Every parent wants the secret to happiness and better playtime. Toys play an important part in your little one’s life. There is one thing we can all agree on, and it is that we most often seek open-ended toys, the kind that fosters creativity, strengthens imagination, develops critical thinking, and helps children enhance their energy. Thus, a big challenge that we all face is what to buy our children for the holidays or birthdays and that puzzle is sometimes very hard to solve. So, if you’re wondering how to choose the perfect toy for your child, keep reading to find out.
Safety should always come first when you’re buying new toys for your children. Don’t get lost in the friendly and joyful vibes of a toy and always make sure to carefully read age requirements to make sure the toy is appropriate for your kid. The second step that is worth mentioning is considering how interested are your children in a certain toy. Thus, it is really important to listen to your children’s interests as it constitutes a major part of their personality. Based on that matter, you will make sure that the toy you get is worth it and long-lasting.
A third pivotal thing to take into account is the educational aspect of a toy. The toy you’re purchasing should be an added value to their mental development cycle. So, even if the toy is not fully educational, it is advised to create specific educational scenarios to play with them and teach them as they grow. And the last thing to consider is sociability; you have to make sure that your little ones understand concepts of morals and ethics as they mature and that they are able to show empathy towards other people. By choosing toys that will push them to be more interactive with you and your family members, you will ensure they mature with the required skills.
With thousands of toys in the market, it is now harder than ever to choose the best toys. While taking into consideration all the necessary steps mentioned before, good toys for young children must adhere to their stages of development and emerging abilities. It is important to bear in mind that selecting a toy that stimulates your child’s thinking and mind in an educational manner is necessary, for example, wooden toys are not only made for playing but also for building, painting, learning, counting, and so much more.
So, if you’re wondering what to get them, keep reading to find some of our suggestions based on each age range.
Infants – birth to 6 months
Babies are known to like looking at people and following them with their little eyes, they are fascinated with what their small hands and feet can do and keep putting objects in their mouths. That being said, here are some toy ideas: rattles, large rings, squeeze toys, teething toys, soft dolls, textured balls, books with nursery rhymes, and recordings of lullabies.
Infants – 7 to 12 months old
Older infants like to move quickly, they go from rolling over to jumping, bouncing, and standing. They can identify body parts, find objects and easily identify sounds. We recommend for this age range the following toys: baby dolls, puppets, plastic and wood vehicles, water toys, balls, nesting toys, large soft blocks, wooden cubes, large balls, push and pull toys, and objects to crawl on.
1-year-olds
1-year-olds are able to walk steadily and sometimes they can even climb the stairs and do some movements like running and dancing. Some of them even start saying their first words, like hearing stories and playing with children. Here are some toys suggestions: board books with simple illustrations or pictures, recordings with songs, washable markers, crayons, large papers, toy phones, dolls, doll beds, baby carriages, dress-up accessories, puppets, stuffed toys, plastic animals, wood vehicles, puzzles, large pegboards, large balls.
2-year-olds (toddlers)
Toddlers can smartly learn new ways of communication and language and they start doing some physical experimenting like jumping from heights, climbing, and rolling over. Here’s what we think is a perfect toy choice for them: wood puzzles, blocks that snap together, sorting objects by size and color, building blocks, transportation toys, construction sets, child-sized furniture, dress-up clothes, dolls with accessories, large paintbrushes, washable markers, large paper for drawing and painting, picture books, pounding and hammering toys.
3- to 6-year-olds
Preschoolers and kindergarteners have more attention to detail and are more explorative and energetic. They start talking a lot and asking a lot of questions, they like to make new friendships, form teams and they most often don’t ever like to lose. Some good toys for this age might include puzzles, block building, counting toys, small colored blocs, transportation toys, child-sized furniture, dolls and dress-up clothes, sand and water toys, large small crayons and markers, paintbrushes and fingerpaint, modeling clay, playdough, xylophones, maracas, tambourine, picture books with more words, large and small balls, tunnels, interactive programs with graphics and spoken interactions.
Following these tips, as we are confident to make your toy shopping journey more fun and easier than ever!