_Choosing the right toys for your toddlers.
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I think that as parents we always want to do the best for our children and spend hours thinking about how we can give our children the happiest childhood possible. Toys are probably the trickiest thing to get right, because there are so many out there, and so much advertising that we get persuaded to buy things, that sometimes are not appropriate for our children’s development. I used to find that my older children would have hours of fun playing with their siblings toys, and vice versa. How do you choose a toy that your children will enjoy, and is at the right stage for them..
If you go round the shops, most toys have an age recommendation. As most parents have come to realize this means nothing. You need to think about your child’s capability, and what he and she likes to do, their concentration levels etc., I also found that it was worth bearing in mind if they had an older sibling to help them play. What parents need to realize is that children need to learn how to play. A lot of games require rules to be understood, or help in understanding how to play them. Think about the fact you may have to spend time with your child initially showing them how to play, but this will be well worth it in the end.
If you would like to read any more of my parenting articles visit "How To Deal With Siblings" which also explains childrens toys.
I used to find that babies aged between birth and 1 year, did not really play. They would enjoy toys with sound effects, or bright colours etc. they liked textures, because they love to put things in their mouths, and touch things. Play gyms were always a good buy and also vinyl or cloth books were always worth investing in, it is never too young to introduce books. My babies loved the feely books.
When they 1 up until 3 I found that they were not interested on the whole with playing with other children, but would watch and play alongside others. Mine used to love push along toys, in fact they tried to push everything that could move along. Playdough would keep them occupied for quite some time, and they loved the bright colours, especially if we made it ourselves. I also found that pretend kitchens were great and they would mimic mom and dad, but I forgot about toy phones. Everybody who has had a child knows that they always love real phones, and the toy ones never stood a chance. I will never understand why. Fine motor skills need developing at this age, and they did enjoy puzzles, simple ones, and shape sorters, but the most enjoyment can be got from crayons and paper. I used to place a big piece of paper to a table, and sellotape it down for them to scribble on to their hearts content. I know some people put it on the wall, but I found that they did not understand the concept of not drawing on the wall, and therefore it was difficult to tell them off if they had.
The trouble is nowadays there is so much money to be made in the toy market, and huge amounts spent on advertising, that sometimes you forget that children are just as happy with a box, or shiny paper. It is not the amount you spend that will benefit your child but the thought and time that has gone into choosing a toy will always benefit them more than the cost.
I think that as parents we always want to do the best for our children and spend hours thinking about how we can give our children the happiest childhood possible. Toys are probably the trickiest thing to get right, because there are so many out there, and so much advertising that we get persuaded to buy things, that sometimes are not appropriate for our children’s development. I used to find that my older children would have hours of fun playing with their siblings toys, and vice versa. How do you choose a toy that your children will enjoy, and is at the right stage for them..
If you go round the shops, most toys have an age recommendation. As most parents have come to realize this means nothing. You need to think about your child’s capability, and what he and she likes to do, their concentration levels etc., I also found that it was worth bearing in mind if they had an older sibling to help them play. What parents need to realize is that children need to learn how to play. A lot of games require rules to be understood, or help in understanding how to play them. Think about the fact you may have to spend time with your child initially showing them how to play, but this will be well worth it in the end.
If you would like to read any more of my parenting articles visit "How To Deal With Siblings" which also explains childrens toys.
I used to find that babies aged between birth and 1 year, did not really play. They would enjoy toys with sound effects, or bright colours etc. they liked textures, because they love to put things in their mouths, and touch things. Play gyms were always a good buy and also vinyl or cloth books were always worth investing in, it is never too young to introduce books. My babies loved the feely books.
When they 1 up until 3 I found that they were not interested on the whole with playing with other children, but would watch and play alongside others. Mine used to love push along toys, in fact they tried to push everything that could move along. Playdough would keep them occupied for quite some time, and they loved the bright colours, especially if we made it ourselves. I also found that pretend kitchens were great and they would mimic mom and dad, but I forgot about toy phones. Everybody who has had a child knows that they always love real phones, and the toy ones never stood a chance. I will never understand why. Fine motor skills need developing at this age, and they did enjoy puzzles, simple ones, and shape sorters, but the most enjoyment can be got from crayons and paper. I used to place a big piece of paper to a table, and sellotape it down for them to scribble on to their hearts content. I know some people put it on the wall, but I found that they did not understand the concept of not drawing on the wall, and therefore it was difficult to tell them off if they had.
The trouble is nowadays there is so much money to be made in the toy market, and huge amounts spent on advertising, that sometimes you forget that children are just as happy with a box, or shiny paper. It is not the amount you spend that will benefit your child but the thought and time that has gone into choosing a toy will always benefit them more than the cost.