Kids Prefer these Toys and Books

Reading to your baby promotes language development, which builds the foundation for future reading skills. At Mamanista, we love innovative products that encourage an interest in reading.

Kids Preferred focuses on bringing to life old favorite and new classic books for babies and toddlers. Instead of licensed characters that promote television programs, how about music, toys and plush animals from great children’s books?

Although Kids Preferred does manufacture their products in China, most of their toys are primarily fabric. All toys are tested to the highest domestic and international safety standards in the industry, and they are tested at the beginning, mid-point, and end of the manufacturing process. According to the CPSC, no toys manufactured by Kids Preferred have been recalled due to lead paint or other hazardous materials.

The Amazing Baby: Clap and Sing! Board Book was specially-designed for babies 6-18 months. Helpful tabs provide a visual cue for locating brightly-illustrated, animal-themed nursery rhymes like “Baa, Baa Black Sheep” and “Itsy Bitsy Spider.”

You can either sing the songs yourself or play the accompanying CD of musical nursery rhymes. I generally find baby CDs grating and annoying, but I didn’t object to this CD and even liked the version of “Old MacDonald Had a Farm.” I lent the CD to a friend, and she reported that her baby happily grooved to the tunes.

The CD was also helpful as I didn’t know the tune for some of the more obscure nursery rhymes, such as “Bobby Shafto” or “The Grand Old Duke of York.” You can find Amazing Baby: Clap and Sing! at Amazon for $7.94.

Amazing Baby also sells developmental toys that match the illustration-style of their books. My favorite is the Developmental Sound Photo Cube. This soft fabric cube (for infants up to 24 months) is a combination mirror, photo album of loved ones, and learning toy. It makes four sounds: a lullaby, a kissing noise, the word baby, and a giggle. The bottom peek-a-boo flap is made of crinkle fabric and opens to reveal an illustration of a baby. This brightly-colored cube has high-contrast colors and black and white patterns to entertain baby. You can find the Developmental Sound Photo Cube at Baby Center. The regular price is $19.95, but it is currently on sale for $16.99.

If your tot is too old for the Developmental Photo Cube, you may like the asthma-friendly plush toys from Kids Preferred. My favorites are the Asthma-Friendly Developmental Giraffe and the Asthma-Friendly Floppy Puppy. Both are is available at Baby Center. The regular price for the giraffe is $10.95, but it is currently on sale for $9.25. The puppy, which won the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award in 2007, is $17.95, but it is currently on sale for $15.29.