Safe Nurseries + Safe Equipment = Welcoming & Effective Ministry . . . Toys!

All week I've been talking about being certain our nurseries are safe. One area we tend to not think of when it comes to nursery safety is toy safety. Far too often the toys in our nurseries are "cast offs" - toys church kids have "outgrown" so their parents donate them to the nursery. It is essential for you to develop a nursery toy policy - and stick to it. If someone wants to donate a toy to your nursery, check it carefully to be sure there are no missing or loose parts, jagged edges or small parts. Check to be sure it is age appropriate - follow the age range each toy is rated for, do not put toys in your nursery for older children. Each toy is marked for the appropriate ages it is designed for – follow these age ratings closely! Go on-line to be sure there are no safety alerts or recalls for the toy. If you find any of these things apply to the toy being donated - throw it away.

There is no shortage of toys for babies on the market . . . I've had the opportunity to review a number of toys which are great for the nursery! Today I'm sharing some of my favorites, and tomorrow I'll share some special reviews which I'm also having some give-aways for! So, for today, consider some of the following –

HaPe Toys International -

• for ages 1+
• HaPe/Educo pays close attention to designing safe toys which are easy to clean and appropriately rated for each age level.
• I love how these toys are made from quality wood and uses bright colors!
• I reviewed a number of their Wood Puzzles - Zoo Animals Knob Puzzle 0px !important; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" />, Number Matching Puzzle, ABC Matching Puzzle and  20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Emergency Vehicles Peg Puzzle - and mazes - Spring-a-Ling and Tunnel Mountain
• HaPe/Educo toys encourages hand/eye coordination, fine motor skills, animal, number and letter recognition and counting skills

Sassy Baby –

• Ages birth and up
• Sassy pays close attention to designing safe toys, easy to clean and appropriately rated for each age level.
• Colors, textures and sounds engage little ones
• Toys focus on developing skills/coordination and provide ideas on how to engage children
• I particularly like their earth brights natural wood rattles

Douglas Toys -

• Ages 18m+
• soft, colorful and cuddly stuffed toys
• I particularly like the Fuzzles - Ilsa Lime Flower Bear and Weldon Butterfly Dog, but also reviewed Mr. Cinnamon Bear which is also a stuffed toy little ones will love!

Folkmanis -

• super soft and plush - these puppets look like stuffed toys!
• realistic design and fabrics - I've reviewed many of their puppets including the American Alligator, Two-Handed Bear, and my all time favorite, Basset Hound!
• encourages imagination, creativity, interactive play, nurturing play and confidence

Fisher Price – Little People Play sets

• Ages 1-4
• Easy to clean and appropriately rated
• Colors, sounds, animals, people and a variety of settings allow children to develop their imagination, play interactively with others and role play

Manhattan Baby/Manhattan Toy –

• Ages 6 months and up
• Variety of toys from plush, cuddly animals to Wiggle Balls, Grabbitz Ball, Snuggle Pod Snuggle Bug and Stellar Star Activity Centers

Playskool –

• Ages Birth and up
• Our reviewers really liked the MP3 Music Player, busy basics line and the Made for Me 2 in 1 Infant Gym
• Colors, sounds, animals encourage play, imagination and learning
• Easy to clean

Little Tikes –

• Made in the USA
• Ages 2-6
• 2 in 1 Dollhouse Playhouse is a sure to be loved addition to any nursery/preschool area!
• Ages 1 ½ - 4
• Fold Away Playground provides opportunity for children to climb, slide and shoot baskets inside or out!
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Step 2 –

• Made in the USA
• Ages 1 ½ +
• Doorway Playhouse fits in a doorway or stands alone – the child-size door provides a fun “entrance” for toddlers and “boosts” imagination!
• Ages 2+
• Lifestyle Custom Kitchen is the perfect size for toddlers and includes a variety of accessories for imaginative fun!

PlayHut –

• Ages 3+
• Dora Mega Playhut, Cars Garage/Car Wash Mega Playhut provide fun, portable playspaces children will love – particularly great for churches meeting in rented buildings!