Types of Toys: Recommended By Age

Some people are of the opinion this obsession with toys is a modern thing and comes as a result of living in a generally consumerist world that pushes us, adults and kids alike to always want something new. However, if you take a look at the history of toys, you will see that the connection between children and toys goes far back. Of course, times were different, and kids didn’t have so much time to play because they had to help parents with all the household chores, go to work, and so on. Still, the little free time was spent inventing games and playing.

Modern use of toys began in the 20th century, and with it came a better understanding of how playing with toys impacts a child’s development. Various research conducted particularly from the 60s and 70s onwards clearly indicated that playing with toys by age plays an incredibly important role in the event of a child’s cognitive, motor, language, social and other skills.

However, something that often frustrates a lot of parents worldwide is that kids quickly lose interest in toys. They act as if their lives depend on having a specific toy, but then they play for a few days and forget about it. This leaves parents with a home full of unnecessary plastic.

There is a way to solve this problem. A lot of toys for infants but types of toys for toddlers as well are specifically designed to keep children focused and entertained for a long time while simultaneously developing specific skills.

You might be under the impression that your baby’s first months are all about eating, pooping, and sleeping. While newborns indeed spend much of their days doing these things, playtime is also essential for them. Same as older kids, babies between 0 and 6 months of age learn a lot of things about the world through play. The difference is that they are too little to play by themselves. You will need to join the games. If you do, you will see that your little one will probably reach some milestones faster. There are a lot of types of baby toys, so the choice is pretty extensive. You have to be careful to get age-appropriate toys that are safe for your kid. These kinds of toys are usually soft, made of simple materials designed to encourage curiosity. Balls, rattles, play gyms, and so on are the best baby toys for the child’s first months of life.

A lot of things change as six months old babies aren’t considered as newborns anymore. Most of them are starting to sit on their own without head and neck support. Additionally, they begin to recognize familiar adults and to smile, laugh, and babble. By this time, they are more interested generally in the world around them who want to interact more. If you were wondering what types of toys are appropriate for infants, here are some suggestions for you. For example, in this period, they love to take things apart and put them back together or fill things like cups. Some of the best infant toys, so-called cause and effect toys. These are the ones that play music or lights after you touch the button. Others that they might like are musical toys, blocks, walking toys that can help them start walking quicker, and so on.

The first teeth also appear around this time so that you might consider some teething toys as well.

Toddlers are real explorers, and they learn most when they try something by themselves. This period is the one in which you cannot do anything in the house without being followed. They are very interested in all you do. Thus they will want to join you in the preparation of food and so on. A lot of people think it should be easy to choose an ideal gift, but when you enter the store, you realize this is not the case as you get overwhelmed by the wide selection of best toys for toddlers. You find yourself with different questions. How to know which is right? How long will it last? How to be sure of the quality.

But most important is to know that toddlers will like all types of toys that are versatile and encourage their curiosity and imagination. They will be thrilled by building blocks, puzzles, stuffed animals, toys for playing in the sand, plastic eating sets and fruits and vegetables, trucks and cars, instruments, and so on. At this age, they can start learning kids’ bikes.

Preschoolers differ from toddlers in the sense that they are at this age, learning necessary life skills, independence, and other things they will use when they start school. So basically, in this period, they should learn how to get dressed, tie their shoes and so on. If you are wondering about types of toys for preschoolers, keep in mind that the best are simple open-ended toys as well. What we mean by this is that you should look for toys that kids can use in many ways. This is good not only because it will keep them entertained but will also help them develop their skills. Some of these toys are legos, various board games, puzzles, etc. There are also plenty of other gadgets like hoverboards for kids that will allow them to be active while understanding the laws of physics.

If your kid has some mental or physical health problems, you might be wondering about types of toys that would be good for them. First, what you should know is that these toys need to be safe but also entertaining and to be able to work on building your kids’ intellectual, social, emotional, and physical skills. These types of toys should be designed towards improving problem-solving, logical thinking, hand, and eye coordination, and memory. Some of the recommended toys for kids with special needs are usually sensory toys and others like puzzles, suction cups, modeling clay, and so on.

Choosing the right toys for your child can be challenging regardless of age because kids can be picky, and it is not always easy to satisfy them. However, when you get well informed, things get much more comfortable, as you can see. There are plenty of great toys out there. You have to pay careful attention to your child’s interests, and the rest will be more straightforward. Learn more about toys at parenthoodroutine.com.