Baby Toys: soft blocks

Soft building blocks can be cuddled or played with for early forays into construction – especially once your baby can sit up, at about 7 to 9 months.

You and your child can play rolling games or practice first throwing without fear of breaking anything fragile in the sitting room. By around 10 months or so, your baby will delight in things ‘going wrong’ (teddy sitting upside down, mummy drinking from the toy teapot etc) so being able to build little towers to knock down will prove a popular game.

Stacking rings can also be useful to help your baby begin to solve first problems of balance and scale.

Sigikid Natural Love Organic Activity Cube, £19.99, birth+ A brightly-coloured organic cotton block with ribbon ‘feelers’ to engage little fingers. On each side of the cube there is a different scene – pretty pictures of a teddy, a fish, ladybird, caterpillar and other charming creatures, in soft velour. www.otoys.co.uk	Lamaze Soft Shape Sorter, £14.49, 9mths+ A great combination between a soft block to handle and play with, and a soft shape sorter with contrasting colours, patterns and several different textures to discover. www.lamazetoys.co.uk	Soft Activity Block Set, £17, birth+ A set of six vibrantly coloured activity blocks with letters for mummy or daddy to make shapes with, and different textures for baby to handle whilst building first towers. It comes with a canvas travel bag. www.silvercross.co.uk
Galt Fun Blocks, £7.19, birth+ This colourful set of four blocks can be put together in many combinations to make pictures or just to build a pretty tower. Use the cubes to talk to your baby as well as just playing. All are machine washable, and one block has a rattle inside. www.childrensgiftideas.co.uk	Baby soft blocks, £23, birth+ A funky take on baby play blocks from the USA company DwellStudio. This set of six super soft baby blocks are designed to stimulate the senses with their different fabric finishes and their jingles and rattles. It comes in a chocolate striped drawstring tote bag. www.littlebabycompany.co.uk	Brio My Very First Soft Blocks, £10.99, birth+ A slightly different take on baby blocks. The varied shapes of these super soft blocks allows you and your little one to make all kinds of towers and shapes. www.hellobabydirect.co.uk