Gift Ideas for Baby

GIFT IDEAS featured above: Toddlekind Premium Foam Playmat (Deco - Ecru) | Toddlekind Quilted Cotton Reversible Playmat (Ocean - Seashell) | Toddlekind Leaf Organic Cotton Playmat (Blush [US Only]) | Sensory Baby Books | Bubble machine & bubbles | Bath toys

At this stage, your baby will be engaging in unoccupied, physical, and even sensory play.

Unoccupied play doesn’t look like play because it happens during the fourth trimester. Your newborn observes their surroundings, learns to focus their eyes, experiences tummy time (building their muscles, and core strength) and makes random, awkward movements, that are the foundation for future play.

This is when a play mat comes in handy, and if you like a topper or activity gym.

Read more: Different kinds of play mats.

Physical play is the earliest form of play (as we know it) to evolve. It evolves with age and includes:

• Activity play such as: rolling, lifting their head to look around, and pulling themselves up. As they get older they will start jumping, climbing, dancing, skipping, bike riding, and ball play.
• Fine-motor practice like picking up a teether, reaching for your car keys, or putting things in their mouth. As they become toddlers they will start to draw, play with play dough, stack blocks and manipulate action/moveable toys.
• Sensory play is often fun (for your child) and messy (for you!). This style of play starts when you're child is ready, and continues as they grow so get out your splat mat! It is important because it supports your child’s nervous system and sensory integration.

What is messy play? It usually starts during meal times when your little one discovers the textures of food, how it feels in their hands, or splats on the floor. It will evolve into digging animals out of jell-o, putting pasta into different containers, or finger painting

| Parent hack: Put the paint (and paper) inside a large zip lock bag to contain the mess.

Gift Ideas for Toddler

Ages 1-3. You have a toddler, and life is now go-go-go. It’s fast-paced, it’s messy and it is a constant voyage of discovery ... for them, and you!

GIFT IDEAS featured above: Toddlekind Premium Foam Playmat (Linear - Linen) | Toddlekind One Piece Reversible Playmat (Tribeca - Fog) | Toddlekind High Chair Splat Mat (Naturals - Sandstone) | Building blocks | Costumes | Chalk

A few of the play styles that toddlers will engage in include onlooker, parallel, constructive and pretend play.

Onlooker play is when your child watches other children (or adults) play. They won’t join in, but they’ll be taking notes. Lay out your Toddlekind play mat, and sit down and show them how to stack blocks.

Watching helps kids gain confidence and prepare for future stages of play. Your child will eventually move onto parallel play where they don’t play together, but next to each other.

| Don't dismiss the importance of this type of play.

Constructive play is about building, manipulating and cooperating with everything from blocks and lego, to play dough, sand, and even jell-o! Pretend play develops their imaginations. Think cooking up an imaginary meal in their toy kitchen, or helping a sick patient with their doctor's kit.

| They also love to imitate you in daily life - so there is nothing wrong with a Melissa & Doug cleaning kit, coffee machine or pram and baby.

Gift Ideas for Children

Ages 3-6. Now that your child is going to school, a whole new world opens up. It is a big, wide world that they need you to help navigate.

GIFT IDEAS featured above: Toddlekind Premium Foam Playmat (Tulum - Stone)| Toddlekind One Piece Reversible Playmat (Tribeca - Fog) | Art & Craft including paint sets | Play doh (also great for toddlers) | Outdoor toys | Board games



Styles of play from previous ages will continue like sensory, constructive or pretend play but these will have evolved.

Pretend play will become dramatic play; dressing up will still be part of the fun but there will be more detail and dialogue. Drawing, coloring, singing and telling jokes are part of symbolic play.

Cooperative play is where everything they've learned comes together. Children start playing together playing a board game, building a fort with branches outside in the woods, or playing a group game.

"Play is one of the highest achievements of the human species, alongside language, culture and technology. Without play, none of these other achievements would be possible", Dr David Whitebread, The University of Cambridge.

Cover image by Any Lane from Pexels