With a young relative just the right age to start taking attention of the world around him these Halilit™ “My First Baby Band” Rattles fit the bill to satiate that curiosity and to keep him amused thanks to a wide variety of textures and noises. Obtained under the Amazon Vine programme for review, the colourful box contains five different rattles with a wide range of designs: A Textured Rattle, a Maraca, an Egg Shaker, a Cage Bell and a Tube Shaker. Each have a very different, colourful appearance in vibrant colours to garner attention, and each is easily gripped by small hands, with different sounds an added bonus. The box states that the rattles are suitable for children over six months old, and they have been carefully designed to be attractive in appearance, tactile, and to be easily grasped by small hands.Toddlers often learn about the world around them by putting objects into their mouths and I was comforted to see the EU’s “CE” safety mark on both the box and in relief on each individual rattle. This means that the plastic used does not contain anything injurious to health, confirming that it is completely safe for children of this age range and is manufactured from non-toxic materials with smooth, rounded edges throughout all five rattles. The size of each rattle is ideal for small hands to clutch easily but not small enough to cause any issues, with smaller parts that cause the rattle that could potentially cause a chocking hazard well secured in each case behind a strong, thick layer of plastic that would require a serious level of mistreatment with a hammer or similar to access, meaning that if a child is prone to throwing a rattle from his pram it’s robust enough to stand up to that sort of punishment.The rattles can be played with individually or all together and certainly stimulated the imagination of my young relative, who gurgled with delight at the variety of noises he could make, with time learning to shake the Maraca and Cage Bell to produce a steady rhythm. These are definitely interactive, with the noises enhancing his ability to listen and learn.I like that, save for the metal bell, everything here is plastic and will simply recycle in the normal plastic recycling when the time comes to dispose – although I’d think the rattles are well enough made that they could easily be passed down through siblings as they come along or be passed on to a charity shop to begin a whole new life. I like that the majority of packaging is simple cardboard which will recycle readily. However the rattles did come enclosed in a clear plastic bag, with the Egg Shaker in an additional internal bag, and care should be taken to remove this out of harm’s way before the toddler takes possession of the rattles. I think the price is very competitive too – at £14.99 for five rattles that’s just £3 each. With the rattles understandably spending some time on the floor I also like that the plastic wipes down simply and quickly with an antiseptic wipe when the toddler has exhausted himself from play and is ready for a nap. These rattles are bright, colourful and interactive – just the thing to keep a 6 month old occupied. I like the range of designs which have clearly been thought through to bring variety to playtime, and whilst the rattles do each make a noise the always tired parents are grateful that none of them are overpowering, an added bonus.
