Stages of Educational Toys

Not all toys are a good choice for a child.  When you see that your child is bored you must be able to distinguish which toy is the best pick for him because you want to benefit his educational needs.  So what is a good way to pick a toy for your child?  To make things easier you must first ask yourself  these questions.  What is their interest?  What do they like to do?  How old are they?  These questions will help you pick the best toy for your child.

Toddlers and Toys

Toddlers are at a stage where they enjoy running, jumping, and climbing on things.  Infant toys will no longer satisfy toddlers at this stage.  Toddlers are more interested in sensory developing toys such as play dough, paint, crayons, and chalk.  This will help them develop their imagination and most of the time they are not even interested in drawing a specific object.  They are more curious about mixing colors and scribbling.  When your child draws something that is unclear it is better to ask ” tell me about your picture” , rather than ” what is it?”  This way your child will be able to describe the image and explore his imagination.

Even though toddlers are older than infants they will still put toys in their mouth from time to time so it is very important to be careful what toys you give them.  When they play with paint and chalk be sure to supervise them as they think that it is fun to put these items in their mouth.  Toddler also need supervision when playing with balloons.  If the balloon pops and the child puts it in their mouth then they are in danger of suffocating.  So all in all, be careful with what toddlers play with.  Some appropriate toys for them include these.
push-pull toys
pedal toys
truck/cars big enough to ride
wagons
balls and bean bags
balloons (with close supervision) swings
climbing structures
books with simple stories
blocks
peg boards
puzzles
creative materials (crayons, playdough, paint)
water play toys
simple dress-up clothes
dolls and stuffed animals
boxes

As you can see, there are many types of developmental baby toys that would be beneficial for your child.