The first few holiday seasons for a new kid in the family are always a cause for joy, and in 2020 that first special holiday might be even more meaningful - even if you're celebrating from a distance. We have handpicked some of the best wooden and open-ended toys for the tiniest kiddos, some of our favourites are highlighted here.
Musical Lili Llama by Manhattan Toy
Get your jam on with this musical activity centre! Kids 12 months and up will be delighted by the rhythmic possibilities of 4 spinners, 2 gears, 1 maraca tail, 5-bar xylophone, 1 set of notches/washboard for ratchet sound, 2 clacking saddle blankets and 2 mallets that store in Lili's head. It's loaded with interactive fun and cute enough that you'll want to leave it out even after post-play clean up. It was even named one of the Best Toys from Toy Fair 2020 by Good Housekeeping‚ Institute. Among the Hottest Toys of 2020 that Kids Will Flip For.
Gluckskafer Rattles
You can't go wrong with the classics. Gluckskafer produces beautifully basic wooden teethers and rattles in their Bavarian workshop. Each charmingly natural piece is designed to engage the eyes, hands and ears of little graspers, helping to promote the early development of hand-eye coordination through sensory experience. Made from natural materials and safe paints and dyes, it's a toy you can feel good about putting in the smallest hands.
Erzi Shop Assortment for the Youngest
It's okay to play with your food! Suitable for children one year or older, discover the fun of wooden play food with this pack of 12 wooden food items designed specifically for the littlest children with a hunger for open ended food play.
The box has everything needed for their very own play shop: an apple, a water bottle, milk, a strawberry yogurt, a cupcake, a piece of an apple, a banana, a carrot, a tomato, a slice of toast, a slice of cheese and a Viennese sausage.
HABA Clutching Toys
Between the 4th and 6th month of life, a child's hand-eye coordination improves, and they start to develop fine motor skills. They can now hold small items such as clutching toys, and maybe even actively reach for them when they hang overhead on a play gym. They use new skills to stick things in their mouth as their sense of touch is still more developed than their sense of sight. HABA's wooden clutching toys are made in Germany, treated with a non-toxic, water based stain and sealed with a protective coating making them 100% safe for baby's first holiday.