Nothing brings more happiness to a parent than seeing their child’s eyes light up at the sight of a new toy. Not only are toys fun, but they pose many benefits when it comes to a child’s development as well as preparing them for adulthood. Here are some useful tips in choosing the right toys to make your kid smarter by teaching them valuable lessons.
1. Choosing Toys Which Are Age-Appropriate For Their Development
Toys that are too advanced for a kid’s age will only frustrate them, and they will abandon it, or worse, it could end up injuring him. Toys that are for younger ages will not give them the stimulation they need.
2. Selecting Gender-Appropriate Toys
When you observe your child assess his interests, skills level, and preferences, it will be easier to determine what toys he will enjoy most.
3. Choosing Toys That Can Encourage His Imagination
Open-ended toys are perfect for promoting a child’s imagination as they can be used in various ways. Check out Mr Toys Toyworld for make-believe toys that enable your children to test different concepts and enhances creativity. Research also suggests that developing language skills can lengthen a child’s attention span.
4. Opting For Toys That Allow Him To Manipulate Them
These are toys that can be snapped together, shaped, or taken apart. They can boost your child’s spatial intelligence and his depth of perception. He can learn about different sizes, shapes, and colors.
5. Offering Your Child A Variety Of Toys To Learn Various Dexterities
- Toys that promote dramatic play such as toy animals, vehicles, blocks, puppets, and props for recreating real-life scenarios.
- Toys that can inspire manipulative play such as puzzles, construction sets, and toys with interlocking pieces to enhance hand-eye coordination and small muscle control.
- Creative toys like paints, scissors, glue, blank pieces of paper, and clay can encourage the use of symbols and self-expression, which are essential for literacy and problem-solving.
- Toys that promote physical activity like jump ropes, bikes, balls to help your child get rid of excess energy and build coordination and strength.
- Strategic games like dominoes, board games, checkers, and chess that can teach them planning, following rules, taking turns, and working as a team.
- Avoid toys that are suitable for older kids like those who are related to media entertainment, or that has a violent connotation.
Tips For Giving Your Child Toys
When you provide a toy for your child, be pro-active, and explain to them how it works and join in on the fun. Playing him gives him a sense of belonging, being loved, and promotes learning.
Introduce one toy at a time as too many choices can be too overwhelming, especially for infants.
Make sure the toys are safe that don’t pose a choking hazard, or that has holes for little fingers to get stuck. Discard old or defective toys immediately.
Store toys in such a manner that encourages him to play with them. For instance, arranging them in creative ways and avoid dumping it all in a toy box where half of them can’t be seen or found.
