Buzzing With Fun

(This post contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you purchase through our links - at no extra cost to you. We only share products we truly love and recommend.)

When the JoyCat Soft Baby Beehive and Sensory Bees set arrived, we laid the soft hive on the play mat and invited our little one to explore. She reached out, felt the texture, opened the velcro door of the hive and pulled out a little plush bee. Instantly she squeezed it, heard a rattle, and giggled. That moment confirmed: this isn’t just “cute” - it’s purposeful.

What the toy offers

According to the product listing:

• The set includes one soft beehive plus five stuffed sensory bees, each featuring different sensory features like crinkle paper, squeaker, rattle and a fun-mirror.

• Designed to support early development: sensory exploration, fine motor skills (opening door, extracting bees), hand-eye coordination and self-recognition via mirror.

• Made of soft, non-toxic thick fabric, washable, and free from small unsafe parts - good for babies 6–12 months and beyond.

• Compact and portable: the bees can be stored inside the hive, making it easy to carry and keep tidy.

How we saw it play out

• Our baby began by mouthing the hive’s soft surface, then pressing the velcro door. As she figured out the “open → pull bee → explore” sequence, she smiled as each bee made a different sound.

• The moment she discovered the mirror inside the hive door, she paused, looked, and touched the reflection - small but meaningful.

• The mix of textures - smooth hive fabric, stuffed bees, crinkle wings, squeakers - kept her engaged for longer than many static plush toys.

• After repeated uses, she began “choosing” specific bees, suggesting she recognized which one made which sound - a neat developmental marker.

Pros, caveats & tips

Pros:

• Multi-sensory: touch, sound, visual surprise

• Encourages opening/closing, retrieval and exploration

• Soft and baby-safe for mouthing/practicing with

• Portable and easy to store

Things to watch:

• Velcro door should be secured properly - small hands may struggle initially

• After frequent play the novelty may fade - rotate with other toys to keep interest high

Tips for best play:

• Sit and explore together: “Which bee will we pick next? Let’s open the hive!”

• Use short bursts of play so the set remains inviting

• Keep other quieter toys available so sensory play doesn’t over-stimulate

• Occasionally inspect the bees and hive (stitching, fasteners, fabric) for wear

In short, the JoyCat Soft Baby Beehive & Sensory Bees set offers a wonderfully tactile, exploratory experience for babies around 6 to 12 months. It’s soft, safe, and structured enough to promote real early-learning moments while still being playful and fun.