In the selection of toys for infants aged 0 - 6 months, parents should focus on whether the toys can help the sensory, motor, and cognitive development of the baby. Kia Ora Baby provides parents with a series of carefully designed wooden toys, including many classic Montessori toys. They are important tools for early education and all-round growth companions for babies.

1、Montessori Education Method and Toy Design

The Montessori education method was proposed by the Italian educator Maria Montessori, emphasizing independent learning and sensory experience. Research shows that the baby's brain develops fastest in the first three years after birth. At this time, suitable educational toys can provide rich sensory stimulation for the baby and help its brain development (Montessori, 1912). The Montessori toys of Kia Ora Baby are designed based on this concept, aiming to promote the all-round development of the baby through multi-sensory play methods.

2、Toys Suitable for Newborn Babies

For newborn babies, in the selection of toys for infants aged 0 - 6 months, attention should be paid to the sensory stimulation and safety of the toys. The toy series of Kia Ora Baby, especially the newborn toys and newborn gifts, are carefully designed. They not only meet the needs of early infant development but also are made of natural wood, which is safe and non-toxic, suitable for the delicate skin of the baby.

1）Black and White High-contrast Cards (Visual Development)
Black and white high-contrast cards, as a typical representative of newborn gifts, are specially designed for newborn babies. Since the vision of newborns is not fully developed, research shows that babies have a stronger visual response to high-contrast patterns. By observing these cards, babies can promote visual development at an early stage and enhance their perception of the outside world (Hubel & Wiesel, 1968). These cards also belong to classic sensory educational toys.

2）Rainbow Baby Roller (Motor Coordination)
When the baby is 0 - 6 months old, the cultivation of fine motor skills is crucial. Research shows that the development of fine motor skills is closely related to the baby's cognitive ability and language ability in the brain (Diamond, 2000). The Rainbow Baby Roller is a simple and interesting toy that can help the baby exercise hand-eye coordination and cultivate the control ability of the hand muscles. The structure of this toy conforms to the principle of "learning by hands-on operation" in the Montessori education method, which can promote the baby's brain development and enhance their exploration desire and operation skills.

3）Magic Tissue Box (Tactile and Coordination)
The Magic Tissue Box is part of the sensory educational toys and is designed to help the baby develop tactile perception and finger coordination ability. During the operation process, the baby pulls the tissue to exercise the flexibility of the fingers and promote the development of fine motor skills. This toy can effectively promote the baby's exploration of objects and tactile response, conforming to the principle of "learning by operation" in the Montessori education method.
In the early stage of the infant, touch is a crucial sense. Scientific research shows that tactile exploration is crucial for the development of the cerebral cortex, especially the cultivation of finger flexibility and fine motor ability (Spelke, 1994).

4）Bead Rainstick (Auditory Development)
The Bead Rainstick is a toy that stimulates the baby's hearing through sound. When the baby shakes the beads, different sounds will be heard, thus helping the baby improve auditory discrimination ability. For educational toys, the Bead Rainstick is a typical design. It not only helps the auditory development but also stimulates the baby's brain development and cognitive ability (Stern, 2010).

The early development of hearing has an important impact on the formation of the baby's language ability. Kuhl (2004) pointed out that the baby is very sensitive to sound perception in the first few months after birth, especially highly responsive to changing sounds. The Bead Rainstick stimulates the baby's auditory perception by producing different sounds, helping them improve auditory discrimination ability and language ability. Research has found that auditory stimulation is particularly crucial for the development of cognitive functions in the brain (Stern, 2010), so this toy plays a positive role in the baby's cognitive development.

5）Educational Box (Multi-functional Stimulation)
The Educational Box is a multi-functional toy integrating Montessori toys, sensory educational toys, and parent-child toys. It contains a variety of operable parts, suitable for parents and babies to interact together, promoting language and emotional development. The baby exercises hand-eye coordination by pulling and pushing different parts in the box and at the same time enhances the brain's perception ability of different items. The design of the Educational Box not only meets the needs of the baby's development stage but also pays attention to the interaction between parents and babies, helping parents and babies establish a deeper emotional connection (Lamb, 2010).

3、Parent-Child Interaction and Emotional Development

Parent-child toys are specially designed to promote the interaction between parents and babies. They help parents enhance their emotional connection with the baby while accompanying the baby to play. Research has found that parental participation has a positive impact on the baby's language ability, social skills, and emotional development (Ginsburg, 2007). Through joint play, the baby can feel the love and support of the parents during the exploration process, which is crucial for the baby's emotional health.

In the growth process of the baby, choosing the right toys can not only bring fun to the baby but also is crucial for all aspects of its development. Especially in the early stage of 0 - 6 months, when parents choose toys, they should pay special attention to whether the toys can effectively promote the baby's sensory, motor, cognitive, and emotional development. Scientific research shows that suitable toys can provide rich sensory stimulation for the baby, help its brain development, and lay the foundation for later cognitive and emotional abilities (Shonkoff & Phillips, 2000).

The interaction between parents and children is one of the key factors in the development of the baby's emotion and social skills. Research shows that the interaction between parents and babies not only promotes the improvement of language ability but also enhances the baby's emotional regulation and sociality (Crawley & Green, 2017). Through joint play, parents can not only help the baby develop its cognitive skills but also strengthen the emotional bond and enhance the baby's sense of security and belonging. Scientific research further confirms the profound impact of parent-child interaction on the development of the infant's brain, especially in the process of early emotional interaction, the social brain area of the baby is significantly promoted (Hugles & Dunn, 1998).

4、Safe and Environmentally Friendly Materials

All toys of Kia Ora Baby are made of natural wood and do not contain any harmful chemicals. Compared with plastic toys, wooden toys are not only durable and environmentally friendly but also can reduce the impact of plastic on the environment. In addition, the texture and weight of wooden toys are very suitable for the tactile development of the baby, helping the baby better master the grasping and operation skills. All toys meet international toy safety standards to ensure the safety of the baby during play.

5、Why Choose Kia Ora Baby

The toy design of Kia Ora Baby fully considers each development stage of the baby. From newborn toys to educational boxes, each toy supports the sensory, motor, and cognitive development of the baby through scientific principles. The following are several reasons for choosing our toys:

• 1）Multi-sensory Stimulation:

Each Montessori toy focuses on promoting the all-round development of the baby through multiple senses such as vision, touch, and hearing.

• 2）Conforming to the Montessori Education Method:

The toy design follows the Montessori education method, helping the baby learn through independent exploration.

• 3）Environmentally Friendly and Safe Materials:

All toys are made of natural wood, non-toxic and harmless, and meet international safety standards.

• 4）Parent-Child Interaction Design:

Specially designed parent-child toys encourage parents and babies to interact together and enhance the parent-child relationship.

• 5）Age-appropriate Design:

The toys are designed according to the different growth stages of the baby, meeting the needs of toys for infants aged 0 - 6 months and helping the baby smoothly pass through each critical development period.

References：

• Montessori, M. (1912). The Montessori Method. Frederick A. Stokes Company. https://www.montessori.edu/

• Ginsburg, K. R. (2007). The importance of play in promoting healthy child development and maintaining strong parent-child bonds. Pediatrics, 119(1), 182 - 191.

https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/119/1/182

• Hubel, D. H., & Wiesel, T. N. (1968). Receptive fields of single neurons in the cat’s striate cortex. Journal of Physiology, 195(1), 215 - 243. https://www.jphysiol.org/

• Berk, L. E. (2009). Child Development (8th ed.). Pearson Education. https://www.pearson.com/store

• Wood, E. (2013). Child Development and Education. Pearson Education. https://www.pearson.com/

• Stern, D. N. (2010). The Interpersonal World of the Infant. Basic Books. https://www.basicbooks.com/

• Lamb, M. E. (2010). The role of the father in child development. John Wiley & Sons. https://www.wiley.com/

• Shonkoff, J. P., & Phillips, D. A. (2000). From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development. National Academy Press.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/b...