7 Quick Tips in Choosing Toys for kids

Are we parents choosing the correct toys for kids? Do my kids enjoy playing with the toy? Do the toy I buy worth the money spend? Lots of questions and suggestions arise when we start selecting toys for our kids. Unfortunately, It’s not our opinion that matters to choose a toy, but it relates to the perspectives of a child too. The toys for kids make them engaged, enlightens their imagination, and at the same time encourages a kid to interact with people around them. Instead of buying toys that are not played, it’s significant to choose toys played in multiple ways.  I believe, one can never bring happiness to a child buying expensive toys, it purely depends on buying useful or correct ones that our kid loves. There are many factors we parents bring into consideration before picking toys for kids, but these 7 factors are taken into account often.

Topic to be discussed are

• 7 Basic factors to be considered before choosing toys for kids
• Toys categorized based on age
  • 0-1 year old
  • 1-3 years old
  • 3 years and above

7 Basic factors to be considered before choosing toys for kids:

• Quality of product
• Price
• Ensures safety
• Improves creativity
• Encourages physical activity
• Helps in learning
• Toys that grow with your child

Quality of the product:

Considering the quality of the product, if we are selecting toys for newborns or a toddler, be more cautious in picking hazardous or BPA-free toys. 

Price:

The price of toys that we spend should be worth the quality of the product purchased.

Ensures safety:

Safety is a crucial factor before choosing a toy. Toys are selected based on age and how a child will be able to manage it. Ensure the child doesn’t have any risk while playing with the toy.

Improves creativity:

Giving priority to toys that support creativity in kids is essential. Focusing on attractive, colorful toys is vital, but at the same time opting for a toy that supports creativity in kids is equally important.  Imagination can be enhanced when they do pretend plays (when a child plays with a doctor set, kitchen set, etc).

Encourages physical activity:

Being a toddler, they can perform various activities which helps to make them become physically stronger and keep them active. As a kid they usually seek an encouraging audience around them .Choose a toy that keeps them busy, as they enjoy moving around (playing with a ball, riding a scooter, etc). 

Helps in learning:

Some toys we choose should focus on learning in a fun way. Toys that focus on learning can be a great way to open a child to learn new things without getting bored (playing a puzzle set, sorting color games, etc).

Toys that grow with your child:

It may be weird, but do we know? Buying a particular toy when played in multiple ways can make this statement achievable. For example, a baby with animal toys, played with sound recognition the animals produce. As they grew up, animal toys were played by setting up a zoo or forest. Kids can narrate a story with it, and so on.  

Pretend play with frozen toys:

Toys can be categorized based on age :

0-1 year old :

• While choosing toys for 0-1-year-old kids, be cautious that toys are easy to use because when the toy is light weighted, the baby does not get hurt while they try to lift or move it.
• Make sure it is hazard-free as the babies usually tend to play by keeping it in their mouth.
• Secured toys must be included in play.
• Focusing on toys that helps in enhancing motor skills and sensory development.
• Prefer toys that are soft, attractive, and colorful, as they usually observe colors at this stage.

Toys preferred and its uses:

• Stacking cups(balancing to keep the tower upright)
• Bath toys(keeping kids engaged and happy during bath time)
• Sit-to-stand walker(helps baby to sit and walk)
• Farm animal toys(singing a song showing animals, producing sounds of animals, and so on)
• Blocks(develops spatial awareness, hand-eye coordination)
• Musical and lighting toy(learning sounds)
• Soft toys(Enlightens social skills)
• Rattlers(supports fine motor skills by learning to hold and shake things)
• Soft baby cloth book(stimulating sensory functions).

1-3 years old:

• As toddlers, they prefer playing with real-world things, such as kitchen utensils, hangers, bookshelves, and so on.
• At this point, it’s best to choose toys that help in pretend play.
• Selecting toys that allow kids to enhance imagination skills, mimic activities that are going around them.
• Musical toys can be fun as they recognize the sound by playing.

Toys for kids preferred and its uses:

• Shape sorter (helps in coordination of hands and brain)
• Pretend play (Kitchen set, doctor set)
• Bath toys(helps them in getting rid of the fear of water at the same time improve their fine motor skill like squeezing, splashing the toys) 
• Riding toys(It can help in improving motor skills like balancing, coordination, and so on)
• Musical toys(It boost cognitive skill and sensory development)
• Swing, slide(helps in developing the vestibular system, therefore, improving their balance)
• Alphabet blocks, Number blocks(supports the learning process in fun filled ways)
• Board books(gain knowledge while playing)
• Bubble gun(helps kids to play with bubbles)
• Puzzle set(enhances their thinking skills)
• low rocking horse(Supports gross motor skills by controlling their body when moving up and down).

Setting a train track 

 3years and above :

• Kids are open to exploring new things and would love to play with others(friends, siblings, neighbors).
• They often start questioning things and keep learning.
• We can include toys simultaneously enhancing the essential skills needed for a child’s development.
• Toys that develop fine motor skills can be preferred as the kid learns to balance and rotate objects.
• Creative toys help to boost a child’s imagination, for example, setting up a castle and playing a fairy tale story they have heard.

Toys preferred and its uses:

• Puzzle set(hand-eye coordination, problem-solving skills)
• Swing, slide(helps to strengthen legs, arms, and child’s core)
• Construction games(fine motor ability, topic-specific knowledge)
• Art and craft supplies(beads, thread)
• Play Dough(Improves creativity)
• Unscrew toys(develops determination, positive thinking)
• Castle play tent or tent house(imagination, creativity)
• Pretend toys(kitchen set, doctor set)
• Musical toys l(keyboard, guitar, trumpet, drums)
• Ride on scooter, cycle(refine balance, coordination)

Toys for kids help to discover independence and a positive self-esteem in a child.  Play with toys helps a child to engage in the world around them without any difficulty. Most toys help kids explore and learn new things. Choosing appropriate toys for kids is crucial. Toys that come with a tiny, sharp, hazardous object can be restricted. While Selecting toys, focusing on a child’s safety should be our priority.  If you are new to my blog, I am Asha, mom of a 3.5-year-old baby girl, where I write articles on parenting, homeschooling, and motherhood. I hope you will enjoy reading my blog post on Postpartum depression and 33 Indoor activities for kids at home. Join my community as we can grow stronger together in raising our kids.  You can also get access to my FREEBIE by clicking on the link in the smart bio. Follow me on Facebook and Instagram  to get more updates on homeschooling, parenting, and DIY activity ideas for kids. To know more visit about us page. If you found this post helpful, kindly share  it with your friends and family. It would take a minute for you to Share and leave a Comment below my post, but it would mean the world to me that helps me grow on this platform.