According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children, good toys for young children are ones that “match their stages of development and emerging abilities.” Infants do well with toys that help them develop motor skills (pushing and pulling, lifting and dropping, reaching and crawling), learn language, and find out about the world they live in.
Therefore, the best toys for babies are simple, uncomplicated ones that assist them in gaining all these seemingly small but important skills. There is no need to buy a bunch of expensive “educational” toys for this purpose. Many fun, engaging, and educational activities can be done with common items already in the house – like a simple swatch of fabric.
Suggested Fabric Play Materials
- silk scarves
- fabric remnants
- cardboard boxes (cereal boxes, shoeboxes, etc.)
- ribbon or yarn
Learn Object Permanence
The idea that objects still exist even when they can no longer be seen is called object permanence. It is essential to baby’s developing cognitive skills since only after baby can imagine an unseen object, can she remember, reason, and plan. Parents can help baby develop object permanence by playing peek-a-boo with a silk scarf.
Alternatively, the peek-a-boo game can be played with a small toy. First, show baby the toy. While baby is watching, place fabric over the toy. Say, “Where’s the toy? Can you find the toy?” If baby does not reach for the fabric, uncover the toy yourself while excitedly saying, “We found it!”
Practice Gross Motor Skills
Pulling and pushing toys helps baby develop balance, whether she is standing, sitting, or lying on her stomach. To create a pull toy, tie 10 scarves or pieces of fabric together into a long strand. Stuff the strand into a box. Close the lid, but leave a bit of fabric sticking out. Encourage baby to pull on the fabric and watch the strand get longer and longer until the entire strand is out of the box.
Develop the Senses
Different scraps of cloth can be used to create a texture book. Use the directions found in “How to Make a Chunky Board Book” to create a sturdy book. To decorate the pages, cut fabric into the same 4” x 4” squares. Glue one fabric square onto each side of the cardboard squares. Read the book with baby, while encouraging her to feel the fabric and giving her words for the textures, such as, bumpy, smooth, soft, or rough.
Play Movement Games
Use fabric to encourage baby to move. Turn on some music and wave fabric to the melody. If baby is old enough to sit up, she can sway along with the fabric. Alternatively, spread fabric on the ground and pretend that it is a pool to swim in. Help baby kick those feet and swing those arms. Or tie fabric pieces to chairs to create a tunnel to crawl under.
Make a Lovey
Use square silks or fabric to create a lovable toy for baby to hold, squeeze, and, yes, chew. Many websites offer easy to follow, no-sew directions for creating handkerchief animals, such as a bunny or mouse. These directions can be easily adapted to use squares of fabric other than handkerchiefs. Be sure to omit wiggly eyes or other details that could cause a choking hazard for babies.
These seemingly simplistic activities -- done with the simplest of props -- teach infants important skills that will help them develop physical dexterity, cognition, and healthy emotional attachment. Better yet, they encourage fun interaction between babies and caregivers, developing a relationship that will last a lifetime.
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