Age-appropriate Meals for Your Baby

I know parents are always so excited when the baby is turning 6 months! However, prior to your baby turning 6 months, your baby should only be drinking milk and only milk since your baby has not yet physically developed to eat solid food from the spoon and they need milk to provide them with all the nutrients that are needed for their growth. Does not matter if they are breast or bottle fed with breast milk, formula milk or both. Only you can decide which is best for you and your little babe, momma! It’s a judge-free zone here at Babydash ❤

Soon when they are turning 6 months, then the fun food party begins! 🎉 Cause then she/he can finally join the family at the dining table 😁 Yay! But before you are out celebrating that exciting milestone by shopping tons of delish goodies for your baby, here are some tips I have prepared to make it easy for you!

I am no mind-reader, but some of you might be wondering, “How do I know that my baby is ready for solid foods?” Your baby’s readiness for solid foods is all depending on your baby’s rate of development. No two child is the same ☺ If your baby starts to sit up with minimal support, demonstrate good head control or even reach for food off other family members’ plates, then they may be are ready for solid food 🍽 Remember to check with your pediatrician before you start giving your baby solid foods!

When starting solid foods, it is best to give your baby one single-food ingredient meal at a time. Give the new food for 3-5 days before adding another new food to your baby’s palate. This way you can tell which foods your baby may be allergic to or can’t tolerate. Soft-textured foods are super important when first introducing foods. Your baby should start by having pureed or mashed foods when they are around 6 months. As they grow and develop chewing and motor skills, they are able to handle soft pieces of fruits and finger foods. A variety of yummier and heartier foods can later be introduced as your baby ages!

Here are some examples of age-appropriate solid foods that you can incorporate into your baby’s diet.

6 months:
– Well-cooked and pureed meat, poultry or beans
– Ground, cooked, single-grain cereal or infant cereal with breast milk or formula
– Cooked and pureed vegetables
– Mashed fruits

Only Organic: Banana Porridge

Heinz: Fruity Pear 

9 months:
– Well-cooked, minced or finely chopped meat, poultry or beans
– A variety of cooked vegetables cut into small, ½ inch pieces, such as squash and green beans
– Sliced and quartered bananas or small pieces of other soft fruits

Little Baby Grains: Junior Nutri-Colour | Natural White, Red Rice with Organic Millet

Organix: Raspberry & Banana Muesli 

12 months:
– Soft, shredded meat, poultry or fish
– Small pieces of cooked vegetables
– Small pieces of soft, easy to chew fruits
– Mixed food dishes the family is eating in appropriately sized pieces

Apple Monkey: Organic Germinated Brown Rice Puff – Chocolate Banana Flavour

Rafferty’s Garden: Mixed Berry Yoghurt Buttons 

It is also important to ensure that your baby is always sitting upright and face forward when eating. This makes swallowing easier and choking less likely to happen! And be sure to not feed your baby solid foods from a bottle. It can be a choking hazard and putting cereal in your baby’s bottle won’t help them sleeping through the night!

And there are tons of delicious recipes online that you can try. Here’s one homemade recipe that we shared on our Instagram previously, featuring Baby Natura’s organic brown rice which you can purchase here. Have fun, parents!

Say No to Messy Mealtime!

Mealtime with your baby does not have to look like a battleground every time, parents! Here are 5 mealtime essentials that I gathered that will make your baby’s mealtime mess-free (well, I hope!).

#1 Silicone bib

OXO TOT: Roll Up Bib

Silicone bib is A MUST! We do not want our baby’s cute clothes to be stained, do we? Silicone bib is easy to clean and super lightweight to wear. The soft, food safe pocket is wide enough to catch any stray pieces of food that miss your baby’s mouth. It is also great to bring out with you as it is so easy to store – simply roll the bib, secure closed, and chuck it in your diaper bag! Purchase one on Babydash website by clicking here.

#2 A bowl with a suction cup base

Boon: CATCH BOWL with Spill Catcher

You know how infants love to throw things around. A bowl with a suction-cup base is the way to go in handling this situation, parents! The bowl will stick securely so your baby can’t pick it up and throw at you. The best part about this bowl from Boon is it has a built-in food catcher that extends towards your baby creating a ramp that catches the food that doesn’t go into your baby’s mouth! So the food will end up going back into the bowl, so less mess and waste created. Click on the link above to purchase from Babydash.

#3 Ergonomic cutlery

Boon: MODWARE Toddler Utensils

An ergonomically designed cutlery is important for babies so they can grasp comfortably without dropping them. Boon’s utensils are an excellent choice for toddlers who aren’t ready to rock adult tableware, yet! There are no sharp edges which makes it definitely safe to use! They are also great for pretend sword fights 😉 Comes in 3 multi-coloured pairs per pack – so you will always have an extra pair! Purchase now on Babydash by clicking the above link.

#4 Sippy cup

B.Box: Sippy Cup 240ml/8oz

Sippy cup makes an ideal transition cup to train your baby from bottle/breastfeeding to drink milk in a cup. The sippy cup from b.box ensures that your baby can drink to the very last drop as its straw has a two-way valve that ensures easy drinking and NO leaks (so no mess! 😉). It’s the perfect cup at home and on-the-go. It also encourages independence with an easy-grip handle and simple flip-top lid. Shop b.box range on Babydash.

#5 Sturdy snack container

Boon: Snack Ball – Snack Container

Babies love to eat snack! Well, I do too! So am i a baby? LOL! Anyway this snack ball from Boon is the perfect snack container to have! Its rigid form will protect the snacks from crushing even if it’s being tossed around. You do know that we need to protect the snacks at all cost, right? 😂 A great travel companion for on-the-go snacks that doubles as a toy – I mean it’s a fun sphere-shaped container, it will be well-loved by your baby! Make your purchase just by clicking the link above!

There you go, parents! I hope you find this post somewhat helpful. Sure there are more choices on our website. So feel free to browse and make your purchase! Till then! Have a great day! ❤

The Importance of Age-Appropriate Toys

If you read my previous post (if you haven’t, then.. you better do it now!), you would already know that toys play an important role in your child’s development. The benefits toys give to a child are immense but in today’s post I’m gathering The Importance of Age-Appropriate Toys for you to read!

When purchasing a toy for your little child, do you normally look for the age recommendation label on the packaging? If yes, then you are doing great, sweetie! Age recommendation label exists as a result of researches done by manufacturers to specifically pinpoints the most likely groups that can and will enjoy specific toys, as well as which age can play with the toys safely. It also will prevent you from buying toys that are too old for younger kids which may cause harm to themselves.

Infants require specific toy recommendations to ensure their safety. Choose toys that are sanitary, washable, high-quality, and sturdy. You might want to ensure that the toy is not too heavy and have sharp or rough edges that can cause cuts and scratches. Babies especially love to put things into their mouths, well, they are a bunch of curious cats, we can’t blame them! To prevent choking hazards, it is best to buy toys that are not too small so babies can’t swallow them. Look for toys that are nontoxic and contain no harmful substances, such as lead paint.

Here are examples of toys that are suitable for infants:

Fisher-Price: Baby’s First Blocks

Fisher-Price: Laugh & Learn® Play & Go Keys

Toddlers are ready to play with toys that will them to start learning. This may includes games, puzzles, and art supplies. But we all know how toddlers are so cheeky with their antics and are explorers with their surroundings, hence you need to make sure that their toys are safe! Read the labels carefully and watch out for toxic substances, ensure that fabric toys are made of flame-resistant materials as well as wooden toys should not have splinters!

Suitable toys for toddlers:

Fisher-Price: Sort & Spill Learning Truck

Fisher-Price: Tap & Turn Bench

Preschoolers have longer attention span than toddlers. They can now focus on doing things a little bit longer than before. So their toys will keep them busy for hours so they won’t bug you every other minute! (Well, what a relief ha! 😂) Select toys that will aid them to continue their development while keeping them safe at the same time. Books, pretend play, and larger toys are some examples that can help to stimulate their imaginations and prepare them for school.

Here are some examples of toys that include pretend play for preschoolers:

The Learning Journey: Play and Learn Cash Register

Hape Toys: All-in-1 Easel

School-age children are older and now have better understanding of how to play their toys safely. They will no longer try to swallow small parts or even lick their toys at this age. You can now safely buy toys made for older kids, such as action figures, craft items, or even fitness materials!

Suitable toys for school children:

4M Kidz Labs: Make Your Own | Mini Animal Candle Making

4M Kidz Labs | Volcano Making Kit

Now that you know these facts you can now shop the right toys for the right age for your baby and relatives! In case you haven’t known it already, Babydash is having a special promo on Fisher-Price products. Check out the promo here.

Toys are Important for Children’s Development – True or False?

We all know kids love toys and one can never have too many toys, right? 😂 But is it true that toys are important for children’s development? Or is it just a marketing strategy used by these toy companies to sell their products? Well, the answer is true and it is not some ploy used by toy companies. Toys do play an important role in children’s development. How? Keep reading!

Even in the early development, a child’s mind is expanding just by looking around their environment and taking in their surroundings. Ever heard the saying “children are like sponges”? They are fast learners and absorb everything so quickly, hence why we adults must always be careful with what we are saying/doing when we are with them!

The use of educational toys as early as one-month old can help children learn a variety of different skills that will help them later in life! Educational toys can help them develop problem solving skills, teach about conflict resolution, and how cause and effect work. They also teach children about sharing, developing their fine and gross motor skills, and nurtures their creativity and imagination.

Here are some ideas of educational toys based on age range and the benefits they give to a child.

1-12 months old: At early stage, sensory play helps to stimulate your child’s senses. Sensory toys involving textures, sounds and bright, contrasting colours are great developmental choices for babies. As your child continues to grow and develop hand-eye coordination, you can start introducing toys that encourage more interaction. And as your little one becomes more and more active, problem-solving toys can be introduced. These toys will encourage them to learn through conflicts and become familiar with the cause and effect of how things work that will get them to think, “Oh, if I do this, then that will happen!”. Other great toys that can be introduced when your child are able to sit, push to stand independently and start to crawl are toys that promotes movements.

Here are excellent examples of toys that you can find on Babydash for your baby’s first year:

Skip Hop: Roll Around Rattle.
Purchase here.

Simple Dimple: Unicorn Battery Operated Musical Mobile.
Purchase here.

Fisher-Price: Play & Crawl Hedgehog Mirror.
Purchase here.

12-24 months old: As your child reaches their 1-year mark, they will become very mobile. Introducing the right toy will help to teach them balance and coordination. This newly acquired ability to walk will also expand their curiosity as they now can get from point A to point B on their own! To make your child to be familiar with numbers (even they could not really understand at this age!) is to incorporate learning numbers by counting their steps as they begin to learn to walk. Themed playsets are great educational toys to help develop your child’s recognition skills which can be introduced between the ages of 12-18 months. For instance, if you have an animal themed playset, practice what sound does each animal makes. This will also help in language development!

Here are some great finds of toys on Babydash that is suitable for your child between age 1-2 years old:

Fisher-Price: Musical Walker Lion.
Purchase here.

Hape Toys: Maple Blocks.
Purchase here.

LeapFrog: Spin & Sing Alphabet Zoo.
Purchase here.

2 years and above: When your child is a bit older and become more active, you can now introduce toys that promote physical play. When introducing scooter or tricycle, always ensure that they are aware of the safety measures such as wearing a helmet. This is also the perfect age to introduce to your child toys that encourage cognitive skill building. There are a lot of toys that can help your child to practice writing – whether drawing or even writing their own names! A lot of games and books can also help them developing name recognition and literacy skills. Reading books that have bright, colourful pictures and a few words on the page will get your child to begin to familiarize with how words they hear look on the pages!

Here are some examples of toys that can help promote physical play and cognitive skill building:

Scoot & Ride: Highwaykick 1.
Purchase here.

Crayola: My First Crayola Touch Lights.
Purchase here.

LeapFrog: Scoop & Learn Ice Cream Cart.
Purchase here.

Other than toys, technology can definitely assist with your child’s development. However, you need have a healthy balance of learning through technology and creative play. Parents need to limit screen time and let your child’s imagination wander creatively through playing with toys! Through playing, it also helps both parents and child to bond over a quality playing time. It will be so much fun and full of surprises as we watch them play!

Also to let you know that you can receive a foldable fleece blanket for FREE with any purchase of Fisher-Price products on the website. No minimum purchase is required. Promo valid until 20 September 2020 or while stocks last, whichever comes first. Check out the promo now!