Choosing Newborn toys

     Musical toys that produce soft sounds are intriguing, but remember that nothing takes the place of a familiar human voice with its language sounds and up and down inflection. The more you speak to baby, the more familiar language becomes. Babies love to copy facial expressions and sounds. You'll notice that every once in a while a word you say seems to be repeated...that's not your imagination. It is baby learning the sounds that we use to communicate. 

        

            After all, crying may be effective at getting a bottle, but there are definite limits to it as a good form of interacting with the adult world - and baby is driven to learn how to a part of that world. 

          Around this time and for the next few months teething toys are a parent's best friend. In the days before parents had such things as teething toys, Granny used to dip a cloth in cold water and let the baby chew away on it.

             The chewing helps to exercise the gums and relieves some of the pressure of the new teeth cutting through. The coolness helps soothe the soreness.Teething is not a lot of fun, but toys that are designed to take the place of granny's cold washcloth are a big help. Make sure when buying toys for your teething baby that there are no loose pieces that can become choking hazards. Also make sure that the toys cannot be punctured - and if they do get bitten through the cooling gel is not going to make your baby sick. Expect any toy that you give an infant to be tasted and used as a chew toy - make sure that none of the toys your baby plays with have parts that can be swallowed.

Remember that your baby is a little person with likes and dislikes from the earliest days. Choose toys that will encourage your infant to explore the world without frustration.