Tips for Choosing the Right Toy for Your Child's Age

Tips for Choosing the Right Toy for Your Child's Age

Anyone who has ever experienced it will empathize with the feeling of frustration encountered when, having spent hours choosing choosing the safest, most colorful, most fun, most educational toy for their child, your child unaware of the stimulating possibilities being presented to him, clings steadfastly to his favorite saucepan lid.  The lesson to be learned from this is that it is almost impossible to choose a "best toy" for your child.  The best toys are ones that fascinate a child, and to which he or she will return again and again.  Often a household item, such as a washing up bowl that can be used for a boat, car, or pool, will provide hours of imaginative play.

First time parents know how hard it is to pick out an age appropriate toy for a child.  Even those who have several children often find it difficult.  There is much more to choosing the right toy for your child's age than meets the eye.  Here are a few tips to help you decide which toy best suits your little one.

• The age on the box is not always a good indicator of how appropriate a toy is for your child.  That doesn't mean that you should ignore it completely, because it usually represents the ages that the toy has been deemed safe for.  But a toy that is safe for a certain age group is not necessarily appropriate for it's educational level.

• A toy that is good for one child may not be the best choice for another child of the same age.  Children learn at different rates, and while many toys are made for the average child of a certain age range, your child could be ahead or behind.  Rather than relying solely on numbers, take cues from what your child is comfortable with.

• Babies need toys that are safe and stimulating.  Bright, contrasting colors, unusual textures and interesting sounds are good things to look for.  Toys that make noise or light up in response to the baby's actions provide an opportunity to learn about cause and effect.

• Toddler toys should allow the child to develop his motor skills or learn about shapes, colors, animals and other basic things.  Those that incorporate both motor skills and intellectual development are even better.  Social skills are also beginning to develop at this stage, and items that your toddler can share with other children are a good way to encourage this.  But it's important to remember that young toddlers often prefer to play alongside other children rather than with them.

• Preschoolers are ready to learn about letters and numbers.  There are all kinds of toys that can help with this, from alphabet blocks to talking books.  Finding something that your child enjoys playing with that teaches these things will be a great asset to him.

• Some toys are good for a wide range of ages.  Building blocks and simple wooden puzzles with large pieces, for example, can grow with a child.  He could learn different things from them as a baby, toddler and preschooler.  Some electronic toys are designed to teach children different things at different ages as well.

Finding the right toy for your child's age is not as difficult as it sounds.  The trick is to be less concerned about numbers and more concerned about your child's developmental level.  As long as a toy is safe for your child, if he is having fun and learning from it, that is always a good thing.

How Do You Judge The Best Educational Toys?

How Do You Judge The Best Educational Toys?

The best educational toys aren't necessarily those that teach your child math or science. A toy is educational as long as it aids your child's development in some sense. For babies, it could be as simple as helping them learn how to grasp objects. For older children, it could be something that encourages their creativity or logic skills. Here's a brief guide to help you choose the right kind of educational toy for your child.

Should Educational Toys Always Be Fun?

Toys by nature are designed to be fun. If an educational toy stops being fun, it stops being a toy. Fun play should always be encouraged, as it's the main way in which kids learn new skills. This is one reason why it's important to choose toys appropriate to the age of your child. On the one hand, you want to challenge them. On the other, you need to avoid leaving the child frustrated and feeling like they can't progress in a game, or can't figure out how to use a toy. At this point, the toy stops being fun and the child simply won't want to play with it.

The Role Of Parents

Although you need to choose toys carefully, so that they match your child's age and current abilities, you will need to personally help your child learn how to play with them if they're to get the very most from them. When you take the time to play with your child, let them choose which toy they want to play with. When they're the one making the decision, chances are they'll end up playing (and learning) for longer.

The Elements Of An Educational Toy

Manufacturers love to claim that their toys are educational, but you are the only real judge of that fact. Here are a few ways in which a toy can educate your child:

Sensory Stimulation: This kind of toy is especially important for young babies, who are still developing new skills. Check to see which senses the toy stimulates, whether that means visual, aural, touch and so on.

Imagination: Does the toy stimulate the imagination? Sometimes the best educational toys for imagination are the simplest ones. For example, studies have shown that simple wooden toys encourage creative thinking more than complex electronic gadgets.

Social Aspects: Is the toy good for playing with other children? Play time is an excellent opportunity for children to develop social skills with siblings or friends. Some toys are more conducive to socializing than others.

Self Expression: Does the toy help your child to express themselves? This could mean toys involving artwork, writing, taking photographs or telling stories.

Note that these aren't the only ways in which a toy can be considered educational, but they're a good place to start. Always evaluate any manufacturer claims against these factors, and it'll help you choose the best educational toys for your child.

Matchbox Smokey The Fire Truck

Matchbox Smokey The Fire Truck

Mattel's series of animated vehicles has already proven a huge hit with young children. First we had Rocky the Robot Truck, then Stinky the Garbage Truck, and now we have Smokey the Fire Truck: an animated toy with a huge number of sounds and fun features for kids.

Features of Smokey The Fire Truck

• Smokey talks, 
• sings (four songs) and dances,
• Over 95 phrases and sounds,
• 3 modes of play,
• Lever can be pulled back,
• Water cannon fires colored balls,
• Uses 4 C batteries.

Is Smokey The Fire Truck Worth Buying For Your Child?

In short, Smokey is a toy firetruck with a difference. When he's not talking or singing, he looks just like any other firetruck, and even has real tires. But when he comes to life, his parts move, his eyes flash, and he has a whole personality of his own. One of the best things about Smokey is how realistic his movements are – he really does come to life!

Aside from the talking and the singing (which, in themselves, are great modes of entertainment for kids), there's plenty for kids to do with the truck themselves. They can set Smokey up to blast out different colored balls from his water cannon, to put out fires around town, or use the levers to change the way Smokey stands.

It's clear that Mattel have put a huge deal of thought into this product to make it much more than your classic truck toy. It's part truck, part robot. This will always impress kids, and keep them occupied thanks to the fact that there are more than 95 different sounds included. If your child loved the other trucks from this range, they're bound to love this too. It's recommended for kids aged 3 and above.

The downside is the fact that Smokey can be pretty loud, which isn't always welcomed by parents. He also uses four C-batteries: although they're included, you'll need to replace them when you get Smokey home. Some parents have also complained that the directions weren't detailed enough in teaching kids and parents alike how to set Smokey up and how to make the most out of all of his features.

Smokey the Firetruck may not be perfect, but he is cute and will prove popular with girls and boys alike. For a robotic toy of this kind, he's also affordable for parents!

How to Choose the Best Baby Toys

How to Choose the Best Baby Toys

When it comes to searching for the best baby toys for a 0-6 month old, there are a lot of different factors to consider. Babies develop at a rapid rate, and the toys you buy for them should help encourage that. Here's a guide to the key areas you'll want toys to help with, as well as some baby toy examples.

What Toys Do Babies Like?
Because of the way young babies see objects, the best baby toys at this stage of life should come in bright, bold colors without too many small details. It's a lot easier for baby to follow the toy and what's happening if the shapes are large and obvious. Babies also love toys that stimulate them with sounds, whether this means a simple mobile, or soothing music recordings.

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