Toys for newborns: During the first few months before learning to grasp objects or sit up on their own, your baby will enjoy having things to look at and listen to. Your baby’s vision will still be fuzzy at first and focus will be limited to objects from eight to fourteen inches from their face. Babies are drawn to faces and can recognize mom and dad’s faces at the age of one month. Babies at this age thoroughly enjoy looking at high contrast patterns and bright colors. They will also appreciate sounds and music. Objects that move around slowly and make music such as mobiles will be of particular interest.

A mobile can be a fascinating visual source for a newborn baby. Choose mobiles with high contrast colors and patterns that will be the most interesting for your baby. Many babies are especially fond of musical mobiles so you definitely want to keep that in mind when deciding on one for your baby. Be sure to mount the mobile out of the baby’s reach and either directly above or to the right of the baby’s field of vision.

As mentioned previously, babies love music so even a music box or a wind up musical toy will be a great choice for your baby.

Another thing babies love is a mirror. Babies are very attracted to faces and will not realize that they are looking at their own face in the mirror. Make sure that the mirror is unbreakable and fasten it where they can see themselves.

Plush toys that make noises are a favorite. These toys will keep your baby’s attention for a long time.

1. Trampolines. Ever since the trampoline was first introduced to global audiences by its creators, George Nissen and Larry Griswold back in 1934, adults and children alike have been enjoying hours of bouncing fun. Originally intended as a training tool for tumblers and gymnasts, the pair soon realised the trampoline’s commercial value as an outdoor toy and began marketing it as such. And best of all – there is no need to dig a great big hole in your backyard. Most toy stores now carry collapsible trampolines that can be folded up for easy storage when it is not in use.

2. Skates, rollerblades and skateboards. Skating is a great way to stimulate hand-eye coordination and children enjoy it to boot. These fun outdoor toys come in a great variety of colours and styles, so shop around until you find a pair your child will enjoy.

3. Play centres. Adored by the preschool crowd, play centres are also a great way to keep your backyard tidy. Having a whole bunch of separate toys lying around can quickly get messy, that is why a toy centre is such a wonderful idea – it combines a variety of toys without taking up too much space. A handy tip: Little Tikes outdoor toys have a great range of affordable play centres that include the Climb ‘n Slide Castle, as well as the cute Turtle Sandbox. The latter even comes with a lid that you can close so that the sand doesn’t get wet in the event of an April shower.

4. Balls, bats and Frisbees. Heading down to the beach? Don’t forget the beach bats! And what about a Frisbee to keep the youngsters busy while you catch up on your tan? Frisbee no longer has to be a predictable, repetitive game either. Add a bit of excitement to your game with the Nite Ize FlashFlight Blue LED Frisbee. This fun outdoor toy boasts LED illumination and it is waterproof, making it perfect for swimming pool games.

5. Fort building materials. There is nothing like a great, big DIY project to pull the family together, so why not build a tree house this summer? Pick out a nice sturdy tree, get a plan off the internet and Bob is your proverbial uncle. Not lucky enough to have a great big tree in your yard? Then simply build a fort. Materials that will come in useful include rope, cold glue, hard board/chip board, plastic sheeting, water soluble PVA paint and a staple gun. (Please note that the use of a staple gun should always be supervised by a responsible adult.)

And there you have it – a few ideas that should spice up your outdoor toy collection in no time at all. What are you waiting for? Make a list and head out to buy those fun outdoor toys right now!

For some girls like and have liked the high tech, noisy toys too. And it is refreshing to note that gone are the days when the greatest misconception about girls used to be that all of them wanted to play dress up, did not care too much about sports, and should be quietly tucked away in some corner of the playroom, toying around with their dolls.

One of the secrets to successfully marketing your toys will be how you intend to package them. The easiest way will probably be to prepare a small 8 ½” by 5 ½” card on your printer that you can insert in your shrink-wrapped package. You will want to include on the card the fact the item is made in the U.S. from quality, safe, non-toxic materials. Instead of focusing on the features, all marketing should show the buyer what benefits they will enjoy from owning your product. List all the benefits you can think of and rate them from most important to least. Take the most important and use these to plan your sales pitch. Some places you should try to sell your products are toy stores, bookstores, department stores, gift shops, local specialty stores, and even online at E-Bay or your own website. You should also include a card your buyers can return to receive word of other products you offer or will offer in the future.

Gilbert ultimately finished Yale Medical School, but decided to enter the toy business rather than practice medicine. He was a gifted inventor and chose to entertain and educate children. His most popular invention? The vintage construction toy-the erector set. In 1911, on one of his many train trips from New Haven (his home) to New York City, he watched out the window as workers positioned and riveted the steel beams of an electrical power line tower. He decided to create a children’s construction kit, with evenly spaced holes for bolts to pass through and he included nuts, pulleys, gears and eventually engines. Although a British company called Meccano was selling a similar toy, Gilbert thought his “erector set” would be more realistic. His set had more technical advantages, especially steel beams that were not flat, but were bent lengthwise to produce a ninety degree angle, thus, four of them joined together side-to-side, formed a sturdy, square support beam.

Millions of dangerous toys which are for sale on shelves are being recalled every day because of various reasons. There are several different factors that can make a toy dangerous. Toys with magnets are high on the list due to the lead content, and the fact that young children can swallow, or push the small detachable parts in the toys where they shouldn’t go. Many toys that are recalled have high levels of lead in the surface paint; lead being dangerous because it is poisonous. Any kinds of magnets in your toys should put the toy high on the dangerous toy list. The majority of dangerous toys have little parts which can be removed and swallowed by a young child. Toy parts that can easily become lodged in a child’s throat have led to many incidents of death and brain damage yet can still be found in newly designed toys. You should check all toys for loose or small parts which you feel may be dangerous to your kids. It is also dangerous for your kids to play with toys which are meant for older children. From time to time, inspect your kids’ toys for any wear and tear which can make them dangerous.