Almost every kid is totally fond of toys. Their attraction to toys seems to be instinctive and may be explained by the fact that toys allow children to use their imagination to the maximum. Despite the fact that a lot of parents believe that toys serve only entertainment purposes, in fact, they also act as behavior shaping tools and help your kid to acquire new skills, making him or her smarter. But how to choose toys that will assist your child in developing his or her brain?
The first rule to remember is that the best toy is the one of your kid’s choice, no matter if it is just a cardboard box or a bundle of keys. The most effective learning experience is achieved when a child truly enjoys the toy he or she is playing with. Anything that interests your kid will surely teach him or her something useful. Try to provide the child with a variety of different toys to ensure that the experience with them is diverse.
Although each kid may have different preferences, there are still some rules that you have to follow when you are looking for toys:
Do not opt for toys that are not developmentally appropriate for your kid’s age. If the toy is too advanced, the child will soon get bored and frustrated that it is difficult to play with. Moreover, such toys can lead to injuries. The same rule applies to choosing toys appropriate to the child’s gender.
Observe your kid closely before making a decision to buy a new toy. His or her likes, interests, skills level, and activity preferences my change rather quickly.
Always opt for toys that stir imagination and creativity. Open-ended toys that do not have any algorithms how to play with them leave a lot of space for imagination. For instance, a Tigger toy can be manipulated in millions of different ways. This way, you can also develop your kid’s communicative skills.
Remember about toys that can be transformed into something else. All kids like building, shaping, and creating something unique. Such toys develop spatial intelligence and the understanding of color, shape, and size.
Make sure that the toy is totally safe, especially if your kid is small. Small babies love putting everything in their mouth, so you should stay away from toys that can be easily swallowed.
Instead of buying similar toys, opt for different ones to develop a variety of skills. For example, you child may have toys encouraging dramatic play (toy vehicles, blocks, stuffed animals, puppets, etc.), toys that involve manipulative play (puzzles, interlocking pieces, construction sets, etc.), creating toys (paints, clay, colored cardboard, etc.), toys for physical activity (jump ropes, balls, bikes, etc.), strategy games (dominoes, checkers, chess, etc.), and a lot of other kinds.
Finally, do not forget that the more is not the better. Too many toys are overwhelming for a small kid. Do the right choice and play together!
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