How to Choose the Best Infant Toys for Age-Appropriate Development

How to Choose the Best Infant Toys for Age-Appropriate Development

Choosing the right toy for your baby can be overwhelming. With so many options available, how do you find toys that actually support early development?

Here are some trendy infant toys that’s not only entertaining, but also thoughtfully designed to encourage real learning through play.


What to Look for in Developmental Infant Toys?

When shopping for infant toys, focus on these key features:

1. STEM-Based Learning

Choose toys that introduce early concepts in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math to support cognitive development from the start.

2. Safe and Age-Appropriate Design

Ensure the toys are made with baby-safe materials, tested to meet safety standards, and thoughtfully crafted for your child’s developmental stage.

3. Retro Mechanical Feedback

In a digital-heavy world, toys with buttons to press, gears to turn, and levers to pull offer tactile, hands-on play that builds fine motor skills and cause-and-effect understanding


Why Smart Steps Toys Stand Out?

Smart Steps by Baby Trend age appropriate program for STEM toys category

At Smart Steps, we believe in balancing classic play with modern design. That’s why our toy line is STEM.org authenticated, meaning it meets high standards for early childhood education.

Unlike many of today’s screen-heavy toys, Smart Steps focuses on hands-on, mechanical interaction with just the right touch of electronics without overwhelming the senses.

Smart Steps has created four developmental programs, each tailored to match the skills your little one is ready to explore. From 3 months to 18 months, our toys grow with your child, offering age-appropriate challenges that support real developmental milestones, including sensory exploration, cognitive growth, and motor skill development.


Top Picks for STEM-based Toys

Here are three Smart Steps toys that combine fun and learning:

 

1. Smart Steps Counting Crab

Smart Steps STEM infant Toys Counting Crab Awards Winning

Age: 12 months+

Purchase Link:  Amazon

This set includes nine different colored balls with three modes to select and play, helping your kids to learn counting from one to nine in a variety of interactive ways.

 

2. Smart Steps Happy Hammer

Smart Steps STEM infant Toys Happy Hammer, Awards winning infant toys for infant 9 months+

Age: 9 months+

Purchase Link: Amazon

A cute hammer toy that helps develop your little one’s grasping and holding ability. Gentle lights and sounds support early auditory development, making playtime fun.

 

3. Smart Steps Learning Cube

Smart Steps STEM Infant Toys, Learning Cube, Educational toys for 9 months+

Age: 9 months+

Purchase Link: Amazon

Six unique mechanical activations, one on each side of the cube, offer engaging challenges that help promote cognitive development and support a variety of motor skills.

 

Ready to take the next step in your baby’s development?

Explore the full Smart Steps collection and watch your baby grow through play.

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