“There are no Seven Wonders of the World in the eyes of a child. There are Seven Million”— Walt Streightiff.
You can’t buy seven million toys to fulfill the playful desires of your child. But sure you can be a little bit strategic and buy age-appropriate toys that can make everlasting memories.
Children will play with just about anything. You don’t need to be super strict about what your child plays with. However, you do need a guide as to what sort of toys will suit her age and mental capability.
So, we divided this guide into two phases. 1- Toys for babies ranging from age 0-12 months and 2- Toys for toddlers ranging from 1-5 years.
Phase 1- Baby Toys
Contents
Guide to Choosing Baby Toys
We categorized babies for children aged 0-12 months. The first two months can be considered as the newborn stage and children at this stage enjoy seeing and hearing interesting things.
So, anything that can has the following features are appropriate for newborns:
- Bright and contrasting colors
- Human face features
- Simple designs and clear lines
- Objects that makes noises
When infants pass the 2 months mark till 6 months, they will develop interest in touching, holding, shaking and tasting things. So, you will need to be a bit more careful at this stage so that the toys you buy don’t have rough edges and are safe to taste.
At 6-7 month’s age, your child will be able to sit alone and crawl. She will be able to twist, squeeze, drop and push/pull objects at her will. So, the choice of toys will change at this stage.
0-2 Months (newborn Toys)
- Hanging soft toys: Hanging soft toys are best for newborns. As they haven’t yet developed the strength to hold objects, hanging toys will keep them interested for hours.
- Colorful soft animals: Always look for vibrant and multicolored soft animals.
- Toys with rattling noises: Noises of various kinds can interest babies. Most newborns will be able to react to a rattling noise and it will be good for their cognitive development.
- Animals or dolls with recognizable face patterns: Face patterns or patterns of any kind are important in toys at this stage. We recommend buying soft animals that have a smiling face.
- Colorful fabric balls: This is an inexpensive option and still effective. You can hang a few over your baby’s crib.
2-12 Months (Baby Toys)
- Bright colored puzzles: Bright colored puzzles should be introduced at the end of 9 months. Your baby will try to match the pieces and the bright colors will attract her.
- Soft rubber blocks/ rounded wood blocks: Rubber blocks are a must as the baby can now fit one object into another and also meet the need of throwing or squeezing.
- Keys with rings: Although not a toy by itself, you can give key rings to your child. She can hold it, suck on it and when she shakes, it will also make noises.
- Roly Poly Toys: One of most interactive toys, the Roly Poly is a self balancing toy that can attract children of any age. Your baby can throw it, kick at it, hit or push it. Seeing the toy balancing on its own will be a big motivation to continue playing.
- Small containers and little objects: Just get some random containers and some objects. At this stage, the baby will load and unload containers with her hand. This is a game on its own.
- Push and pull toys: Small cars and toys with wheels.
Phase 2-Toddler Toys
Guide to Choosing Toddler Toys
After 12 months, your toddler will be more mobile than earlier. Children will now enjoy any toy that has a case and effect. Here’s a quick guideline:
- Rather than buying a plethora of toys, look for toys that can be transformable and trigger your child’s imagination.
- Problem-solving toys can become effective at this stage and shouldn’t be too complicated that children can’t solve.
- Role-playing with toys can be fun and when your toddler is in the final stage, this will attract her more. So, toys that mimic real stuff like telephones and computers can be a good idea.
- Toys that are highly detailed work best and your toddler will be highly interested in such things
1-2 Years (Initial Toddler Toys)
- Musical instruments: Musical instruments are great for case and effect. Your toddler pushes a button and music happens. That creates a question in her mind and she slowly gets to know that something particular happens when pushes a certain button.
- Real-life vehicles: Get a firefighter truck, bus with plastic people or an ambulance.
- Real-life tools: Hammers, drills or even a toy computer can be effective at this stage
- Rocking horses: Simple rocking horses can be fun and interactive.
- Ride on animals: Ride-on toys at this stage shouldn’t have any pedals, the child will use her feet to move.
2-3 Years (Final Stage Toddler Toys)
- Doll carriages: Wagons and doll carriages will allow your child to explore the environment with her favorite toys and stuff.
- Plush Toys: Not just any push toys will interest your kid at this age. You need to find realistic push toys that have the figure of a vacuum, TV, fridge etc.
- Small tricycle: Many children will learn to pedal by this age. So, you can get a small tricycle.
- Puzzles with knobs: Stick to puzzles with no more than 12 pieces. Bigger puzzles will be hard to solve and demotivating. Also, look for puzzles with knobs for ease of use
3-5 Years (Preschooler Toys)
Preschoolers aren’t considered toddlers by definition. However, parents still see their kids at this age as toddlers. Here’s some of the toys a preschooler would love to play with.
- Building blocks: At this age, a child has the ability to build something new. So, building blocks are perfect for this situation.
- Ride-on toys: Tricycles or even a smaller bicycle is needed. Outdoor activities will become a lot more important than indoor playing.
- Complex puzzles: Throw in some complex puzzles and see how your kid copes with them.
- Gaming console: You can even buy a gaming console suitable for a 5 year old for some fun time at home. But keep it limited and treat it as a sort of treat for dull days or when the weather isn’t appropriate for outdoor playing.
Final Thought
Anything can become a toy and it doesn’t have to be something expensive. You as a parent should guide your child and make sure certain things are available at the appropriate age. Like when your kid crosses 5 year, it won’t make much sense to play with small cars. Rather, a ride-on toy will keep your kid happier.
