Play Talk

The Play Talk Blog shares stories, play ideas, and parenting resources to support growth, creativity, and joyful learning at every stage.

May 31, 2024

The Importance of Play

Attention parents and caregivers! Here from our team of child development experts as they share 5 key benefits to playing with your child and play's importance in social, emotional, and physical development.

May 31, 2024

Your Guide to Tummy Time for the First 6 Months

Discover how you can foster your child's development through brief, intentional tummy time play activities through the first 6 months of baby's life. Article by Dr. Beth Achterhoff, one of our resident child development experts.

August 20, 2018

Toys that Support Development for Newborns to 3+

No matter what age, your little ones are achieving developmental milestones. Here are a few of our favorite toys for fostering key milestones in your little ones.

August 1, 2016

Epic Summer Bucket List for Kids: 40 Fun Ideas

By: Kaila Weingarten, MS ED The summer is reaching it's end, but there is still plenty of time and ways to enjoy the remaining days of summer. Searching for som..

July 17, 2016

The Creation of MiO - Part 2 Becoming MiO

The Creation of MiO: Becoming MiO - Part 2 of a 3 Part series WHAT MAKES OUR PLAY ENVIRONMENT UNIQUE? There was much internal excitement, because we knew that w...

July 14, 2016

The Creation of MiO: Part 1 First Steps

The Creation of MiO: First Steps - Part 1 of this 3 Part series MIO – FIRST STEPS The original idea for MiO sprang from a series of events - a lecture at the Nu...

June 24, 2016

Building Blocks for Success: MiO Block Play

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.

June 16, 2016

Today's Forecast: 100% Chance of Indoor Fun!

All parents know that kids are happiest when they're playing outdoors. Unfortunately for them, and us, there are many days every year the weather just doesn’t cooperate. Even though we've reached the summer months, the rain and the heat can conspire against us to keep kids inside. You may be up for splashing in the puddles or bringing out a sprinkler, but for the days you would rather stay dry, check out some creative ideas for indoor fun. After all, a rainy forecast is never a pain when you use your imagination. When boredom strikes and you're stuck inside, a puppet show is always a safe bet. In my house, we keep a few puppets around that can be used to act out any sto...

May 12, 2016

Ages & Stages: Best Toys for Baby's Development

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...

April 6, 2016

“It’s not just Child’s Play”

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...

March 29, 2016

Move to Music

By: Kaila Weingarten MS ED Why is music so vital to children? Children are programmed to move. As infants, rocking and hugging children soothes them, and teaches them about the rhythm. Music appeals to children, and helps them develop in myriad...

March 7, 2016

Yes, You Should Buy Your Son His Very Own Doll

A boy snuggles with a wee baby stella doll and holds a magnetic pacifier.

December 21, 2015

Toys that Encourage Nurturing

The nurturing bond between mother and a child is something that spans years, cultures, and even species! Little ones are never too young to learn about nurturing, which is why our Nursing Nana and Nursing Nina are such great toys...

November 20, 2015

We’ve Got the Tools for Successful Tot Travel

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...

May 7, 2015

Puppet Playtime

Imaginative play is an important part of the development process. Through pretend play, children nurture a variety of necessary skills to succeed in life. Nurturing your child’s ability to exercise their imagination supports the development of different social, emotional and...

October 30, 2014

The Educational Perks of Having a Plush Pal

We take great pride in creating some of the very best plush critters on the market because we know many times a baby's first toy is a teddy bear or another soft animal creature. When shopping for a cuddly toy to gift (or...

October 15, 2014

How to Encourage Imaginative Play

Imaginative play is essential for children and their key to engaging and making sense of the world, because children learn best from experience: from what happens around them, what they see, hear, smell, taste and touch. To truly absorb these skills they need to act...

September 25, 2014

Playing with Baby

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...

August 21, 2014

Playful Learning

Spotlight: Preschool Teacher Mrs. Mandi Sauer shares how she prepares for the school year and the importance of play in the classroom Most schools in Minnesota start the day after Labor Day. It’s a busy time of year for students, but especially...

August 7, 2014

Family Road Trip Take‐Alongs

It’s not too late for a warm-seasoned family road trip of weekend vacation. Summer is still here! In fact, with the increase in flight prices more and more families are spending time on the road in order to vacation this...

July 24, 2014

The Stages of Play

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...

May 21, 2014

Play This Memorial Day Weekend!

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...

May 14, 2014

Playtime with Baby: A Simple and Beautiful Pleasure

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...

April 9, 2014

Boosting Self Esteem Through Pretend Play

When I was pregnant with my first child and learned I would be having a daughter, I made a few very important promises to both myself and my unborn little girl. I first vowed to teach her how to become...

July 25, 2013

Welcome Baby George Alexander Louis!

We're so excited for the royal family and the birth of George Alexander Louis! If we were invited to a shower, here's the top five gifts we'd give: 5. Sweet Pea Gift Set 4. My Snuggle Patches 3. Bababall 2. ...