As a new mom, I'd done my fair share of "nervous wreck," middle-of-the-night googling, poking around the dark corners of the internet in search of advice — advice that would tell me how, exactly, I should be spending time with my brand-new daughter. I'd learned the best thing I could possibly do was talk to her, but what was I supposed to be talking to her about? And I'd learned the second-best thing I could do was read to her, but what was I supposed to be reading to her? And where did toys fit in?
Dark corners of the internet, do you know?
There's no shortage of questions for a millennial mom [1] to ask herself. They swirl around in the brain, sticking to our thoughts, making us worry — worry that while we're talking to our babies and reading to our babies, there's some trick to it we've missed, some instruction that indicates that we're doing it all the right way.
Earlier this month, Lovevery [2], a company that designs play products for parents, introduced Play Kits, a subscription-based system of science-based toys for a baby's first year. I was lucky enough to test-drive one with my 5-month-old daughter, and it immediately sent those whirling fears of mine packing. Though it's a tad pricey at $36 a month (or $72 per box because it ships every other month), you're not just paying for stuff. You're paying for the right stuff.
Even if you're not as insecure of a parent as I am, the kit can't help but make you feel as though you're (finally) playing with them in a smart way.
Read on to learn what exactly comes in a Play Kit.
The Play Kits are sent out by age
In order to subscribe, parents sign up and receive a box every other month that focuses on age-appropriate development. Each kit comes with a guide and a smattering of toys and gizmos that are compatible with your child's age (and it's all backed by research).
My daughter was 5 months at the time we got our Play Kit, so we received The Sensor.
The Tissue Box
I learned that babies love to pull tissues, as it's a way for them to explore the concept of containment. I set this down in front of my daughter, and she immediately went to work. The tissues have small holes on the ends that connect them all together, so when she pulls at it, it sort of looks like a magician's trick.
Montessori Ball and Wobbler
The Montessori ball is designed to help babies with coordination, and the wobbler helps them build the necessary core strength that they'll need for crawling and walking.
"Parts of Me" Book
Inside the pages of Parts of Me are beautiful images of babies. You can help your child expand their vocabulary and learn parts of the body, like "ear" and "legs," by pointing them out as you read through the book together. This might've been my favorite activity to do together.
Play Socks
Babies build body strength, learn control, and, most importantly, discover their feet with these play socks. Little crinkly attachments that grab their attention jut out from the toes.
You'll also get . . .
- A play guide with research that explains the whys (if you want to know)
- An organic cotton bib, because that first solid meal is right around the corner
- Their first spoon
- A tote bag to keep it all together
After using The Sensor with my daughter, I could stop googling to find out what the "best" rattle for her might be or the best toy. Rather, I was receiving the type of instruction that I needed all along.
I no longer worry about her development because I feel like someone's guiding me. And that makes me a confident parent.