Best Toys

While most people are familiar with the name Lamaze, they tend to associate it only with childbirth classes and a specific childbirth technique.  The organization, Lamaze International, is so much more than that.  Lamaze International is dedicated to supporting parents through information and encouragement.  Their philosophy is that parents are the most important influence in any child’s life, and they do all they can to help turn new parents into the best parents they can be.  Lamaze toys were created with this philosophy in mind.

Lamaze Bestsellers: Award-Winning Infant Development Toys

What are Lamaze Toys?

Lamaze toys are toys designed specifically for babies and toddlers, and each toy has its own function in the developmental process.  The toys are produced by Learning Curve, a Lamaze partner company.  They are built to last and withstand the rough treatment to which any child is likely to subject his or her toys.  Because the Lamaze philosophy stresses the importance of parental interaction in playtime, most Lamaze toys are designed in such a way that they work better when Mom or Dad is there to help.  Parents are a child’s first and most important teachers, and Lamaze International seeks to help strengthen the parent-child bond through educational, interactive play.

Educational and Developmental Value

The toys are designed for different age levels according to the needs specific to children at that age.  For instance, studies have shown that newborn babies are not quite capable of processing bright colors, so toys and visual stimulation for very young babies are black and white.  As a baby gets older, the toys become brighter and more colorful, and Lamaze toys for older babies are designed to help baby explore the world.  Toys that make noise, toys that include mirrors, and toys that include pieces to put together are not just fun, but they are designed to help baby develop gross motor skills and fine motor skills that they need to learn in order to move onto other skills such as writing and physical activity.

Paddy the Panda is a good example of a Lamaze toy for very young babies.  The black and white panda holds a helicopter in his right hand and a rattle ring in his left hand.  The panda is made of several different materials to allow baby to experience different textures.  His head is smooth while his tummy is a slightly rougher faux wool material.  This is a Play and Grow Lamaze toy, so it has a handy ring attached to the panda’s head, allowing him to be attached to other toys or to a stroller for easy on-the-go play.

Another great example of the educational line of Lamaze toys is the First Mirror.  Designed for babies who can lie on their stomachs and lift their heads a bit, the First Mirror gives babies an interesting incentive to keep their heads up longer.  It contains an unbreakable mirror enclosed in a soft, colorful padded wedge so that baby can try and figure out who is looking back at her every time she lifts her head.

Lamaze toys grow with baby, and another set of educational toys they offer is the Balancing Bug Stackers collection.  Available in different colors such as the red and green holiday set or the black and orange Halloween set, they come in sets of 6 cute little bug rattles.  Each bug can be played with separately, but there are also magnets inside each one so that baby can stack them on top of each other.  This action helps baby’s gross motor skills and will keep a little one happy for as long as his attention span holds out.

Lamaze toys are great educational and developmental toys.  Baby will have fun learning new things and experiencing the world one step at a time.  Most of all, babies will enjoy the playtime with Mom or Dad and this will help develop a strong bond that is so important to a baby’s well-being.