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Toys for Developing Skills - Physical Development

How Do Babies Develop Physically?

Regular physical activity is extremely important for physical development. Studies show that regular physical activity from an early age can help to reduce heart and circulatory diseases in later life, can reduce the risk of obesity and heighten self esteem. Early physical play has also been identified as a key factor in the amount of self confidence has a child has on starting school.

Even from birth, babies are expressing what they feel through their bodies and right from day one they are doing everything they can to start to move.

Babies have to get physical and physical play helps babies learn to judge distances better, and also improves hand to eye and foot to eye coordination.

How Can You Help Your Baby's Physical Development?

As a parent you can help by choosing toys that will encourage the younger baby to stretch himself and reach out and tap. Older toddlers should be encouraged to play with toys that encourage them to run and jump, balance and climb. All of these toys will encourage your baby to enjoy physical activity.

Supervised physical play also helps children learn what hurts and what doesn't – children are not born with a safety valve.

What Toys Can You Buy to Help Your Baby's Physical Development?

Babies will be interested in finding out more about their toys in the first three months of their lives so make sure that you have invested in a toy that will encourage baby to reach or kick.

Initially baby will miss the object but as their hand to eye and foot to eye coordination improves, they will gain more and more pleasure and esteem when they reach their goal each time.

Toys for Physical Development – Play gyms and Playmats

Play gyms are a fantastic invention to encourage babies to physically play. Although mums and dads from the 1940s and 1950s would say that play gyms are not a new idea – they used to lay blankets on the floor and dangle toys on a string Play Gyms like the ones from Tiny Love, Mamas and Papas or Baby Einstein certainly have all the colours and the cushioning to keep baby intrigued and they have the toys necessary to encourage baby to reach out to touch.

When babies are on the move, Galt makes a colourful playmat that encourages baby to move from one end to the other where they hear a rendition of “Old McDonald”.

Toys for Physical Development – Outdoor Toys

Toddlers need more active play so at around about 18 months you may look to buying a trampoline for baby. Galt, Early Learning Centre and The Great Little Trading Company all have trampolines suitable for the younger toddler. Toddlers tend to enjoy jumping about so be prepared for a toddler refusing to stop.

Little Tikes produces an amazing range of role play and imaginative toys for the garden or indoors including a number of activity centres with slides, swings and climbing frames.

John Lewis has a good range of outdoor toys suitable for a toddler too including a range of sturdy wooden swings and climbing frames.

For the more active toddler who has space in the garden, The Great Little Trading Company offers an incredible wooden castle that comes with a flag and that's suitable for all budding King Arthurs.

At the end of the day, just buying a beach ball will encourage your toddler to play in the garden so don't worry about having to spend lots of money.

Encouraging Physical Development – Other Tips

Baby Yoga is good for the younger baby where physical activity suitable for baby is accompanied by song and action.

Swimming is also great fun for baby and even very young babies can take to the pool under close adult supervision. Check with your health visitor or doctor about the age that they recommend a baby can go into a swimming pool.

Swimming classes tend to take babies that are around six months old and babies learn to play in water and chase floating objects. The classes are more for mums and dads as they help give you the confidence you need to take baby into the water.

Babies can also attend physical play classes. Most local councils either run physical play classes or have information on companies locally that do.

An organisation like TumbleTots may run sessions in your area for different age groups where babies learn to walk on floor based beams, crawl through tunnels and jump over stepping stones. Music is played in the middle of the session and at the end to help babies wind down.

The most important thing you can do is just make sure that your child is encouraged to run and jump and develop the skills needed for coordination and balance.

And make sure that they learn to climb ladders and climbing frames and are properly prepared to fall with minimal damage.

To find out more about what to look out for when choosing and buying nursery toys visit our How to Choose and Buy a Baby Toy for Different Ages section and our Brands section.

To find out more about the different types of nursery toy that are available for each age group visit our Types of Nursery Toy section.

To find out more about the different online baby and nursery toy shops and stores visit our Top Sites section.

You can also find out more in our How to Play with Baby section.