Not only are the best stacking and nesting toys fun for your little one to play with, they are also a critical part of your child's development. These types of toys are some of the best toys for six to 12 month olds, and not only help your child to develop their hand-eye coordination, but also foster spatial awareness and problem-solving and help to improve your little one's understanding of size and shape too. Gripping the blocks will also give fine motor skills a good workout, and in the case of textured blocks, can be a great form of sensory play too.
Child development specialist Dr Amanda Gummer explains: "Activities such as building blocks, rattle play, exploring toys with levers and push buttons can enhance skills of grasping and manipulating, especially when there are different sizes, textures and shapes to explore." She adds: "You can stimulate a baby’s curiosity with interesting things to see and hear whilst playing. Brightly coloured toys and images hanging from cots or on floor mats will all help encourage creativity and provide simple entertainment for little ones."
