What seems like play to us, is a crucial lesson in physics to baby. Which is why toys, or their purpose are essential to development. A toy that defies all laws of physics will not aid your baby in his or her development. In fact, the toy in question might actually be detrimental to the growth of your baby. Why hang a mobile over the crib? I did. With my first. My reasons were; it was pretty, it played a lullaby, it looked like it would keep her entertained, it matched the décor. Really useless reasons.

Simply lying in the crib for an infant is already so stimulating. There is the sunlight dancing through the window, dust particles in the rays of light. There are sounds coming from all around the house, even from her own body. The sensations of the linens, the bumper, the quilt. The smells of lunch being prepared, the fresh cut grass outside, her bodily functions. She might have her fist in her mouth, tasting her fingers, feeling her finger nails with the tip of her tongue, or perhaps the corner of the blanket, her limbs are moving involuntarily, all over the place. There is a lot going on.

Now let’s add a mobile. How is it simply hanging above me? What if I don’t want to look at it? What if I can reach it, but it won’t come towards me when I pull it? What makes it spin when there is no breeze? We are not helping Baby discern gravity, engineering or her own point of view. What we are doing is enforcing our taste, our desire, our intention on her – with the simple, innocuous act of hanging a sweet bunch of crocheted elephants above her bed. When you break down such details it becomes clear that we Mamas unintentionally corrupt the exquisite, unique development of a tiny human being into the most beautiful version of self, by paradoxically trying to make our babies the most beautiful version of themselves!

So, with this new understanding, tried and tested toys that have been great additions to the development of a child’s fine motor skills, psychology and satisfaction are those of the Waldorf ilk. Popular for a century, these are not fads and merchandising, these “toys” are utilized to expound upon Baby’s already capable imagination, rather than to entertain.

My Pikler® son would play with a feather for 45 minutes. He would have been so overwhelmed if he had seen an iPad screen suffused with unnatural colors, dimension and sound. There’s plenty of time for technology later in their lives, his system needed to develop at his own rate. Why rush? What’s the hurry? Again we must slow down. The world moves so very quickly- this time of awakening to the planet can be gentle, soft, organic. Ask yourself who is the adult this baby will become?