Toys has over 1,900 toys for the first years. Early-development and activity toys make up nearly half, including Montessori busy boards, activity cubes, shape sorters and tummy-time toys. There are also over 500 sorting and stacking toys, 390 musical toys, car-seat and pram toys, rattles, push-and-pull walkers,...

By stage

0–12 months – rattles, plush rings, black-and-white sensory cards, play mirrors and pram toys.
1–2 years – stackers, shape sorters, push walkers, hammer benches and first wooden puzzles.
2–3 years – busy boards, bead mazes, teaching clocks and indoor climbers.

About 67% of the age-graded toys here are for under-3s and 25% for 3–4-year-olds.

Brands

Tonies and Fisher-Price lead the range, followed by Hape, VTech, Melissa & Doug, mushie and Adena Montessori. Bath toys have their own page: Bath Toys. Electronic baby toys are at Electronics for Kids.

Prices

First toys cost from £18, the median is £39, and more than 470 are below £30. Larger wooden climbers and activity tables sit at the top end, up to about £343.

Choosing safe first toys

For babies, choose toys graded "0+" or "suitable from birth". Toys marked 3+ contain small parts. Musical and light-up toys may use button cell batteries, so check that the battery cover needs a screwdriver to open. Some busy boards and wooden toys contain magnets, so check them regularly for loose parts. Always supervise climbing.

FAQs

What's a good first-birthday present?

Stacking toys, push walkers, shape sorters and activity cubes are popular for one-year-olds. Tonies audio players are graded 3+, so they suit a third birthday better.

What finishes do the wooden toys use?

Where the maker states the finish, for example water-based paint, it appears on the listing. If it isn't listed, email playvia.uk@gmail.com and we'll check.