Baby Toys with Sound: What’s Important?
In the bustle of the day, adults often long for a quiet moment. This also applies to babies. After their stay in the mother’s belly, where they only perceive everything in muted tones, they have been exposed to a true cacophony of burdensome sounds. Their hearing is very much sensitive and it is therefore questionable whether toys with sound make sense.
Please Don’t be to Loud
Small children love to make noise. That’s why they love everything that makes sound or music. But when people, especially babies, are permanently exposed to noise, they become extremely stressed. Electronic toys in particular can quickly reach a volume of 95 decibels, comparable to the noise level of a passing train. This is above the legal standard.
Experts warn that special toys with impulse sound – i.e. sudden short sound spikes, such as popping or ringing – can damage the inner ear of babies and small children. Sounds from 100 decibels can already lead to hearing loss. That is why we advise being especially careful with toys with pop effects and with whistles and bells.
An easy way to check if a toy with sounds has medium volume is to hold it to your ear. If you find it too loud it is definitely not suitable for children. There are also https://medium.com/@playtime smartphone apps that can measure the number of decibels. However, the measurement methods are not very accurate and the result depends on how you operate the toy.
Rest is Better
Babies listen very intensively. This is thought to be necessary for speech formation. On the other hand, children can also sleep well in a busy and noisy environment. They have no natural defense mechanisms that warn them of possible damage. Children who grow up in a loud environment even get used to the noise after a while and find it hard to tolerate silence.
It is, therefore, your responsibility to protect your child from noise and show them how to deal with noise. Create moments of silence from the start that allow your baby to reflect and process all impressions. Show that breaks are not a punishment, but something pleasant that gives you new energy. Reassure your little one with your voice or stimulate it with the soft sounds of a rattle or a song.