Glossary of key terms used on our website:
A
ABS
ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) is a common type of thermoplastic (a plastic which becomes pliable when heated above a specific temperature and returns to a solid state once cooled). ABS plastic is durable and significantly stronger than polystyrene type plastics. ABS is generally recognised as a low-hazard plastic that is suitable for cold food storage and subsequently recognised as a safe plastic for use in children's toy applications.
ACCC
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is the regulatory body responsible for enforcing product safety standards in Australia, including mandatory toy safety requirements. The ACCC can issue recalls, bans, and mandatory standards for products that pose a risk to consumers, including children's toys.
Accessories
The various accoutrements that come packaged with, and are intended for use with the primary toy purchased.
Age Group
The age demographic to which a toy is marketed towards.
Articulated
Having two or more sections connected by a flexible or moveable joint.
AS/NZS 8124
The Australian and New Zealand standard for toy safety. This is the primary compliance standard for toys sold in Australia and covers physical, mechanical, flammability, and chemical safety requirements.
ASTM F963
The American standard for toy safety, often referenced alongside EN71 for imported toys. Indicates a toy has been tested against United States safety requirements.
Auditory
Pertaining to hearing and language processing skills, acquired as one hears and perceives sounds and interacts with their environment.
Authority to Leave (ATL)
An instruction given to a courier permitting them to leave a parcel at the delivery address without requiring a signature from the recipient. ATL instructions can typically be added at the time of checkout or via the carrier's tracking portal.
B
Baby Toys
Any child in the approximate age group of 0 - 18 months. The term Baby Toy(s) refers to toy products that have been specifically designed for use by children in this age group.
Backing Card
The cardboard backing to which a toy is sealed or attached for retail presentation. This retail packing material is usually discarded once a toy has been opened. Backing cards are usually intended to be removed before passing the toy to a child for hands-on play.
Backorder
When a product is temporarily out of stock but can still be ordered. Fulfilment occurs once stock is replenished. Customers will be notified of expected dispatch timeframes for backordered items.
B Corp
A certification awarded to businesses that meet high standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. B Corp certified toy brands are committed to using business as a force for good.
Bilateral Coordination
The ability to use both sides of the body together in a coordinated way. Bilateral coordination is an important developmental skill supported by many construction, musical, and active play toys.
Blocks (also Building Blocks, Toy Blocks)
Wooden pieces of various shapes that children use as building toys. Blocks depicting letters of the alphabet are referred to as Alphabet Blocks. Building blocks can be used to improve a child's hand-eye coordination, fine-motor skills, concentration and logical thinking skills. They can also assist with colour and shape recognition.
BPA Free
Bisphenol A known as BPA is a chemical used in some plastics to help make them clear and/or shatterproof. Some studies have indicated that BPA chemicals may be linked to the onset of chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease and could also be associated with disruption of the body's hormone system. Plastic toys that are marked as BPA FREE do not contain the Bisphenol A chemical.
Bundle
A curated set of complementary toys or products sold together, often representing better value than purchasing each item individually.
C
Carbon Neutral
A product or company that offsets its carbon emissions to achieve a net-zero carbon footprint. Carbon neutral certification is increasingly sought by environmentally conscious toy manufacturers.
Cause & Effect Toy
A toy designed to teach children that their actions produce a result — for example, pressing a button triggers a sound or light. Cause and effect toys support early cognitive development and help infants and toddlers understand how they can interact with and influence their environment.
CE Marking
A conformity mark indicating that a product meets European Union safety, health, and environmental requirements. CE marking is commonly found on toys imported from or sold within Europe and indicates compliance with the EU Toy Safety Directive.
Click & Collect
A shopping option that allows customers to purchase a product online and collect it from a designated location, rather than having it delivered. Availability may vary.
Cognitive
The mental processes of comprehension, judgement, memory and reasoning.
Collector
Someone (of any age) who buys toys because they enjoy them, whether used or in mint condition.
Cooperative Play
When children plan, assign roles and play together, this is referred to as cooperative play. Children playing in an organised manner towards a common end goal.
D
Detachable
Parts of a toy that are intended to be removed / re-attached at some point during play.
Dexterity
A term commonly used to describe the application of motor skills of the hands and fingers (and thumb).
Die-Cast
A toy that uses metal contents (in place of wood or plastic) in certain areas of its construction.
Digital Gift Card
A prepaid store credit delivered electronically, allowing the recipient to purchase products of their choice from the Send A Toy website. Digital gift cards are delivered via email and can be redeemed at checkout.
Dispatch (Dispatched)
The point at which a parcel is sent off from Send A Toy to its destination. The actual delivery time will vary depending on your postcode, however, as a general guide most parcels arrive 2 - 5 business days following dispatch.
Djeco
Djeco is a French toy and games brand founded in Paris in 1954. Known for their beautifully illustrated puzzles, art and craft kits, card games, and creative play sets, Djeco products are celebrated for their artistic design and high quality. Djeco toys are designed to stimulate creativity and imagination in children from infancy through to early teens.
Dramatic Play
A form of imaginative play in which children act out stories, real-life scenarios, or fictional narratives using props, costumes, and role assignments. Dramatic play supports language development, emotional regulation, empathy, and social skills.
E
Educational Game
A structured or semi-structured activity, undertaken for entertainment but also considered to be an educational tool offering a child educational benefits.
Educational Toys
Educational toys are toys that constructively promote the intellectual, emotional and or physical development of a child. Educational toys can be used to teach a child a particular skill or educate them on a particular subject. The majority of toys on the Send A Toy website have been designed with a child's learning development in mind.
EN71
European Union standards for safety of toys.
Estimated Delivery Date
The projected date on which a parcel is expected to arrive at its destination. Estimated delivery dates are provided as a guide only and may vary depending on carrier, postcode, and other factors outside of Send A Toy's control.
Executive Function
A set of cognitive skills including planning, focus, working memory, and flexible thinking. Many educational toys are specifically designed to support the development of executive function skills in children.
Exclusive
A product available only through select retailers. Exclusive toys are not available through mass-market outlets and are often limited in availability.
Express Post
Australia Post's priority delivery service, offering faster delivery timeframes than standard shipping. Express Post is available to most Australian postcodes and includes next business day delivery within the Express Post network.
F
Fair Trade Toy(s)
Children's toy products that have been produced under recognised fair trade conditions. (Fair Trade refers to an organised social movement that aims to help producers in developing countries achieve better trading conditions).
Fine Motor Skills
The term fine motor skills refers to the co-ordination and control of small muscle movements in the hand and fingers (and thumb).
Food-Grade Silicone
A non-toxic, BPA-free material commonly used in teethers and infant toys. Food-grade silicone is considered safe for use by babies and young children and is easy to clean and sterilise.
Free Shipping Threshold
The minimum order value required to qualify for free shipping. Orders that meet or exceed this amount are eligible for complimentary delivery. The current free shipping threshold is displayed at checkout and may vary during promotional periods.
FSC Certified
Forest Stewardship Council certification indicating that the wood used in a product has been sourced from responsibly managed forests. FSC certification is a recognised mark of environmental responsibility in wooden toy manufacturing.
G
Gender Neutral Toy
A toy that is equally suitable (in appearance, colour and function) for a child of either gender.
Generation Quality
A toy that is considered to be both high quality and classic in design so that it can be passed from and enjoyed by one generation to the next.
Gift Set
A pre-packaged selection of products presented as a ready-to-give gift. Gift sets are curated to complement one another and are often presented in premium packaging suitable for gifting.
Gift Wrapping
An optional service that presents your order in decorative wrapping, ready to give as a gift. Gift wrapping options may be available at checkout for eligible orders.
Gross Motor Skills
Refers to the movement of the large muscles in the arms, legs and trunk in activities such as walking, running, jumping, throwing, and maintaining balance.
H
HABA
HABA is a German toy manufacturer founded in 1938. Renowned for their high-quality wooden toys, games, and craft kits, HABA products are designed to support child development through play. HABA toys are crafted to meet stringent European safety standards and are built to last across generations.
Hand Made (Hand Crafted)
A product that has been produced by human hand as opposed to production machinery.
Hand-Eye Coordination
Refers to the control of small muscle movements in the fingers (and hands) in coordination with the eyes.
Heirloom Toy
A toy that, due to its classic design and quality make, can be retained for play from one generation to the next.
I
Imaginative Play
Open-ended, unstructured play in which children create their own scenarios, characters, and narratives. Imaginative play supports language development, emotional regulation, social skills, and creativity.
Infant
A very young baby, typically less than 12 months of age.
ITSA Award
ITSA Toy Awards are voted by ITSA (Independent Toy Specialists of Australia) members and are awarded annually. ITSA awards specifically recognise products that represent the ITSA ideals. Each product chosen for an ITSA award must offer consumers excellent play value, product uniqueness, superior product packaging and presentation and value for money.
J
Janod
Janod is a French toy brand with roots dating back to 1970. Known for their charming wooden toys, puzzles, musical instruments, and role-play sets, Janod products combine traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design. Janod toys are designed to inspire curiosity and creativity in children from birth through to school age.
Jellycat
Jellycat is a British soft toy brand founded in London in 1999. Celebrated for their exceptionally soft plush toys, quirky characters, and premium quality, Jellycat products are beloved by children and collectors alike. All Jellycat toys meet stringent safety standards and are suitable from birth.
K
Knock-off
An unofficial or unauthorised reproduction of a legitimate toy, usually made with inferior materials and of inferior quality.
L
Le Toy Van
Le Toy Van is a British toy brand specialising in premium wooden toys, dolls houses, play sets, and accessories. Founded in 1995, Le Toy Van products are crafted from FSC-certified rubberwood and finished with child-safe, water-based paints. Their toys are designed to encourage imaginative and open-ended play.
Limited Edition
A toy produced in a restricted quantity, often as a seasonal release or special collaboration. Limited edition toys are frequently sought after by collectors and may not be restocked once sold out.
Loose Parts
Open-ended materials with no fixed use or prescribed outcome, used in creative, sensory, and imaginative play. Loose parts encourage children to explore, experiment, and create freely, supporting problem-solving and divergent thinking.
M
Manipulative Toy
A toy designed to be handled, sorted, stacked, or assembled by hand. Manipulative toys develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and cognitive skills such as problem-solving, pattern recognition, and spatial awareness.
Memory
The mental capacity to encode, store, and retrieve information.
Montessori
An educational philosophy developed by Dr Maria Montessori, emphasising self-directed, hands-on learning in a prepared environment. Montessori-inspired toys are typically simple, open-ended, and made from natural materials, designed to support a child's independence and intrinsic motivation to learn.
Moulin Roty
Moulin Roty is a French toy brand founded in 1972. Known for their beautifully crafted soft toys, imaginative play sets, and storybook-inspired collections, Moulin Roty products are designed with a distinctive vintage-inspired aesthetic. Their toys are made to the highest quality and safety standards.
N
Natural Rubber
A plant-derived material sourced from the sap of rubber trees, used in teethers and infant toys as a safe, biodegradable alternative to synthetic materials. Natural rubber is free from BPA, PVC, and phthalates, making it a popular choice for eco-conscious parents.
Newborn
A child that is within a few weeks of birth.
O
OEKO-TEX
An independent certification system for textile products, verifying that they have been tested for harmful substances and are safe for human use. OEKO-TEX certification is particularly relevant for soft toys, plush toys, and infant products made from fabric.
Open-Ended Play
Play with no fixed outcome or prescribed "right way" to use a toy. Open-ended toys can be used in multiple ways, encouraging creativity, problem-solving, and independent thinking. Most high-quality wooden and construction toys are considered open-ended.
Organic Cotton
Cotton grown without the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilisers. Organic cotton is commonly used in soft toys, dolls, and infant products as a safer, more environmentally responsible alternative to conventionally grown cotton.
P
Parallel Play
When children play alongside one another without direct interaction or collaboration. Parallel play is a normal and important developmental stage typically observed in toddlers, and gradually transitions into more cooperative forms of play.
Phthalate Free
Phthalates are chemicals used to soften PVC plastic and are often found in plastic toys. Some studies have shown that phthalates can build up in the body, causing damage to the development of reproductive organs. Toys that are marked as Phthalate Free do not contain Phthalate chemicals.
Plan Toys
Plan Toys is a wooden toy manufacturer located in Thailand. Founded in 1981, Plan Toys produce an educational line of children's toys entirely from rubber-wood. Using rubber-wood trees to manufacture wooden toys once the trees' productivity has declined is considered to be an environmentally friendly wood resource. Plan Toys also use preservative-free rubber-wood, formaldehyde-free glues, recyclable packaging, and water-based colours in their toy manufacturing process.
Pre-Order
The ability to purchase a product before it is officially available or in stock. Pre-ordering guarantees your place in the queue for new or upcoming releases. Estimated dispatch timeframes are provided at the time of pre-order.
Preschooler (Preschooler Toys)
Any child in the approximate age group of 3 - 5 years. The term Preschooler Toys refers to toy products that have been specifically designed for use by children in this age group.
Prop 65
A California regulation (formally known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act) that requires businesses to provide warnings on products containing chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm. Prop 65 warnings are sometimes referenced on imported toys sold in or exported to the United States.
Proprioception
The body's sense of its own position, movement, and spatial orientation. Proprioceptive awareness is an important aspect of physical development and is supported by active, movement-based play and certain sensory toys.
PVC
Polyvinylchloride. A common form of plastic, often used in the manufacture of dolls and action figures. PVC plastic is softer and more flexible than ABS plastic. PVC plastic is a thermoplastic, which means it softens when it is warmed and hardens when cooled.
R
Recycled Materials
Materials that have been processed from post-consumer or post-industrial waste for use in new products. The use of recycled materials in toy manufacturing reduces landfill, conserves resources, and supports a more circular economy.
Returns Policy
The terms and conditions under which a product may be returned or exchanged. Send A Toy's returns policy outlines eligibility criteria, timeframes, and the process for returning items. Please refer to our Returns Policy page for full details.
Role Play
A type of imaginative play in which children take on characters, personas, or scenarios — such as playing house, shop, or dress-ups. Role play supports language development, empathy, social skills, and creative thinking.
Rubber-wood
Rubber-wood is a sustainable by-product of the latex industry's harvesting of trees.
S
Schema Play
Repeated patterns of behaviour that children use to explore and make sense of the world around them. Common schemas include transporting (moving objects from place to place), rotating (spinning or turning things), and enclosing (surrounding or containing objects). Understanding schema play helps caregivers provide toys and activities that align with a child's current developmental interests.
Sensory Play
Activities and toys that stimulate one or more of the five senses — touch, sight, sound, smell, and taste. Sensory play supports brain development, fine motor skills, language acquisition, and cognitive growth, particularly in infants and toddlers.
Series
A specific subsection of a line of toys.
Signature on Delivery
A delivery option that requires the recipient to sign for a parcel upon receipt. This option provides additional security for high-value orders and ensures the parcel is received by an authorised person.
Social Skills
A social skill is a learned behaviour that facilitates interaction and communication with others.
Soft Toys (Plush Toy, Stuffed Toy)
A toy that has been manufactured from fabric or other plush textiles and stuffed with soft fibres such as cotton, wool, synthetic filling or beans.
Soy-Based Ink
An eco-friendly ink used in printing on packaging and materials, made from soybeans rather than petroleum. Soy-based inks are more environmentally responsible than conventional inks, producing lower volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions and being easier to recycle.
Specialty Toy Store
A small toy store that seldom carries the same toys as mass-market outlets, focusing instead on limited-run, import toys or toys that are difficult to find in mainstream toy shops.
STEAM
STEAM stands for (S)cience, (T)echnology, (E)ngineering, (A)rts and (M)athematics. STEAM is a curriculum based on the idea of educating children with a cross-disciplinary approach in the areas of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.
STEM
STEM stands for (S)cience, (T)echnology, (E)ngineering and (M)athematics. STEM is a curriculum based on the idea of educating children with a cross-disciplinary approach in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
STEM Toys | STEAM Toys
Select open-ended toys that children can construct, manipulate, engineer, explore and experiment with. Toys that guide children to higher level thinking, be forward thinkers, ask more questions, and teach important skills for life simultaneously as children play can be considered to fall into the STEM and/or STEAM learning tool category.
Sustainable Toy
A toy produced using environmentally responsible materials and/or manufacturing processes. Sustainable toys may use FSC-certified wood, recycled materials, water-based paints, or be manufactured by companies with recognised environmental certifications.
Swing Tag
A piece of cardboard (or similar) that is attached to a toy, in the absence of a retail box or other form of retail packaging. Swing Tags contain necessary point of sale information pertaining to the attached product and should be removed from the product before a child commences hands-on play.
T
Table Top (Table Top Play)
Organised play that occurs at a table, bench or related location.
Tactile Toy
A toy pertaining to or that encourages the sense of touch. Tactile toys are toys that increase tactile awareness via the sensation of touch and texture.
Teether
A gum soothing tool for infants and toddlers who are going through the phase of teething.
Toddler (Toddler Toys)
Any child in the approximate age group of 18 months - 3 years. The term Toddler Toys refers to toy products that have been specifically designed for use by children in this age group.
Toy Safety
The practice of ensuring that children's toys, especially toys intended for use by young children, are safe according to predetermined safety standards.
Tracking Number
A unique reference code assigned to a parcel that allows the sender and recipient to monitor its progress through the delivery network. Tracking numbers are provided via email once your order has been dispatched from Send A Toy.
Tummy Time
Supervised time spent by an infant lying on their stomach while awake. Tummy time strengthens the neck, shoulder, and core muscles needed for rolling, crawling, and sitting. Specific infant play mats, mirrors, and activity toys are designed to make tummy time engaging and developmentally beneficial.
Tween (Tweens)
Tweens is a term used to describe children that are in-between being a child and a teenager. The approximate 'tween' age group is 9 - 12 years.
U
Upcycled Materials
Materials that have been repurposed from waste or manufacturing by-products to create new products. The use of upcycled materials in toy manufacturing reduces waste and supports a more circular economy.
W
Waldorf
An educational philosophy developed by Rudolf Steiner, favouring natural materials, imaginative play, and child-led learning. Waldorf-inspired toys are typically made from wood, wool, and other natural materials, and are designed to be open-ended and aesthetically simple to encourage creativity and sensory exploration.
Water-Based Paint
A non-toxic paint used on wooden toys, free from harmful solvents and chemicals. Water-based paints are the preferred finish for children's wooden toys as they are safe, durable, and environmentally friendly.
WCAG 2.1 AA
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA is an internationally recognised standard for web accessibility, developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). It defines how digital content should be made perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for all users, including those with disabilities. Level AA is the benchmark most commonly required by accessibility legislation and best-practice frameworks. The Send A Toy website is designed to comply with WCAG 2.1 AA standards.
Wishlist
A feature that allows customers to save products they are interested in for future reference or purchase. Wishlists are a convenient way to keep track of favourite items and can also be shared with family and friends for gifting inspiration.