Activity centres

Advice on what to look for when choosing an activity centre plus the developmental benefits of baby play stations explained.

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Baby toys > Activity centres

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It is in the first few years of life that the foundations for all future learning are laid. For this reason, the more experience your baby has of the world during this time, the better equipped they will be to build on this knowledge in the future. Activity centres help this initial learning process by stimulating the development of your baby's senses.

When choosing an activity centre you should look for one with lots of bright, contrasting colours to help stimulate your baby's vision, different textures to stimulate your baby's sense of touch and flashing lights and noises to help focus your baby's attention. An activity centre with a variety of different features and 'play areas' will help your baby to get the most of their new toy by encouraging hand eye coordination and helping them learn about cause and effect associations.

It is important that you check that the age range of any activity centre you purchase is suitable for your baby. You should also make sure that there are no small or sharp parts that could be hazardous. Additionally, as with any toy, you should ensure that your baby has a safe environment in which to play and is under constant supervision.