I was there, nursery all ready, meals prepped in the freezer, sitting around on maternity leave waiting (and waiting and waiting - thanks for being 2 weeks late, baby!). My Google searches were out of control. You name it, I was searching for it. As a first-time parent, I wanted to make sure I was prepared for everything that was in my control.
The clothes were so cute, the nappy drawers looked like a Pinterest dream, and then I thought about the toys. Children and toys go hand in hand... oh no! I hadn’t gotten my baby any cuddlies or toys!
Again, back to Google I went and I searched for Newborn Baby Toys. Well, that search is uninspiring even on a sunny day. Black and white baby boxes filled with, what my Grandmother would so fondly call, ‘tat’. Wooden blocks, for a newborn, really? Cuddly toys that look sweet but as we all know from our own childhoods, the toy you become attached to isn’t the pristine perfect one that sits on a shelf from your early days.
So I left it. I didn’t add any baby toys to my baby shower list. I didn’t add any baby toys to a wish list. I went into parenthood toyless, because the internet was telling me it clearly wasn't something I needed.
If only I’d have known the benefits of having age-appropriate toys to hand when my baby arrived…
The first few weeks of parenthood are a total whirlwind, but for the most part the baby sleeps. However, overnight, these babies change! They fall asleep for a nap, get a software upgrade and wake up a new child with developed needs.
It wasn’t until my son was 3 months old that we really had any toys in the house and I really regret that. I think my time during the early part of maternity leave would have been better spent had I been armed with at least a few soft rattles, or toys that were interactive. But in my defence, they’re not easy to find! Heck, putting these Joyful Jellybean boxes together has meant I’ve needed to source toys from all over the world in order to find what I know parents need! So I will let myself off the hook for not having the time during those first months to do the research (let alone pay for the customs charges!).
It took me 6 months of working 3 full days a week, to research the toys you see before you now. I was meticulous in sourcing toys that would actually be useful to parents and babies because I’d be damned if I was adding to the box of useless ‘toys’ I’d been so uninspired with when I was searching.
So, if you’re pregnant and wanting to get some toys for your baby, you’re not going mad or being extra. It genuinely does help to begin practicing how to play with your baby from those early day, and having toys you know they can enjoy playing with for years to come is just an added bonus.
Like you, I didn’t have the time back then to find the right things, but I’ve done a heck of a lot of work to provide you with a fail safe baby toy range that is guaranteed to be enjoyed by the youngest newborn up to the liveliest toddler.
Have any questions about the range? Drop me an email and I’ll be happy to help.
I hope you love the toys as much as I do!
