Anyone who has a toddler knows that there are certain toys that they can’t get enough of while others that they barely give a second look. However, this is also where the biggest challenge is: how can you tell whether or not your little one will love a certain toy?
Well, this guide is going to help you choose toys for your toddler like a pro. Here’s how to choose the right toys for your little one:
1. Get Toys That Encourage Your Toddler To Be Active
The best toys for your little one are the ones that will encourage them to move around and be active. They need all the help they can get to practice their current physical skills and develop new ones. Active toys will also make them break a sweat, which is good for both their physical development and health. Being active is also great for their mental and intellectual development.
Examples of toys that encourage your toddler to be active include balls, tricycles, scooters, pull wagons, gardening tools, basketball hoops, toddler bowling sets, and large boxes for making tunnels.
2. Get Toys That Grow With Your Toddler
Does your toddler get interested in a toy for a couple of days before abandoning it completely? Well, chances are that the toy is just not challenging them anymore. They need toys that are fun to play with at different stages of development.
Examples of toys that will grow with your toddler include trains, action figures, toddler-friendly dollhouses, toy animals, and stuffed animals that start off as imaginary friends and become characters in an older child’s make-believe story.
3. Get Toys That Encourage Your Toddler To Be Imaginative
Start building those imagination and creativity skills from an early age.
Examples of toys that encourage your toddler to be imaginative include dress-up clothes, toy food, toy kitchenware, stuffed animals, and dollhouses.
4. Get Toys That Look Like The Real Thing
Because toddlers are all about experimentation and exploration, they’ll be super interested in everyday items like phones and remote controls. When you get them toys that look like these things, they start to learn problem-solving skills while also developing fine motor skills, and learning how things fit together.
5. Get Toys That Encourage Problem-Solving And Exploration
As toddlers play with toys, they practice the same skills over and over. Take advantage of this by buying them toys that encourage problem solving and exploration.
Examples of such toys are puzzles, blocks, and art materials like paint, play dough, and crayons.
6. Get Toys That Prepare Them For Reading And Writing
These Basic Skills Are Essential For Every Child.
You can encourage drawing and scribbling skills using paper, crayons, markers, and fingerpainting. You can encourage reading skills using books and magnetic alphabet letters.
7. Get Versatile Toys
Because toddlers have short attention spans, they get bored easily. Get toys that can be played with in many different ways. For example, interlocking blocks can become bridges, houses, zoos, and vehicles. These toys are great for open-ended play.
Final Thoughts
Toddlers learn best through play. It allows them to practice the skills they have while also picking up new ones. Getting the right toys for them is a big part of this process. Hopefully, with the tips outlined here, you’ll be able to get your little one the perfect toys for their optimal development. Good luck!
