Immediately after the birth of the baby, parents seek to provide him with rattles. The choice of such products is great in any children's store, so there are no problems with the purchase. However, not all mothers and fathers know what a rattle should be for a newborn, and how to choose it. The approach to the selection of toys for the baby should be especially carefully, because it is with her that the process of development of cognitive skills begins.
Toys for the smallest
A rattle for a newborn is not just a subject, it provides tactile sensations, visual and acoustic. All rattles can be divided into types:
- Hanging rattles. They can be placed above the baby's stroller or crib. Moreover, they can be the most ordinary or with a music and movable module. Rattles on the crib for newborns allow the baby to concentrate on the subject, be distracted from external stimuli and respond to sound.
- Rattles in the form of a ring. Their advantage is a comfortable grip and the ability to put on the handle of the baby.
- Bracelets - rattles for newborns. The difference is in the material used. They are sewn from soft fabric and equipped with Velcro. A similar thing is easy to put on the handle or leg of the baby.
- Rustlers. Another variety of fabric toys is products with different fillers that produce a rustling sound when moving.
- Baby toys Fans of this movement often make such rattles on their own. Especially popular are the beads that the child sortes out while feeding or is distracted while in the sling.
- Teething. To facilitate teething, special rattles have been developed that are convenient to gnaw on with inflamed gums. As a rule, they are filled with water or gel filler. It is important that the teether surface is soft so as not to injure the gums, but also moderately hard so that inadvertently a piece of the toy does not appear in the baby's mouth.
A rattle for a newborn can be made both from one material (plastic, fabric), and their combination. This option is interesting to the baby, and more informative.
Rattle Selection Rules
When choosing the first toy for an infant, the following criteria should be considered:
- Product safety and environmental friendliness. The rattle for the newborn must have a certificate of conformity and is made of safe materials. It is important that the paint does not peel off, the product does not have sharp edges and is strong enough to withstand falls and knocking.
- Brightness, diverse texture and geometric shapes. The newborn is interested in bright and a variety of toys.
- Type of filler. It is important to have rattles with different sounds. It can be ringing, rustling, crackling, crunching. The acoustic effect produced by the toy attracts the attention of the baby, he learns to respond to sound, searches for its source and rejoices when it finds. However, when choosing, you must make sure that the filler is well protected and in no case will fall out.
- Easy care, the possibility of boiling or washing. The rattle often appears in the child's mouth and then flies to the floor. Therefore, it is important that it can withstand multiple cleaning procedures. It is necessary to pay attention to the markings. On plastic there should be a label that they can be boiled, on fabric - wash.
It is necessary to provide the baby with different types of toys. For the development of eye contact will require rattles on the crib for newborns. To develop grasping movements, objects in the form of a ring will be required. Musical items are recommended for hearing exposure.
When a rattle is needed
A rattle is necessary for a baby literally from birth. Starting from two weeks of age, the baby is capable of being on the arms of his mother or in the crib:
- keep track of a moving subject;
- focus on sound;
- calm down at the sounds.
At this age, a grasping reflex is highly developed . Therefore, if a rattle is put in the child’s hand, he will hold it. For this, the most convenient are rings or ovals, with filler or pendants. But you should be prepared for sudden movements.
So that the baby does not drop the item, a rattle bracelet on the handle for newborns will be useful to him. Soft Velcro does not cause discomfort, and bright colors and unusual sounds attract the baby's attention, make him look for a sound source and focus on the subject.
When to give a rattle to a newborn? Pediatricians are advised to start at the age of two weeks. By this time, the baby is able to briefly hold the item and respond to sound.
How to play with him
The newborn cannot yet independently interact with the subject. Therefore, to attract attention, hang the pendants on a stroller or crib. So that the baby can focus his eyes, the distance from the face to the rattle should be in the range of 40-60 cm.
Despite his young age, in the first month you can already try to play with the baby. For this, the toy is held in the face of the baby, stimulating him to drive his eyes. The distance should also be at least 40 cm, otherwise the child may develop strabismus.
For the baby to be able to manipulate the item, a rattle bracelet is required. She does not fall out of the handle, and the child watches her with interest.
When the child reaches the age of 6 months, more heavy and functional items are required. For these purposes, wooden rattles for babies have been developed. They contribute to the development of fine motor skills, strengthen the hands and fingers of the baby. The most interesting, in this regard, toys in the form of beads. Inside each may be a different filler. Toddlers like to sort out the balls with pens and at the same time they carefully monitor their actions.
Rattles, depending on age
Rattle toys for newborns are very diverse. Their choice depends on the age of the baby. For children just born, hanging toys are required. They still cannot contact the object, hold it for a long time, but they are able to fix their eyes on a bright object and respond to sound.
You can hang on a bed the usual stretch and independently attract a child. To provide mom with a free moment, you can install a music mobile. Such toys develop a child’s hearing, teach him to fix his gaze.
Rattles in two months
By this time, the suspension should be lowered to the level of the baby’s arm length. Waving his arms randomly, the child will hurt them and gradually a desire to grab the rattle will appear. The coordination of movements gradually develops and through tactile sensations - motor motor skills of the hands.
The child is already three months old
Often parents are interested in the question of when the baby will be able to hold the item, and which rattle for the newborn to choose. At the age of about three months, the child already consciously grabs the toy, confidently holds it in the fist and drags it into the mouth. Therefore, a rattle in the form of a ring is recommended so that it can be easily grabbed. It is important that there are no small objects.
At this age, the baby is already responding to multiple factors. He is interested in bright objects, various sounds, differences in fillers. Parents may notice a crumbs special love for a particular rattle. A variety of toys, differing in color, shape, material and filler, promotes the development of coordination, mental and emotional development and muscle activity.
3 to 6 months
Children from three months to six months are very actively growing and developing in physical and emotional terms. For many, teeth can erupt as early as four months, so teething rattles will be required. The kid actively chews it, moves it in his mouth, thereby relieving inflammation in the gums.
For a five-month-old baby, toys-rustlers are of great interest. The kid interacts with them, iterates through the pens and is surprised when different sounds are heard. This marks the beginning of the development of the development of a causal relationship.
A child can interact independently with a rattle by six months of age, more often by the time of mastering the sitting skill. At the same time, the child waves the object, knocks it, tries it on the tooth, considers it. But the favorite thing is throwing a rattle from a stroller or crib. If mom raises her, then the lesson turns into an exciting game. If parents do not pay attention, then the baby is upset and crying.
Attention to the material
The most famous are plastic rattles. The best rattles for newborns should be bright, easy to care for, light and making a melodious sound. The plastic version supports all of these criteria. Particularly popular were transparent toys. At the same time, the inner filling is visible to the child, and he is interested in the movements of the internal filler.
Before buying, you should pay attention to the quality of plastic and compliance with safety requirements. The conscientious seller is always ready to provide certificates of conformity.
Cloth Rattles
Such rattles are pleasant to the touch and, thanks to different textures, guarantee a tactile variety. Toys can be made of cotton fabric, velor, flannel, fleece. Knitted rattles are popular, inside of which bells and bells are placed.
Sound diversity is provided by a variety of rustlers. It is pleasant to sort them with pens, squeeze and squeeze. However, different parts of the rattle may vary. On the one hand, it is soft, on the other, rough. Such objects develop tactile sensations and fine motor skills.
To ensure hygiene, fabric rattles must be washed. In this case, all plastic elements must be removed. It is not recommended to purchase rattles with small details and glued decorative elements.
Wooden rattles
Wooden toys are environmentally friendly and imbued with the aroma of real wood. For the manufacture of rattles used: linden, birch, juniper, beech and maple. There are options in the form of balls or beads. Inside they are hollow, where bells or peas are placed. Kids really like to nibble, hold in their hands, shake, causing a sound or stroking. There are deaf options that clatter to each other.
You can choose the unpainted option. However, in order to attract a baby, such a toy should have the potential: to rattle, rustle, ring. There are painted rattles. It uses safe paints, only water-based. For the safety of the child, they are resistant to children's teeth, which must be confirmed by a certificate. You can try to scrape such a toy in the store. If the paint comes off, then you should refrain from buying. It is also worth paying attention to the absence of chipping.
Wooden toys are not recommended to be washed. To care for them, they should be wiped with a damp cloth. If you store them near heating appliances, the rattle may deteriorate.
Finally
Rattles are an important part of baby development. However, many young parents are lost in their diversity. In order to make an optimal purchase and promote interesting games, you need to choose the right toy, focusing on the age of the baby.
Each child should have a set of rattles for newborns. They should differ in the material of manufacture, method of application, filler and texture. Each rattle carries its own potential. Musical ones develop hearing, rustling contribute to tactile sensations, teething is so nice to nibble, and bright is interesting to watch.