Jingle the Activity Giraffe by Tolo

This is cuddly, multi-coloured toy that is a big hit with young infants, older infants, and even some young toddlers. Jingle has it all - a little mirror on his side, a pull and vibrate tail, a built in rattle, and soft, silky tags that run don the length of his neck. The outer shell of the toy consists of different textures of material, so Jingle really allows children to explore in multi-modality manner. The children I work with like to hug Jingle, feed him beans, and pretend to put him to bed. He's a good size and weight got young children to manipulate, and his body is so soft there no chance to get an accidental bump or bruise. Strengths: He's portable and won't take up a lot of room in a diaper bag or suitcase. His tail is easy to pull, so it's not all that hard to activate the motion feature of the toy. Weaknesses: Because Jingle is a plush toy you can only gently spot clean his outer shell.

Monkey Friends Tote by Fisher Price

This is a portable little toy tote that comes with a mama monkey, baby monkey, toucan, and a bunch of bananas. The mama monkey can be posed (legs click into different positions) and the bottom of each paw has a different textured pattern on it. The toucan and baby monkey are just the right size for little hands to grab and shake, and the bananas are a fun addition so you can pretend to feed the monkeys. I have found that infants between about 6-12 months enjoy the toys because they are great to chew on and easy to manipulate, older toddlers like the toys because they can carry them around apply simple play actions to the characters. Strengths: It's a toy that's easy to take with you and it can be used in different ways by children at different ages. Weaknesses: It can be difficult to get all of the animals to fit easily into the tote and sometimes the smaller toys (bananas, toucan, and baby monkey) easily fall out of the opening in the back of the tote.

Large Tangiball by Discovery Toys

Finally there is a large Tangiball by Discovery Toys! I've used the smaller, turquoise one for years and have always loved the soft, pliable feel of the ball paired with those wonderful little bumpy knobs that cover the surface. This is an excellent ball for young children who are still in the process of mastering ball skills like catching, kicking, and rolling. It's large enough to aim for but light enough so it's not difficult for little hands to hold. Strengths: Just about everything! I really like this ball and have found it to be a popular play choice for many of the children I work with. Weaknesses: Like the smaller version of the Tangiball this one is scented. The small ball smells like vanilla and most of the children I work with really enjoy that sensory aspect of the toy. This ball smells like strawberry and initially the fragrance can be a bit over whelming. I work with one little boy who is very sensitive to scents and I have to leave this ball outside of my room when I work with him because he gags when it's in the room. He's fine with the vanilla ball, but the strawberry scent seems to be a bit over powering for him. It will probably dissipate in time, but when the ball is new the scent is a bit much.

Chiming Charlie by Discovery Toys

This soft hanging toy is a cuddly friend for young infants and is a great toy to attach to a stroller! Each tentacle is made out of a different textured fabric and stuffed with materials that crinkle, squish, and jingle! There is a mirror on the bottom of the toy, so babies have lots of wonderful parts to explore! Strengths: It's a wonderfully interesting toy that is easy to attach to a mobile or stroller and it provides infants with a wide range of sensory activities. Weaknesses: It's a little bit on the big side and might be difficult for little hands to easily manipulate. But overall it's a fun toy that should provide babies and toddlers with hours of exploring fun.

Baby Beach Band by Infantino

This is a soft sided band set that lets babies bang, shake, and rattle without potentially hurting themselves with an instrument that has a harder surface. Strengths: The soft instruments are comprised of different textured fabrics: that crinkle, shine, and squish under little fingers. Because there are four basic instruments (five pieces) there is a lot of variety in the types of play that babies can engage in. Weaknesses: Because of the soft sides the drum can become a little misshapen if you stick into the bottom of a toy box. Where to Buy: It's really difficult to find this toy anymore, but I have seen acouple of them on eBay.

Amazing Animals Stable Friends Tote by Fisher Price

This is a wonderful, portable, and fun filled toy little stable that whose two horses and one chicken are just the right size for a toddler's hands. The mama horse has textured hooves, and when you bend her head she makes, neighing, whinnying, and clip-clop sounds. Strengths: The three animals and basket of apples can all be used for interesting pretend play scenarios. These toys can also be used easily with the other Amazing Animals farm play sets. Weaknesses: It can be difficult to get all three of the animals and the apple basket to fit inside of the stable if you want to get the doors to stay closed. The chicken (that sits on the nest in the back corner of the stable) often falls out of the window, so you need to keep a close eye on it if you take the toy outside. Price: $25 - $30. Where to Buy: This toy is no longer widely available in the regular retail outlets like Toys R Us, but you can find it online at Amazon and eBay.

Amazing Animals Sing Along Mummy & Baby Tiger by Fisher Price

This is a fun pair of animals for little hands to explore. The baby's legs and head click when you move them and the Mummy sings a little song about her baby when you turn her head. The paws on both Mummy and baby are textured, so children who enjoy exploring with their fingers or their mouths have something interesting to feel. The suggested manufacturer age range for this is toy is 3-7 years, but I have found that 2 year olds are much more interested in what these tigers have to offer than older children. Strengths: The toys are very easy to manipulate and they fit into the Amazing animals train and boat that I described earlier in the blog. Weaknesses: The play value is somewhat limited for this toy unless you combine it with some of the other Amazing Animal plat sets. The Mummy tiger also requires batteries and my tiger seems to go through them quickly. Price: $12 - $15. Where to Buy: You can find this toy primarily through online retailers like eBay, http://www.pennywisestore.com/. and Amazon.

Stack and Smile Crocodile by Fisher Price

If your little one likes blocks this toy is probably a good bet for you. The crocodile comes with 4 or 5 peek-a-blocks (blocks with little animals an objects inside of them) that can be stored inside the crocodile when the toy is not being played with. The blocks stack fairly easily on the crocodile's back and because they have a bristle-block texture on them they tend to stay stuck together pretty well. Strengths: The blocks are a nice size for little hands and the crocodile makes cute sounds when you put the blocks in the mouth or in the storage space on it's back. Weaknesses: The storage space on the crocodile's back doesn't latch, so the blocks spill out easily unless you keep the toy on a level surface. Price: Because this toy has been off of the market for a little while you can buy it used for about $10 - $12 online at Amazon, or if you want a new one you could pay up to about $70 (in my opinion, a bit over priced for the overall quality and play value of the toy). When it first came out it was priced between about $25 - $30. Where to Buy: Amazon or other online toy sellers.

Tumble 'n Twirl Top by Playskool

This toy is simple fun at its best for infants and toddlers starting at about 8 months of age! The brightly coloured, pump action toy keeps little ones interested as they push the plunger down to make the balls spin quickly around. If the balls are spun fast enough, they actually pop out of the spout on the top of the happy face. Another great feature of the toy is that the clear plastic cover on the front of the toy slides open and closed so the balls can be removed without having to shake the toy . Strengths: This is a very durable little toy that doesn't require any batteries. It's very easy for young children to operate and can be used for solitary play as well as more social games. Weaknesses: The toy is made primarily out of a hard plastic, which makes it easy to clean, but there are three little pieces of crinkly fabric at the top of the spout that can only be spot cleaned. Price: $16 - $21. Where to Buy: Like most Playskool toys the Tumble 'n Twirl Top is available at most major retailers that carry a wide selection of children's toys.

Amazing Animals Roll Along Musical Ark by Fisher Price

This is a fun addition to all of the other Amazing Animal toy sets. The ark is nice size and can comfortably accommodate several animal friends. It rolls easily on hard surface floors and the sounds it makes are not as annoying as some toys. Strengths: This is a great toddler and older infant toy because of the animals. They are a wonderful size for gripping and each of the larger animals has movable parts that click and make other fun sounds. Weaknesses: The rolling action of the ark doesn't work well on anything but a hard, flat surface, but that is fairly standard for most rolling toys. Price:$26 - $30. Where to Buy: The toy is difficult to find because I don't believe that Fisher Price is still producing it. However, there are some available through retailers like Amazon and eBay .

Amazing Animals Polar Friends Tote by Fisher Price

This is a cute and compact little toy that's easy to take along on car trips. It comes with three animal figures and an "ice" block that has a little fish that rattles inside of it. The Mama polar bear, baby polar bear, and penguin are a nice size for little hands to hang on to. Strengths: The Mama bear makes fun growling sounds when you push her head down and all four of the pieces fit neatly into the carrying tote. Weaknesses: It doesn't have great educational value as a toy, but it's fun to play with. Price: $20 - $24. Where to Buy: There aren't many of the Amazing Animals series of toys that are available in outlets like Toys R Us, but you still find it on Amazon and eBay.

Stacking Cups by Sassy

I've had these cups for a long time, so I'm not sure if they are even available any more, but they are a wonderful set of stacking cups. While there are only four of them, they still build a fairly decent sized tower and they are a great size for little hands to manipulate. Strengths: These are durable little cups and each one has a plastic ring around the rim that makes stacking a little bit easier. Weaknesses: There isn't a big difference in the size of each cup, so sometimes it's difficult for little ones to be successful when stacking them. Price: $8 - $10. Where to Buy: I haven't been able to find this exact set of cups in any of the usual on-line vendors, but Sassy does have a set similar to this called Stacking Sensations on Amazon. But since I haven't used that set I'm not sure how similar they are to these.

Bounce & Giggle - Pig & Elephant by Fisher Price

The Bounce and Giggle toys by Fisher Price are predictably fun for most young children. The idea behind these toys is that if you push the nose of the animal, it starts to play music, bounce, and vibrate. Strengths: The toys are bright and colourful (there is also a cow in the series) and they are made of durable plastic. They're easy on batteries and produce a big effect when activated. They can help to promote different developmental skills, such as gross and fine motor skills, eye tracking, cause-effect, and hand-eye coordination. Weaknesses: It is difficult for children to activate they toys because the switches that are located on the end of each character's nose are sometimes hard to find and require a really firm push to make the toy work. Price: $13-$15. Where to Buy: These are not readily available through major toy outlets like Toys R Us. I have found them on Amazon (but quantities are limited) and eBay.

Zolo Peeko by Kushies

This cuddly discovery cube is a great toy that promotes visual and auditory exploration in infants (6 months+). The brightly coloured fabric flaps lift revealing many hidden surprises like a peek-a-boo mirror and a singing song bird. There are multiple patterns and textures, including ribbons and crinkly fabric, for baby to explore. The bonus feature is a detachable plush character named Ozlo (I think it's a dog) that baby can play with independently of the cube. Strengths: The cube is roomy enough to be able to hide other toys inside of it so the toy remains novel for curious infants. Kushies has a great reputation as a toy company, so their products tend to be well made. Weaknesses: The chirping sound that the bird flap makes tends to wear out quickly (at least it did on mine), but the toy still holds lots of interest for infants without it. Price: $19 - $21. Where to Buy: I naturally found mine on Amazon, but specialty toy shops for children would probably carry the Kushies brand.

Discovery Blocks By Haba

This is a cute set of small wooden blocks that are perfect for little hands to explore (1 year +). Each block offers a different sensory activity to experience. These include: a rattle, peek-a-boo mirror, kaleidoscope, squeaker, jingle bell, and spinning ball. Strengths: They are great exploration blocks that are made of hard wood and finished in child friendly paints and varnishes. Weaknesses: They are a little on the expensive side for only six blocks, but they are so durable that the price can be justified. When cleaning them don't submerge them in water - in my first set of these blocks several of them cracked when I did this. Now I just surface clean them and they're fine. Price: $20 - $25. Where to Buy: Haba toys can be found at many specialty toy stores and Amazon also carries a wide range of their products.

Basic Skills Board by Melissa & Doug

This board is designed to teach children basic dressing skills (e.g., lacing, tying, snapping, buttoning, zipping, and buckling/unbuckling.) Each piece of clothing is mounted on a separate "puzzle piece" so it can be removed from the board and things can be rearranged. Strengths: Like all of the Melissa and Doug puzzles, this is a very sturdy toy. Weaknesses: Since the pieces of the clothing aren't secured to the base of the board they come out easily. It's difficult to teach the basic skills of buttoning, lacing, and snapping when the pieces aren't stationary. I glued the pieces into place and have found that the children I work with seem to enjoy the toy much more now. Price: $19 - $23. Where to Buy: Naturally the toy is available on Amazon, but you may also find it in specialty toy shops that carry the Melissa & Doug line of puzzles and toys.

Lace A Shape by Early Years

Putting beads on a string is an important developmental step for young children. Lace A Shape beads are a great way to help young children develop this important skill. The toy comes with 12 large, soft plastic beads an a long string with a hard 3 inch plastic "needle" designed to make lacing easier. Strengths: This is a wonderful toy to promote fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. The bright and colourful beads can help children learn about shape and colour sorting as well. Weaknesses: It can be difficult to get the needle through the hole in the bead. Since the beads are hollow, then needle sometimes gets stuck inside if the child doesn't push it through perfectly straight. This can lead to some very frustrating moments for an already impatient toddler! Price: $18 - $22. Where to Buy: I found mine at Lakeshore Learning, but I'm sure they would be available on-line through places like amazon.

Ocean Wonders Musical Fishbowl by Fisher Price

This is a great toy for children 8 months+ who like to drop objects into containers, and who eventually will become interested in dumping them out as well. The toy plays three soothing songs, makes calming ocean bubble noises, and lights up when turned on. It also rocks back and forth when the fish are dropped in. This is a simple and great cause-effect toy that helps children learn about the impact of their actions on a object. Strengths: It encourages the development of simple problem solving skills (figuring out how to activate the toy) and motor skills (learning how to grasp and release as well as encouraging sitting/balancing). Weaknesses: Some children tire of the toy quickly, but that's true of most toys. There are very few toys that appeal to every child all of the time. Price: $17-$20. Where to Buy: This toy is available at retailers like Toys R Us, WalMart, Target, and on-line through Amazon or the Fisher Price website (www.fisher-price.com).

Rain Forest Shake n' Chime Ball by Fisher Price

This is a cute addition to the Rain Forest line of toys by Fisher Price that is appropriate for young infants to play with. The chime ball moves easily and the little animals inside the ball gently rock back and forth when the ball is bumped by either a hand or foot. Strengths: This is a great toy for a young infant (less than about 6 months) and provides some great early learning exercises in cause-effect play. Weaknesses: The toy quickly becomes boring for slightly older infants, so the life of the toy isn't that great for the price you pay. Price: $12- $15. Where to Buy: This toy is available through most major toy outlets that carry Fisher Price Toys such as Toys R Us, WalMart, and Target.

Rainforest Nest n' Play Animals by Fisher Price

This is a set of three animal shaped nesting boxes that may be appealing to fairly young infants (3 mo+). Each box is shaped like a jungle animal and has lots of interesting textured surprises for babies & toddlers to explore. The elephant box has crinkly ear and a 3D butterfly and flower stitched to the sides of the box; the lion has a soft mane; and the zebra jingles. There is also a soft monkey that can be put in/taken out of the boxes. Strengths: They are a good size for little hands to grasp and are light weight enough that babies can easily manipulate them. Additionally, this is a quiet toy - no major bells, light, or whistles! Weaknesses: The boxes seem to be made out of a light weight cardboard so they don't seem to be all that durable. Additionally, there is limited play value for the toy because although you can nest the boxes (put them inside one another) they aren't easy to stack. Price: $14-18 Where to Buy: These are available on Amazon.