Home > Blog > What is a clutching toy and why do babies love them? >
Toyjeanius recommends clutching toys to improve babies fine motor skills
There are many benefits to clutching toys for small babies. One of the more obvious benefits is that it teaches them to grasp items and keep hold of them while they move about. There are many clutching toys available on the market that are small enough to fit comfortably in baby's hand while still being large enough that they cannot put them in their mouths and choke. Many are made from fabric or smooth wood so that baby has something firm to grasp that will not hurt them.
Haba is the leading manufacturer of clutching toys sold all over Europe. They are a German toy company that makes all sorts of children's toys from wooden toys to fabric toys alike. All of Haba's wooden toys are made of beech wood or maple wood and are painted or varnished with a non-toxic, water based paint or varnish. This makes these toys safe even if they end up in baby's mouth. All Haba toys are made using bright colours so that they attract baby's attention and draw them in. One of our bestselling clutching toys is the Haba Jingle Train. This adorable toy features a colouful train on a flexible wooden ring and includes a small bell to encourage grasping and rattling. Other popular baby toys include the Haba Jungle Caboodle and the Haba Rainbow fabric ball.
Clutching toys are made using bright colours so that baby has something to focus on while playing with mum or dad. Bright colours are a great visual stimulant that signals to the baby that it is time to play, learn and grow. Many of these baby toys are made with simple designs and shapes; some even make sounds to attract babies attention. Toys with too many decorations detract from attempting to teach any sort of visual communication because the baby is unsure of where and what to look at.
Clutching toys are great for learning hand/eye co-ordination. The use of wooden toys that rattle or make click clack noises are especially good because it is easier to draw baby's attention back to you if they start to wander. Toys that have noisy moving parts are good for stimulating older babies as they become more interested in the connection between movement and sound. Grasping and holding objects is the main goal of using clutching toys, but careful choice of first baby toys will also help to develop the senses of sight, sounds and touch.
We stock a wide range of clutching toys and Haba baby toys.
Haba Rainbow fabric ball
