Are we investing in right kind of toys?

Children love to play with toys. It acts as great source of entertainment for them. But of late, we see kids prefer gadgets and other digital entertainments rather than playing with toys. Isn’t it alarming? Are we the reason behind it? Are we investing in right kind of toys to draw child’s attention?

Toys are not just for fun, it can be educational and contribute greatly to the learning. It stimulates child’s senses and sparks the imagination. There are many benefits if children are engaged with right kind of toys.

So, as parents we need to pay heed to certain factors before investing in toys. In this article we brief about these things for your benefits.

1. Buy age appropriate toys for your child

Periodically check your child’s toy collection and replace the outgrown toys. Sometimes children don’t want to let go off their old toys, they want to keep it for themselves even if they are not playing with it. Make her understand how giving away unused toys bring smile on another child’s face and also it makes room for her new toys.

Don’t just replace the outgrown/broken toys with different version of the same toys, instead buy upgraded version to suit their age, or buy completely different toys. That way you can keep child’s interest in the toy alive for longer time.

Buy some toys that grow with your child or which covers wide range of age groups. For example : Infant to Toddle rocker, Activity cubes, Lego, Card games, Board games like chess, snake and ladder, Rubik’s cube, Carrom Boards, Outdoor games like Badminton, etc.

2. Include Variety in toys

You don’t have to buy every toy available in the market to introduce variety. It simply means having toys (1 or 2 in each category), which offer different kind of experience to the child. It would be boring to play same game day and night right? So include variety like

• problem solving toys
• Strategy games
• pretend play toys
• soft toys
• toys for physical activity
• toys which sparks their imagination and foster creativity
• educational toys
• open-ended toys

3. Strike a balance between Indoor and Outdoor toys

Outdoor play is very essential for child’s healthy growth. Don’t let your child sit at home and play variety of card and board games. Playing outside is a must for every child. So, while investing in toys make sure you buy outdoor toys, sport equipment to encourage your child for outdoor games.

You may like to read – How to make your child’s fitness a priority

4. Give importance to Quality and Safety

Not every toy on the shelf is safe for your child though it claims to be! Make sure you check the build, material and finish of the toys.

If you are buying for infants then be very cautious about the loose parts, quality of the material, quality of its color, choking hazards, etc. Similar caution is advisable while buying science experiment kits, slime making kits for older kids which includes mixing of multiple ingredients. As they may contain some hazardous materials which are not safe for children.

Extra bucks you pay for the quality always helps! It saves your time and money in the long run. This is true when you buy toys that grow with the child or which cover wide range of age groups.

5. Buy travel friendly toys/games

Develop love for toys and games starting very early age. To do that, show them how to indulge in toys and games, make it part of your family routine. Carry one or two toys/games even while travelling, which makes it easy to keep the child engaged in a positive way.

These days most of the card/board games like snake and ladder, chess, etc are available in travel friendly portable sizes. Keep one or two your child’s favorite games in portable sizes handy for your next travel with the child.

Related read – How to avoid screen time for kids during travel