Safety comes first: Ensure that the toys are safe for your child. Check for sharp edges, small detachable parts, and toxic or flammable materials. The toy should also match your child's developmental level and age.
Long-lasting toys: Choose toys made of solid and stable materials to survive your child's repeated handling.
Easy to use: Your child must be able to work a toy by himself to enjoy it. Generally, simple toys are the easiest to operate.
Entertainment value: Children should find toys fun to play with now and as they grow. Look for toys that a child can play with in many ways.
Educational value: Play teaches a child to think, create, and imagine. Choose toys that allow for pretending, role-playing, problem-solving, and practicing skills.
Social value: Children learn important social skills by playing with other children. Choose toys that can be used with others, as it helps them become familiar with cooperation, negotiation, and compromise.
Limit electronic toys and video games: While electronics are unavoidable in this day and age, it's important to set limits on their usage. Research has shown that electronic toys can pose possible dangers for children's health and development. Also, toys that don't require a child to do anything but watch promote a passive learning style, which can interfere with learning to think independently.
Don't fall for toys that call themselves educational: Not all toys that claim to be educational are actually useful. Choose toys that have built creative thinkers for decades instead of flashy gadgets and gizmos with big promises.
Keep only a few toys out at one time: Parents often make the mistake of inundating their kids with toys. Children may have a hard time focusing on any one of them. Rotate toys in and out of a child's toy box or room, reintroducing a toy after a few weeks when it feels fresh and new.
Choose age-appropriate toys: Children enjoy toys they can master that are right for their stage of development. Choose toys that match the developmental stage of your child, as this will stimulate their imagination, creativity, and other essential skills.
In conclusion, toys are developmental learning tools that are critical to your child's growth and development. Choose age-appropriate toys that match your child's developmental level and encourage their imagination and creativity. Remember that safety comes first, and always set limits on electronics and video games.
Choose age-appropriate toys.
Children enjoy toys that they can master and that are right for their particular stage of development. Here are some suggestions for the types of toys kids benefit from most as they go through different stages:
0-6 months: Infants are fascinated with movement, sounds, and simple black and white visuals. They are discovering their own bodies, working on eye-hand coordination, reaching, and grasping. Age-appropriate toys for babies include: mobiles, rattles, busy boxes, and anything they can begin to grasp, swipe at, pull, kick, squeeze, or shake.
6-8 months: Older babies can hold small toys. They are learning about cause and effect and they will repeat activities over and over in order to master them. They also like to transfer toys from hand to hand and into and out of containers. Many of the same toys for infants will be used in new ways by older babies.
8-18 months: This is the age when babies begin to foresee results, decide on a goal, and deliberately take some action to make it happen. They also begin to experiment with size, shape, and space. Age-appropriate toys include push/pull toys, blocks, nesting cups, rings on poles, shape sorters, and simple take-apart toys.
18-24 months: Toddlers begin to enjoy playing "pretend." This is the time to introduce dress-up clothing, dolls, kitchen sets, and toy cars, trucks, and school buses.
2-4 years: Kids learn a lot about socialization during the preschool years and continue to do a lot of pretend play. Miniature farm and house sets allow them to exercise their imagination, while large crayons, finger paints, and Play-Doh help develop creativity. Children also make huge gains in both fine and gross motor skills throughout this period, so puzzles, large Legos, blocks, and other construction toys are perfect age-appropriate toys. Noise is always an enticement, so young children love drums and hammer-and-peg toys at this age range.
When choosing toys for your child, it's important to consider their interests and personality. Some children may be more drawn to art supplies and creative materials, while others may prefer sports equipment and outdoor toys. The key is to choose toys that are age-appropriate and also support your child's development in various areas.
For example, board games can help children develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, while outdoor toys like bikes and balls can help with physical development and coordination. Building sets like Legos or blocks can promote creativity and spatial reasoning, while musical instruments can help with auditory and language development.
It's also important to consider your child's safety when selecting toys. Make sure to read labels and warnings, and avoid toys with small parts that could be a choking hazard. Always supervise your child when playing with toys, especially when they are young.
In addition to age-appropriate toys, consider giving your child the gift of experiences. Trips to museums, zoos, and other educational attractions can be just as valuable as a new toy, and can provide opportunities for hands-on learning and exploration.
Ultimately, the most important factor in choosing toys for your child is to keep their developmental needs and interests in mind. With a little thought and research, you can select toys that provide both fun and educational value, while also promoting your child's growth and development.
