Why We Started The Garden
At Bright Bean, we believe that every toy should do something — teach something, build something, open something in a child's mind. The Garden is where we share the thinking behind that belief.
Every article is written with one goal: to give you, as a parent or caregiver, the knowledge and confidence to choose play experiences that genuinely matter for your child's development. No fluff, no filler — just useful, practical content grounded in early childhood development research.
Published monthly. Written by the Bright Bean team in Richmond Hill, Ontario. For Canadian families raising curious kids.
Featured Article
The Garden
The Best toys for your 6 month to 12 month old baby to develop and learn from
My daughter just turned one. When I look back over the past year, I see how my role as her parent changed as she grew. Of course, as first-time parents, we only had a fuzzy picture of what we were meant to be doing. Luckily, for us and for all parents of babies and toddlers, we’re not the ones responsible for our kids’ progress. We’re not Chief Development Officers. We’re barely even coaches when it comes down to it. At best, we’re cheerleaders. Or teammates with a little more experience. If your kids are anything like my daughter, they’ll bounce from toy to toy, spot to spot, activity to activity. They'll snap from glee to frustration to awe in a matter of seconds. The best thing we can do is let all that happen and respond to each action, each emotion, and each achievement. Celebrate new actions. Commiserate frustrations and encourage perseverance. Play little games. Ask questions. And, of course, cuddle. So that said, here are 5 of our favourite and best toys that you can use to help your little one develop and learn: Melissa & Doug Fishbowl Fill & Spill Lamaze Daisy Dino Yookidoo Gymotion Lay to Sit-Up Play Vtech Push & Explore Elephant B. Toys Wonders Above Activity Quilt
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