Category Archives: Toys

As parents something we always wonder and question is whether our baby is developing at a healthy rate. Here is a little glimpse at what to expect over the first 3 years. The Kleynimals toys are wonderful to encourage these developmental milestones. For example, the large ring of the Rattle is perfect for tiny hands to grasp, the Keys soothe sore teething gums while stimulating imaginations, and the Jangles keep busy little fingers occupied!

Starting at 4 months old your baby may reach for toys with one hand, batting at hanging toys, and shaking toys with their hands. This is the beginning of using their hands and eyes together. This is also the stage where many babies will start bringing hands to their mouth and following items from side to side. This is the perfect time to introduce the Kleynimals rattle, with a large ring it is easy for tiny hands to grasp and explore.

At 6 months old your baby will start to focus on nearby objects and is now capable of bringing objects to their mouth. Baby may also reach for objects that are just out of reach and will begin to pass toys from one hand to the other. This is when I find my babies start to love their keys, the cold metal is soothing on the gums while the sound they make is beautiful. Learning they can make noise when they shake an object is huge for their development.

By 9 months old babies develop preference for favorite toys, point to what they want, and may even look for things you hide. They can also now smoothly transfer toys from one hand to the other. All of the Kleynimals toys are perfect for hide and go seek. Shake the toy to draw baby’s attention and place it under a small lovey, baby will love peeking under the blanket to find their beloved toys.

Next, at 12 months old, babies will find hidden objects. In addition to placing objects into containers and taking them back out, this is also when babies love to bang objects together. With their increased awareness, babies love placing their toys into small baskets and dumping them out repeatedly. Another favorite activity is clapping hands together with bangles on their wrist. The musical nature of stainless steel captivates their attention while the cold texture stimulates their attention.

At 18 months pretend play comes to life. This is such a fun time and the perfect opportunity to introduce the Kleynimals keys as keys. Model them for starting a toy car or opening a door, place them into a purse or backpack, the possibilities are endless.

At 24 months your toddler will be able to find objects hidden under 2-3 covers, and begins to sort shapes and colors. Simple make-believe games are popular. Hand dominance may be apparent. The Kleynimals toys make the perfect objects for hide-and-go-seek.

Finally, at 36 months old your toddler can work with toys, buttons, and moving parts. They may also play make-believe with dolls, animals, and people. I find this is when jangles are the most enjoyed. The small beads and interlocking rings are perfect to keep fidgety little fingers busy.

If you are looking for more than toys Kleynimals also makes the most beautiful stainless steel utensils, I highly recommend them!

Montessori-Style Toys Foster Independence and Imagination

Kirsten Chapman

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You’ve likely heard about Montessori education, which was developed by Maria Montessori, an Italian physician and educator. This alternative education approach builds on the natural tendencies of children.

Montessori features readily available realistic play materials that are designed to help children relate to and process the world around them.

The Montessori Method of Teaching

Montessori education involves playful hands-on learning — children teach themselves through active exploration. The approach is:

Child-centric: Children are eager to learn and absorb the world around them. They are encouraged to play with age-appropriate items to help them learn from their environment and grow in independence.
Present tense: Children may repeat an activity over and over. A child is welcome to continue an activity for as long as they wish. In this way, the Montessori environment prioritizes the present and doesn’t look to the future or the clock to determine what comes next.
Reality-based: In the Montessori environment, you rarely find fantasy-oriented play. Instead, children are encouraged to use age-appropriate items that have a real-life purpose. For example, they have access to plastic knives to cut real bananas and feed themselves (versus feeding fake bananas to a stuffed animal).
Freely chosen: The Montessori setting offers a variety of materials for children to choose from (but not so many that they feel overwhelmed by the clutter). Children select activities that make them happy and keep their attention. Once they disengage from their selected activity, they choose another and work with it for as long as they wish.

Montessori Toys for Babies and Toddlers

Baby trying to open a door with a toy key

As a parent, I think it’s important to foster a Montessori approach from day one. We don’t have to wait for kids to enter preschool to help them develop their:
· Independence
· Imagination
· Self-discipline
· Love of learning

All you need are a handful of appropriate toys and daily interactions with your baby! At Kleynimals, we’ve designed several of our toys to mesh with the Montessori philosophy (and other holistic-education philosophies like Steiner and slow-learning):
· Flatware: In the Montessori environment, children feed themselves from a very young age. Self-feeding helps foster independence and fine motor skills. We designed our flatware to fit perfectly in baby’s hands.
· Keys: Babies love to play with metal keys. At first, it might be the sound or cool touch that interests them. Eventually, they may put them to use to “unlock” things around the house. We designed our clean key animals to stimulate the imagination and improve gross and fine motor skills.
· Rattles: As with our keys, the sound and cool touch of our stainless steel rattles will capture your baby’s imagination. Your child can wear the jangles around their wrist, so they feel like they’re wearing the jewelry mom does (Tip: You can also wear them as a bracelet when your child isn’t using it…no one will know!).

While my kids enjoy Kleynimals toys (obviously!), I know we aren’t the only company out there making Montessori-inspired baby toys and learning toys for toddlers. We make our toys from non-toxic, dishwasher-safe stainless steel, but other safe options include wooden puzzles, stackers and activity boxes. I also love wooden brushes with natural bristles.

Shop the Kleynimals lineup of Montessori toys. And give them as gifts whenever you can — I guarantee they will bring joy to the recipient over many years.

Autism Toys Help Kids (and Adults) Regulate Behaviors

Kirsten Chapman

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As of 2018, the prevalence of autism was one in 59 children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s reporting. A majority of people on the autism disorder spectrum have some level of a sensory processing disorder that makes it difficult to process sensory inputs like sights, sounds or touch.

If you’re the parent of an autistic child, you probably know that an autistic person’s brain receives and processes stimuli differently. Autism can make it difficult for your child to respond to stimuli the way a person who isn’t on the spectrum would.

Early intervention for autism using sensory toys

Early intervention with sensory integration therapy is remarkably effective at helping the autistic population handle everyday stimuli. Sensory toys that are fun and exciting help motivate kids (and adults) to engage in the world around them. Therapists use sensory toys for a variety of needs:

Occupational therapists use sensory toys, such as fidget toys, to develop fine motor skills, gross motor skills and social skills.
Applied behavior analysis therapists use autism toys for pretend play and to teach cause and effect.
Speech therapists use autism chew toys to encourage communication and for oral stimulation.

Fidget and spinning toys motivate autistic kids to modify behavior

Parents of autistic kids can use fidget toys or spinning toys to capture their child’s attention and deepen their relationship. They serve as a great reward when your child performs a task or modifies their behavior to be more desirable.

One prominent study showed that, after sensory integration therapy, kids ages 6 to 12 exhibited decreased autistic mannerisms, such as:

Avoiding eye contact
Repeating words or phrases
Being easily startled
Repetitive movements, like hand flapping or jumping

What makes Kleynimals products among the best toys for kids with autism?

Kleynimals Jangles®, Keys and Rattles are the ultimate toys for autistic children because they serve many needs — bracelet, rattle, chew toy and fidget toy. The interplay of the stainless steel materials is unexpected and delightful. As a result, with a single toy your child is processing multiple sensory inputs: Sound, sight and touch.

Helping people with developmental disabilities, like autism, is a core part of the Kleynimals mission. Since 2011, we have relied on the support of developmentally disabled adults at The Providence Center to help us prepare our product for retail.

If you are looking for autism toys, you can shop on our website. BTW, Kleynimals aren’t just for kids on the autism spectrum — they also make a great gift for adults on the spectrum. (For that matter, they’re great for any kid or adult who likes to fidget!)