Playtime Development Guide

Playtime looks different at every stage, but the goal is always the same: to give your child chances to explore, practice new skills, and feel secure while they do it. This Playtime Development Guide walks through how play evolves in the first two years and how you can support it with a few thoughtful toys.

In the newborn months, play is mostly about gentle sensory experiences and bonding. Simple visuals and soft textures from our 0–3 Month Toys and Sensory Toys collections are enough. As your baby moves into the 3–6 month stage, reaching, grasping, and bringing toys to the mouth become key forms of practice.

From 6–9 months, rolling, sitting, and beginning to crawl open up whole new ways to explore. This is a wonderful time to introduce simple problem-solving toys and open-ended pieces from our Montessori Toys and Early Learning Toys collections.

By the time your child reaches 9–12 months and into 12–18 months and 18–24 months, climbing, stacking, pretend play, and early problem-solving take center stage. At this point, you might also explore curated favorites from our Best Baby Toys collection.

Throughout every stage, remember that you do not need a large number of toys. A small, rotating selection that matches your child’s current interests and abilities is enough to support rich, meaningful play.