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As a parent, you want to provide your baby with the best toys to support their growth and development. With so many options on the market, knowing which materials are safe and beneficial for your child can be challenging.
Silicone is a popular material used for baby toys, but it has pros and cons. On one hand, silicone is easy to clean, non-toxic, and durable. But on the other hand, good-quality silicone toys tend to be more expensive than other options and get hot if left in direct sunlight or near a heat source.
So, do the pros outweigh the cons? Let's talk about it so you can decide whether you want to give your little one silicone baby toys.
What is Silicone?
Silicon is one of Earth's most abundant elements. When reacted with methyl chloride and then with water, you get silicone polymers incredibly resistant to high heat and low temperatures. That resistance to temperature makes silicones useful in everything from health care to textiles to transportation to electronics (source).
Construction, tools, cooking, kid toys, a Mars rover---you name it---a type of silicone is likely already employed somewhere in that context. But why? Simply put, silicones can take a lot of heat, cold, and ultraviolet radiation, while also being flexible and moisture resistant (source).
Even more impressive is that the flexibility of different silicones means they can replace less sustainably produced materials in vehicles, electronics, solar panels, keyboards, cell phones, and many, many other modern, everyday conveniences.
Is Silicone Safe for Humans?
Study after study has shown that silicone is indeed safe for humans, from silicone teethers and bottle nipples for babies to surgical implants and cookware (source).
Though made of silica dug out of the Earth, one should consider silicone to be something between synthetic rubber and a synthetic plastic polymer due to how it is created. That's because factories must process the silica to form silicon, which, after more processing, becomes siloxane (silicone).
Moreover, the backbone structure of silicone is silicone, oxygen, and hydrocarbons, not purely raw, organic material. But this is precisely what makes silicones stable: they don't break down easily.
Silicone stability is highly sought-after in the medical field, where implants and equipment really don't need to chemically break down in the midst of an operation or medical procedure. And no one wants anything leaching into a person's bloodstream, either.
Some silicones are not suitable for human health, particularly low-molecular weight silicones or high-quality silicone that has been filled or mixed with low-quality silicone. Such silicones can actually seep through your skin and build up in your system but are still considered either totally non-toxic or toxic to a very low degree (source).
Is Silicone Safe for Infants?
High-quality silicones, which are high-molecular-weight silicones free of impurities, are considered safe for the medical field. You can also call these "medical-grade silicones." A step below is food-grade silicones, rated for their stability in cooking and food processing (source). Both of these silicone grades are common in baby products, teethers, toys, and bottles.
But how do you know if a silicone toy is high-quality silicone? Pinch a part of the toy and twist it. If it turns white, then there is likely a filler in the silicone, and therefore, not to par safety-wise. Additionally, if a clear silicone bottle nipple gets cloudy, then it is best to replace it with a new one.
If you want to be absolutely above any potential problems with silicone baby products, don't let them get super hot, like in an oven, on a heating element, or on the dashboard of a car in the summertime. You can check the maximum temperature recommendation to keep your silicone products from getting hot enough to pass on chemicals (source).
Moonkie's Silicone Products
At Moonkie, we are well aware of silicone quality. We seek to design practical, durable silicone baby products, and that all starts with choosing high-quality, food-grade silicone. We never mix food-grade silicone with lower-quality silicones to ensure little ones have safe toys, teethers, and dishes.
When you examine a Moonkie silicone baby toy, teether, or other product, you will see that it passes the pinch test, has no oily patches, and has no stickiness. As one of the most flexible, durable, and safe materials available to humans, silicone is far better than plastic baby toys.
Though not a "100% natural" material, such as rubber, food-grade silicone is a polymer mostly made from sand (silica) and is non-toxic to humans. Read on to learn more about the benefits of silicone baby toys.
Pros of Silicone Baby Toys
The pros of silicone baby toys are plentiful! Silicone is durable, flexible, easy to grasp, and clean.
Here is a list of silicone baby toy pros and a quick comparison to other common materials.
Safety
One of the main advantages of silicone baby toys is that they are non-toxic and safe. Unlike plastic toys, silicone toys do not contain any harmful chemicals such as BPA, phthalates, or PVC.
Compared to wooden baby toys, silicone toys hold up much better to little teeth because they don't dent or splinter when chewed on.
The closest comparison to silicone baby toys is natural rubber, which, though natural, eco-friendly, and softer does not stand up to silicone's durability and cleanliness standards.
For example, natural rubber is not nearly as temperature-resistant as silicone and can be slowly reformed over time (especially pacifiers). Moreover, natural rubber doesn't last as long as silicone as it begins peeling or becoming sticky with wear and tear, especially rubber teethers and pacifiers.
And if you or your little one has a latex allergy, natural rubber baby toys, teethers, and pacifiers may cause issues.
Cleanliness
Silicone baby toys are outstanding for cleanliness because they are odor and stain-resistant, hypoallergenic, and easy to clean. You can simply wash them with soap and warm water or put them into the dishwasher.
If you have furry family members at home, their hair will not stick to your little one's silicone baby toys. Did they get left outside for a couple of days? No problem!
Should your dog or cat chew on your baby's silicone toys, don't worry! Give them a good wash or boil them for five minutes on the stove to sterilize them. Once cool and dry, baby can have them back!
Even better, silicone baby toys are less likely to get moldy or develop bacteria, making them a hygienic choice for your baby.
Wooden and plastic toys just cannot be cleaned as well as silicone. With too much cleaning, wooden blocks will either chip off paint or soak up water. Plastic toys cannot withstand heated cleaning or sterilization without weakening or leaching chemicals.
Durability and Versatility
Silicone baby toys resist damage and can withstand rough play and chewing. They are less likely to break or crack than plastic or wooden toys, which means they will last longer and save you money in the long run.
Silicone can be molded into all kinds of shapes and textures, making it practical for different stages of development. To read more on what works for each early stage of your little one's development, read our article From Teething to Tummy Time: The Top Sensory Toys for Every Stage of Babyhood.
By carefully choosing baby toy designs, you can have a set of silicone baby toys that your infant can explore early on, teeth on in her teething stage, stack as a crawler, carry around as a toddler, and build with as a young child. This long-lasting fun and versatility is one of our joys in designing Moonkie silicone baby toys.
If your pet punctures a toy, however, you should replace it to avoid bacteria hiding spots and keep your curious little one from digging into those holes when more adept and able to break little pieces off.
Soft and Gentle
Silicone baby toys are soft and gentle to touch, making them ideal for teething babies. They are also less likely to cause injury if your little one accidentally hits himself or someone else with the toy.
The softness also makes silicone baby toys exceptionally graspable for tiny hands, which builds hand-eye coordination and builds hand muscles.
Cons of Silicone Baby Toys
No guide on silicone baby toys would be complete without a quick overview of the cons of silicone baby toys. Knowing the facts will help you weigh what is best for your baby.
Here are a few common cons parents have for silicone baby toys.
Cost
One of the main drawbacks of silicone baby toys is that they can be more expensive than other types of toys. Silicone is a high-quality material that is durable and safe for babies (and the higher the grade, the more costly it is).
However, the cost of silicone baby toys is justified by the fact that you will not need to replace them as often. If you intend to have more children, silicone is the way to go!
Not Eco-Friendly
Silicone baby toys are not eco-friendly because they are not biodegradable. This means they will not decompose and will remain in landfills for a long time. This concerns environmentally conscious parents who want to reduce their carbon footprint.
The counter to this is, of course, the durability of the silicone baby toy. You can get years of entertainment for multiple kids out of one silicone baby toy. And, if it has no pockmarks, punctures, or cracks, then you can pass it along to a new family once your kids have outgrown it.
If a silicone baby toy does become damaged, you can take it to a special recycling facility. You cannot put it in your regular recycling because it takes a unique process that most normal recycling facilities do not do. You can call your local recycling center for options locally or mail your used silicone to a silicone recycling program.
Unfortunately, silicone can only be recycled a certain number of times and loses quality with each recycle. However, it can be ground up and used in playground mats, track surfaces, or machine oil.
Chemical Fillers
Not all silicone baby toys are created equal. Some are mixed with lower grades of silicone to keep manufacturing costs down or filled with a silicone gel for teething. Both of these are unsafe for your little one.
As mentioned earlier, "food-grade" and "medical-grade" silicone are the safest grades for humans. They are the most durable, free of impurities, resistant to temperature, and less likely to release siloxanes into the body.
Silicone gel fillers for gel teethers are comfortable for teething babies and, after being chilled in the fridge for thirty minutes, even deliver a cool teething treat for sore gums. However, if your little one manages to puncture the outer silicone (which would be surprising), he or she would likely ingest some of that gel.
If your baby prefers silicone gel teethers, make sure you keep a close eye on him or her to avoid anything like that happening!
Heats Up
Silicone toys can become hot if left in direct sunlight or close to a heat source for a time. So, if your little one grabs a hot toy, it will be an unpleasant surprise!
To avoid this, make sure silicone toys are brought inside soon after playing outdoors or riding in the car. Furthermore, never directly place them on a stove, furnace, or other heating element! You can boil silicone baby toys and teethers on the stove for up to five minutes, but ensure they cool down before giving them back to your baby.
Potential for Choking
As with any toy, there is a risk of choking if a baby manages to bite off a piece of the toy. You can get around this by choosing smart designs: no small parts to bite off, texturing that doesn't stand tall, and no small individual pieces.
For this reason, teething jewelry is a bad idea!
Comparison to Other Materials
When compared to other baby toy materials, silicone is simply excellent. When cared for properly, it's the best of nearly every category combined!
Check out this chart to see what we mean:
HEORSHE are exported all over the world and different industries with quality first. Our belief is to provide our customers with more and better high value-added products. Let's create a better future together.
Category
Wood
Rubber
Plastic
Silicone
Safe
Easy to Clean
Durable
Versatile
Cost
Eco-friendly
Safe: How safe a toy is by common safety standards
Easy to Clean: Ease of cleaning thoroughly
Durable: A toy's unbreakability
Versatile: The range of designs, colors, and textures available
Cost: Cheap upfront or cheap cost-per-use (i.e. greater durability is cheaper with more uses)
Eco-friendly: Biodegradability or recyclability
Tips for Choosing and Using Silicone Baby Toys
Tips for choosing and using silicone baby toys come down to the silicone's grade, the toy's design, regular cleaning, and looking for signs of wear and tear.
A silicone baby toy is well worth the cost if you opt for a safe design that will engage your little one in multiple stages of development and has no pieces that can be bit off easily. Try as you might; your little one is bound to chew on each toy at some point.
As a general rule of thumb, washing your little one's silicone baby toys once a week with warm water and soap (or in the dishwasher) is a superb way to safeguard your baby's health and prevent bacteria buildup. More frequent washing is a good idea during cold and flu season or when you have other little friends visit.
If you want to know more about choosing and caring for silicone baby teethers, check out our article Are Silicone Baby Teethers Safe? What You Need to Know.
In a Nutshell
Silicone baby toys can be a safe and durable option for parents looking for toys that support their child's development. However, as with any material, there are pros and cons to weigh when making your decision. By understanding the benefits and drawbacks of silicone toys, you can make an informed choice that meets your child's needs and preferences.
As babies grow into toddlers, they're introduced to a whole new world. Their senses are overloaded with new sights, sounds, textures, and tastes. For kids, mealtime is more than a time to eat food; it's a time to enjoy new experiences. It's a time of play, laughter, and curiosity. Eventually, you'll want to introduce your child to their own tableware, including baby bowls, plates, cups, forks, and spoons. When your little one is old enough, adding these elements adds a whole new dimension of interest to eating.
Letting your little one feed themselves has many benefits:
Choosing the Right Tableware
Choosing the right tableware for your baby isn't complicated, with many options available. However, not all products are created equally. You'll want to select tableware that is not fragile or breakable and doesn't contain any part that is a potential choking hazard. You may even consider a baby bowl that suctions to your table's surface to prevent any major messes. Consider purchasing something made of safe, eco-friendly, and high-quality materials to ensure your babys health and safety.
Things To Consider
Before settling on your child's new tableware set, there are a few things you will want to consider to ensure you are getting the most for your money.
Colour
Scientifically, colour is important for kids. Children are attracted to brightly coloured objects as they stand out in their field of vision. This is extremely important as they learn to categorise things and distinguish forms. Choosing colourful bowls and other tableware essentials may optimise your child's focus, helping them get the most out of mealtime. It may also make them more likely to eat what's in front of them if their tableware is in their favourite colour!
Portion
Choosing tableware that helps you remain aware of your child's eating habits may be critical for proper growth and development. It's essential to track what kinds of nutrients your child is getting so you can ensure they are staying healthy. You may consider a divided plate to keep things organised, which will help you identify what your child is loving and what they're not.
Suction
If you already have a baby, you know it's not uncommon for your perfectly crafted plate of food to be thrown straight to the floor for the dog to enjoy. This messy problem is easily solvable with tableware that suctions to your table, such as a child-friendly suction bowl. Strong suction will make it difficult for your child to move and pull off, which means less stress and mess. However, we can't promise your baby won't throw their food on the floor sometimes, as this is usually a normal part of kids learning the law of cause and effect.
Sensory
Odds are, your growing little one is all about sensory experiences right now. They love to chew, suck on, and touch anything in their line of sight. When choosing which tableware is right for you and your child, you'll want to choose a soft, flexible material, such as a silicone bowl.
Is Silicone Safe?
Yes, silicone is a safe material for your favourite baby products. Silicone is soft and flexible yet firm, ensuring that your products last throughout your child's growth. Silicone is also dishwasher safe, making it incredibly easy to clean. It also comes in a wide variety of colours and shapes, ensuring that there is something your little one will be interested in.
Silicone is also oven-safe, microwave-safe, and freezer-safe, making it an incredibly versatile and functional material.
About Brightberry
Brightberry products are made with complete practicality and functionality in mind. After experiencing the frustration of low-quality baby tableware herself, Brightberry founder Mateya wanted a better solution for mums everywhere. She put her industrial design experience to work, thinking through every aspect of her products. The goal was to create something cute and optimally functionalso that's exactly what she did.
Brightberry is a family-owned business run out of sunny Queensland, Australia, by Mateya and her husband. She is originally from Slovenia and loves to live on the beautiful Sunshine Coast with her husband, son, and daughter.
For Busy Families and Independent Children
At Brightberry, we know that independence is crucial for proper childhood development, which is why all our products promote self-feeding. Our suction bowl design features inwardly curved walls that make scooping a breeze, while our spoons' arched design is ideal for grasping. The super-strong suction base of our products aims to keep mealtime messes in check so everyone is happier.
Eco-Friendly Products For Responsible Consumers
We are committed to minimising our environmental impact by using recycled materials and eliminating waste. We are proud to offer your choice of 100 per cent recyclable or zero-waste packing. Our silicone bowl and other products are durable and able to maintain their quality forever, reducing the environmental impact of cheap, easily breakable materials.
We are also proud to offer a take-back initiative, available to you as soon as your little one grows out of their tableware. In partnership with the QLD charity Baby Give Back, we now accept your used Brightberry products to be donated to a good cause. If your tableware is no longer usable, we will recycle it properly.
Brightberry Quality, Functional Tableware For Your Baby
As your baby enters a wondrous world of discovery, they deserve functional products that inspire them to be proud and independent. Brightberry is happy to bring you baby bowls and other incredible products that make mealtime a breeze. Brightberry tableware is everything your child needs for happy growth and experience in mealtime, from soup to cereal to spaghetti to mac and cheese.
As a parent, you want to provide your baby with the best toys to support their growth and development. With so many options on the market, knowing which materials are safe and beneficial for your child can be challenging.
Silicone is a popular material used for baby toys, but it has pros and cons. On one hand, silicone is easy to clean, non-toxic, and durable. But on the other hand, good-quality silicone toys tend to be more expensive than other options and get hot if left in direct sunlight or near a heat source.
So, do the pros outweigh the cons? Let's talk about it so you can decide whether you want to give your little one silicone baby toys.
What is Silicone?
Silicon is one of Earth's most abundant elements. When reacted with methyl chloride and then with water, you get silicone polymers incredibly resistant to high heat and low temperatures. That resistance to temperature makes silicones useful in everything from health care to textiles to transportation to electronics (source).
Construction, tools, cooking, kid toys, a Mars rover---you name it---a type of silicone is likely already employed somewhere in that context. But why? Simply put, silicones can take a lot of heat, cold, and ultraviolet radiation, while also being flexible and moisture resistant (source).
Even more impressive is that the flexibility of different silicones means they can replace less sustainably produced materials in vehicles, electronics, solar panels, keyboards, cell phones, and many, many other modern, everyday conveniences.
Is Silicone Safe for Humans?
Study after study has shown that silicone is indeed safe for humans, from silicone teethers and bottle nipples for babies to surgical implants and cookware (source).
Though made of silica dug out of the Earth, one should consider silicone to be something between synthetic rubber and a synthetic plastic polymer due to how it is created. That's because factories must process the silica to form silicon, which, after more processing, becomes siloxane (silicone).
Moreover, the backbone structure of silicone is silicone, oxygen, and hydrocarbons, not purely raw, organic material. But this is precisely what makes silicones stable: they don't break down easily.
Silicone stability is highly sought-after in the medical field, where implants and equipment really don't need to chemically break down in the midst of an operation or medical procedure. And no one wants anything leaching into a person's bloodstream, either.
Some silicones are not suitable for human health, particularly low-molecular weight silicones or high-quality silicone that has been filled or mixed with low-quality silicone. Such silicones can actually seep through your skin and build up in your system but are still considered either totally non-toxic or toxic to a very low degree (source).
Is Silicone Safe for Infants?
High-quality silicones, which are high-molecular-weight silicones free of impurities, are considered safe for the medical field. You can also call these "medical-grade silicones." A step below is food-grade silicones, rated for their stability in cooking and food processing (source). Both of these silicone grades are common in baby products, teethers, toys, and bottles.
But how do you know if a silicone toy is high-quality silicone? Pinch a part of the toy and twist it. If it turns white, then there is likely a filler in the silicone, and therefore, not to par safety-wise. Additionally, if a clear silicone bottle nipple gets cloudy, then it is best to replace it with a new one.
If you want to be absolutely above any potential problems with silicone baby products, don't let them get super hot, like in an oven, on a heating element, or on the dashboard of a car in the summertime. You can check the maximum temperature recommendation to keep your silicone products from getting hot enough to pass on chemicals (source).
Moonkie's Silicone Products
At Moonkie, we are well aware of silicone quality. We seek to design practical, durable silicone baby products, and that all starts with choosing high-quality, food-grade silicone. We never mix food-grade silicone with lower-quality silicones to ensure little ones have safe toys, teethers, and dishes.
When you examine a Moonkie silicone baby toy, teether, or other product, you will see that it passes the pinch test, has no oily patches, and has no stickiness. As one of the most flexible, durable, and safe materials available to humans, silicone is far better than plastic baby toys.
Though not a "100% natural" material, such as rubber, food-grade silicone is a polymer mostly made from sand (silica) and is non-toxic to humans. Read on to learn more about the benefits of silicone baby toys.
Pros of Silicone Baby Toys
The pros of silicone baby toys are plentiful! Silicone is durable, flexible, easy to grasp, and clean.
Here is a list of silicone baby toy pros and a quick comparison to other common materials.
Safety
One of the main advantages of silicone baby toys is that they are non-toxic and safe. Unlike plastic toys, silicone toys do not contain any harmful chemicals such as BPA, phthalates, or PVC.
Compared to wooden baby toys, silicone toys hold up much better to little teeth because they don't dent or splinter when chewed on.
The closest comparison to silicone baby toys is natural rubber, which, though natural, eco-friendly, and softer does not stand up to silicone's durability and cleanliness standards.
For example, natural rubber is not nearly as temperature-resistant as silicone and can be slowly reformed over time (especially pacifiers). Moreover, natural rubber doesn't last as long as silicone as it begins peeling or becoming sticky with wear and tear, especially rubber teethers and pacifiers.
And if you or your little one has a latex allergy, natural rubber baby toys, teethers, and pacifiers may cause issues.
Cleanliness
Silicone baby toys are outstanding for cleanliness because they are odor and stain-resistant, hypoallergenic, and easy to clean. You can simply wash them with soap and warm water or put them into the dishwasher.
If you have furry family members at home, their hair will not stick to your little one's silicone baby toys. Did they get left outside for a couple of days? No problem!
Should your dog or cat chew on your baby's silicone toys, don't worry! Give them a good wash or boil them for five minutes on the stove to sterilize them. Once cool and dry, baby can have them back!
Even better, silicone baby toys are less likely to get moldy or develop bacteria, making them a hygienic choice for your baby.
Wooden and plastic toys just cannot be cleaned as well as silicone. With too much cleaning, wooden blocks will either chip off paint or soak up water. Plastic toys cannot withstand heated cleaning or sterilization without weakening or leaching chemicals.
Durability and Versatility
Silicone baby toys resist damage and can withstand rough play and chewing. They are less likely to break or crack than plastic or wooden toys, which means they will last longer and save you money in the long run.
Silicone can be molded into all kinds of shapes and textures, making it practical for different stages of development. To read more on what works for each early stage of your little one's development, read our article From Teething to Tummy Time: The Top Sensory Toys for Every Stage of Babyhood.
By carefully choosing baby toy designs, you can have a set of silicone baby toys that your infant can explore early on, teeth on in her teething stage, stack as a crawler, carry around as a toddler, and build with as a young child. This long-lasting fun and versatility is one of our joys in designing Moonkie silicone baby toys.
If your pet punctures a toy, however, you should replace it to avoid bacteria hiding spots and keep your curious little one from digging into those holes when more adept and able to break little pieces off.
Soft and Gentle
Silicone baby toys are soft and gentle to touch, making them ideal for teething babies. They are also less likely to cause injury if your little one accidentally hits himself or someone else with the toy.
The softness also makes silicone baby toys exceptionally graspable for tiny hands, which builds hand-eye coordination and builds hand muscles.
Cons of Silicone Baby Toys
No guide on silicone baby toys would be complete without a quick overview of the cons of silicone baby toys. Knowing the facts will help you weigh what is best for your baby.
Here are a few common cons parents have for silicone baby toys.
Cost
One of the main drawbacks of silicone baby toys is that they can be more expensive than other types of toys. Silicone is a high-quality material that is durable and safe for babies (and the higher the grade, the more costly it is).
However, the cost of silicone baby toys is justified by the fact that you will not need to replace them as often. If you intend to have more children, silicone is the way to go!
Not Eco-Friendly
Silicone baby toys are not eco-friendly because they are not biodegradable. This means they will not decompose and will remain in landfills for a long time. This concerns environmentally conscious parents who want to reduce their carbon footprint.
The counter to this is, of course, the durability of the silicone baby toy. You can get years of entertainment for multiple kids out of one silicone baby toy. And, if it has no pockmarks, punctures, or cracks, then you can pass it along to a new family once your kids have outgrown it.
If a silicone baby toy does become damaged, you can take it to a special recycling facility. You cannot put it in your regular recycling because it takes a unique process that most normal recycling facilities do not do. You can call your local recycling center for options locally or mail your used silicone to a silicone recycling program.
Unfortunately, silicone can only be recycled a certain number of times and loses quality with each recycle. However, it can be ground up and used in playground mats, track surfaces, or machine oil.
Chemical Fillers
Not all silicone baby toys are created equal. Some are mixed with lower grades of silicone to keep manufacturing costs down or filled with a silicone gel for teething. Both of these are unsafe for your little one.
As mentioned earlier, "food-grade" and "medical-grade" silicone are the safest grades for humans. They are the most durable, free of impurities, resistant to temperature, and less likely to release siloxanes into the body.
Silicone gel fillers for gel teethers are comfortable for teething babies and, after being chilled in the fridge for thirty minutes, even deliver a cool teething treat for sore gums. However, if your little one manages to puncture the outer silicone (which would be surprising), he or she would likely ingest some of that gel.
If your baby prefers silicone gel teethers, make sure you keep a close eye on him or her to avoid anything like that happening!
Heats Up
Silicone toys can become hot if left in direct sunlight or close to a heat source for a time. So, if your little one grabs a hot toy, it will be an unpleasant surprise!
To avoid this, make sure silicone toys are brought inside soon after playing outdoors or riding in the car. Furthermore, never directly place them on a stove, furnace, or other heating element! You can boil silicone baby toys and teethers on the stove for up to five minutes, but ensure they cool down before giving them back to your baby.
Potential for Choking
As with any toy, there is a risk of choking if a baby manages to bite off a piece of the toy. You can get around this by choosing smart designs: no small parts to bite off, texturing that doesn't stand tall, and no small individual pieces.
For this reason, teething jewelry is a bad idea!
Comparison to Other Materials
When compared to other baby toy materials, silicone is simply excellent. When cared for properly, it's the best of nearly every category combined!
Check out this chart to see what we mean:
Category
Wood
Rubber
Plastic
Silicone
Safe
Easy to Clean
Durable
Versatile
Cost
Eco-friendly
Safe: How safe a toy is by common safety standards
Easy to Clean: Ease of cleaning thoroughly
Durable: A toy's unbreakability
Versatile: The range of designs, colors, and textures available
Cost: Cheap upfront or cheap cost-per-use (i.e. greater durability is cheaper with more uses)
Eco-friendly: Biodegradability or recyclability
Tips for Choosing and Using Silicone Baby Toys
Tips for choosing and using silicone baby toys come down to the silicone's grade, the toy's design, regular cleaning, and looking for signs of wear and tear.
A silicone baby toy is well worth the cost if you opt for a safe design that will engage your little one in multiple stages of development and has no pieces that can be bit off easily. Try as you might; your little one is bound to chew on each toy at some point.
As a general rule of thumb, washing your little one's silicone baby toys once a week with warm water and soap (or in the dishwasher) is a superb way to safeguard your baby's health and prevent bacteria buildup. More frequent washing is a good idea during cold and flu season or when you have other little friends visit.
If you want to know more about choosing and caring for silicone baby teethers, check out our article Are Silicone Baby Teethers Safe? What You Need to Know.
In a Nutshell
Silicone baby toys can be a safe and durable option for parents looking for toys that support their child's development. However, as with any material, there are pros and cons to weigh when making your decision. By understanding the benefits and drawbacks of silicone toys, you can make an informed choice that meets your child's needs and preferences.
As babies grow into toddlers, they're introduced to a whole new world. Their senses are overloaded with new sights, sounds, textures, and tastes. For kids, mealtime is more than a time to eat food; it's a time to enjoy new experiences. It's a time of play, laughter, and curiosity. Eventually, you'll want to introduce your child to their own tableware, including baby bowls, plates, cups, forks, and spoons. When your little one is old enough, adding these elements adds a whole new dimension of interest to eating.
Letting your little one feed themselves has many benefits:
Choosing the Right Tableware
Choosing the right tableware for your baby isn't complicated, with many options available. However, not all products are created equally. You'll want to select tableware that is not fragile or breakable and doesn't contain any part that is a potential choking hazard. You may even consider a baby bowl that suctions to your table's surface to prevent any major messes. Consider purchasing something made of safe, eco-friendly, and high-quality materials to ensure your babys health and safety.
Things To Consider
Before settling on your child's new tableware set, there are a few things you will want to consider to ensure you are getting the most for your money.
Colour
Scientifically, colour is important for kids. Children are attracted to brightly coloured objects as they stand out in their field of vision. This is extremely important as they learn to categorise things and distinguish forms. Choosing colourful bowls and other tableware essentials may optimise your child's focus, helping them get the most out of mealtime. It may also make them more likely to eat what's in front of them if their tableware is in their favourite colour!
Portion
Choosing tableware that helps you remain aware of your child's eating habits may be critical for proper growth and development. It's essential to track what kinds of nutrients your child is getting so you can ensure they are staying healthy. You may consider a divided plate to keep things organised, which will help you identify what your child is loving and what they're not.
Suction
If you already have a baby, you know it's not uncommon for your perfectly crafted plate of food to be thrown straight to the floor for the dog to enjoy. This messy problem is easily solvable with tableware that suctions to your table, such as a child-friendly suction bowl. Strong suction will make it difficult for your child to move and pull off, which means less stress and mess. However, we can't promise your baby won't throw their food on the floor sometimes, as this is usually a normal part of kids learning the law of cause and effect.
Sensory
Odds are, your growing little one is all about sensory experiences right now. They love to chew, suck on, and touch anything in their line of sight. When choosing which tableware is right for you and your child, you'll want to choose a soft, flexible material, such as a silicone bowl.
Is Silicone Safe?
Yes, silicone is a safe material for your favourite baby products. Silicone is soft and flexible yet firm, ensuring that your products last throughout your child's growth. Silicone is also dishwasher safe, making it incredibly easy to clean. It also comes in a wide variety of colours and shapes, ensuring that there is something your little one will be interested in.
Silicone is also oven-safe, microwave-safe, and freezer-safe, making it an incredibly versatile and functional material.
About Brightberry
Brightberry products are made with complete practicality and functionality in mind. After experiencing the frustration of low-quality baby tableware herself, Brightberry founder Mateya wanted a better solution for mums everywhere. She put her industrial design experience to work, thinking through every aspect of her products. The goal was to create something cute and optimally functionalso that's exactly what she did.
Brightberry is a family-owned business run out of sunny Queensland, Australia, by Mateya and her husband. She is originally from Slovenia and loves to live on the beautiful Sunshine Coast with her husband, son, and daughter.
For Busy Families and Independent Children
At Brightberry, we know that independence is crucial for proper childhood development, which is why all our products promote self-feeding. Our suction bowl design features inwardly curved walls that make scooping a breeze, while our spoons' arched design is ideal for grasping. The super-strong suction base of our products aims to keep mealtime messes in check so everyone is happier.
Eco-Friendly Products For Responsible Consumers
We are committed to minimising our environmental impact by using recycled materials and eliminating waste. We are proud to offer your choice of 100 per cent recyclable or zero-waste packing. Our silicone bowl and other products are durable and able to maintain their quality forever, reducing the environmental impact of cheap, easily breakable materials.
We are also proud to offer a take-back initiative, available to you as soon as your little one grows out of their tableware. In partnership with the QLD charity Baby Give Back, we now accept your used Brightberry products to be donated to a good cause. If your tableware is no longer usable, we will recycle it properly.
Brightberry Quality, Functional Tableware For Your Baby
As your baby enters a wondrous world of discovery, they deserve functional products that inspire them to be proud and independent. Brightberry is happy to bring you baby bowls and other incredible products that make mealtime a breeze. Brightberry tableware is everything your child needs for happy growth and experience in mealtime, from soup to cereal to spaghetti to mac and cheese.