All children love toys. Big, small, old, new, colorful or monochrome they make every kid happy. Unless… the toy is not age appropriate. Imagine a baby getting a complex multi-part construction kit, or a smart and curious 5 year old gifted with a musical mobile. Well, it’s a disaster either way! Therefore, while toys are meant to be fun and entertaining, they should also meet kids’ interests, skills and age. A perfect age-appropriate toy is safe, inspiring kids’ imagination at the same time strengthening their development, too. There are certain milestones your children are reaching as they are growing up and the best is to choose toys that help kids grow both, physically as well as socially. Not sure how to meet all these requirements? Take a look at our age-appropriate toddler toys guide!
Alternatively, if you are looking for a safe toy for younger children click here to read our blog post about safe and age-appropriate toys for babies.
In the second year of life, children are explorers. Fuelled by curiosity and wonder, toddlers also possess the physical skills that make it easy for them to play and learn. A busy toddler needs toys for physical play — walking, climbing, pushing and riding, and ones that encourage experimentation and manipulation. The perfect choice would be push or pull toys that make noise or have pieces that pop up or move, play vehicles with drivers and passengers in them.
For example: push toys, pull toys, play vehicles, toys for bath time.
Older toddlers love testing their physical skills — jumping, climbing, and throwing — and enjoy toys for active play. Imaginative play also begins in the third year. A toddler will probably play in a gender-stereotypical way – at least some of the time. A boy may use his dump truck to scoop up sand, while a girl might pretend to feed her doll and put it down for a nap. Boys and girls are both very active at this age and will still enjoy their push and pull toys. You can also introduce a rocking toy at this age.
For example: Push toys, pull toys, play vehicles, rocking toys, ride on toys, play household items (telephone, lawn mower, shopping cart).
After the age of 3, children begin to play actively with each other. Preschoolers and kindergarteners are masters of make-believe. They like to act out grown-up roles and enjoy costumes and props to help them bring their imaginations to life. It is quite common for children this age to develop strong attachments to favourite toys, expressing feelings to a special doll or teddy bear.
For example: tricycle and helmet, construction toys, dolls, dress-up clothes, storybooks.
If you come into a toy store or look for safe baby toys online the hardest thing to do might be to pick the right one because nowadays there are so many toys to choose from! It can be especially hard for first-time parents or someone who’s planning to visit a new human being and who has no knowledge of baby toys at all. Well, while baby toys are supposed to be cute and entertaining they, first of all, should be safe for babies (meaning no small or sharp parts), age-appropriate and strengthening babies’ development, too. Since our job is to make baby friendly toys we would like to share some tips with you about how to pick the best and safest baby toys.
For approximately half of the first year babies cannot hold objects with their hands, however they thoroughly enjoy exploring the world with their ears and eyes. Therefore, the most appealing baby toys are the ones that have high-contrast colours or those that make noise. After newborns grow up a little and start to reach for objects around them, they start to enjoy those baby toys that have some texture. And have in mind: sooner or later the toys will most definitely end up in the baby’s mouth!
For example: rattles, teethers, mobiles, cloth dolls.
Later on, between the first 6 and 12 months, babies develop some new motor skills, therefore they start to play with toys in new and exciting ways. After babies learn how to sit up they start to enjoy toys they can interact with – to stack up, to bang, to drop, to open and shut, to put in and take out and so on. Soon after they learn to crawl or take their first steps babies enjoy toys that move together with them, like push and pull toys.
For example: rattles, balls, simple shape sorters, push toys, pull toys, nesting and stacking toys.
Wow, it’s August already! Have you been on any holiday trips yet? If you are just planning one we have some useful tips for you so travelling with small children wouldn’t turn from vacation pleasure into tiring work! This trip planner will let both you and your kiddos enjoy your holiday trips, and if you have any trusted tips of your own please share them with us, too!