Beyond the need to express love to our little darlings, buying them toys serve various purposes. Studies have constantly linked toys with children’s overall development, including the development of their cognitive and problem-solving skills. Are you worried about choosing suitable toys for your kids? Here are the top four factors to consider before buying them toys. Check here for kid’s centric toys and decorations, once you’ve read this article.
1. Consider safety
Children are meant to have fun with their toys and not get hurt through them. Ensure that toys are free from sharp edges and toxic substances and are made from harmless materials and components.
2. Child’s development level
Children’s development level is one of the top factors to consider before buying toys. It will be foolhardy to buy the same toy for a six-month-old baby and an eleven-year-old schoolboy. Experts recommend buying stacking toys, soft baby dolls, rattles and shape sorters for infants. For toddlers, stuffed animals, balls, and simple puzzles are ideal. Preschoolers can make do with plastic animals, vehicles and dolls, while school-age children can play with dollhouses, construction sets and board games.
3. Education, learning and entertaining
Learning should not be restricted to the four walls of the classroom. As previously stated, countless academic research has long established the correlation between educative toys and the development of children learning abilities. While you should give preference to educative toys over the purely entertaining ones getting the best of both worlds is the best.
4. Consider their choice
Granted that you are the parent, you should respect your children’s toy preferences and let them choose. Your role as the parent is to guide them in the selection process, not be dictatorial, and let your preference get in the way.
Like adults, children have specific needs that must be met. One of such needs is the need to play with toys, and therefore finding the best toys are paramount.