Play Talk

Do you have old fashioned blocks? Or have the simple building toys lost their appeal to snazzier toys? Here’s one rule to learn: The more a toy does, the less likely your child will be to use her imagination when playing. One milestone I assess in children is, “Can he stack seven blocks at age eighteen months?” I often wonder if children are missing this skill due to lack of exposure to blocks.

At Manhattan Toy, we find joy in making playthings for kids! Our wish is to create toys that become childhood favorites, but a lot of work goes into making unforgettable toys. Have you ever wondered what it takes to make a Manhattan Toy approved friend? Take a visual tour with us to see how our newest baby collection is coming to life! STEP 1: TREND RESEARCH The whole process begins with trend research. We travel the world, searching our surroundings for inspiration - store visits in Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Tokyo - trade shows in London, Paris, New York - along with trend forecasts and web research. This helps us to deve...

Child development is always a hot topic.  I mean, what parent doesn’t want to know how to nurture their growing baby?  Babies develop a wide range of skills within the first year of life.  From smiling to cooing, from rolling...

By: Kaila Weingarten MS ED Play is crucial to a child’s development. It helps build your child’s imagination, encourages socialization and communication, and enhances many other areas of your child’s development. Early childhood experiences have a dramatic impact, physically determining...

Kaila Weingarten, MS Ed We use our senses to learn every day without even realizing it. With your fingers you decide that the pot is too hot to touch without a towel. You answer the door after hearing the bell....

Kaila Weingarten, MS Ed You’ve seen the kid in the grocery with a little tattered piece of cloth. You shot weird looks at the mom, but when you have your own child, all you want is for them to have...

By: Kaila Weingarten, MS Ed When I was a young girl, there was one place I awaited going to eagerly. It was not the candy store. Nor was it the toy store. It was the library. I loved choosing from...

For a parent, road rage is something that doesn’t happen outside the car so much as it does in the back seat. A bored, tired or uncomfortable tot can be just as difficult on the road with as a crazy...

Playing?  With a tiny baby?  Some of you may be wondering exactly how to when humans are that young.  Babies are tiny and fragile - but not easily breakable.  And truly, playing is essential to a baby's development and initiating early...

Developing play skills is an essential part of childhood. Through play, typically-developing children acquire the skills necessary to communicate with others, express and understand emotions, physically manipulate a variety of items of all sizes, build strength and endurance, and gain...

By Manhattan Toy Editors The official kick-off to Summer is almost here, Memorial Day weekend. It appears that most of the US will have beautiful weather, for at least part of the holiday weekend, so make sure you and your family...

I admit: I love baby things.  Consider baby clothes, baby essentials, and baby toys my new obsession. (Gosh, how things have changed since being head-over-heels about stilettos.) However, I'm a mom now, and I'm proud to say my life now revolves...