Guide to choosing age-appropriate toys for kids

Kids make the most of everything. They are not fuzzy when it comes to toys. Anything you give them evokes excitement. However, the enthusiasm soon dies if the playthings are not age-appropriate.

For instance, buying toys for 5-year-olds to a toddler will only confuse them.  This is because they find it difficult to comprehend such toys. It also does not add any educational value. Moreover, playing is the only way kids learn at an early age. These are their crucial development stages. Therefore, it is essential to incorporate child's play that exposes them to knowledgeable things.

These tips should help:

Categorise by age group: Children benefit from toys when they align with their development phase. It allows them to gauge the technicalities, functioning, and complexities of the given plaything. Go by the age range as follows:

• 6-12 months old: Babies at this age are in the process of taking their first steps. They get fascinated with sounds. It is best to introduce cause and effect toys that emit music or sounds.

• 1–3 years old: Toddlers are inclined to exploring and feeling things. This is an excellent time to stimulate their senses by providing outdoor, musical, puzzles, and building block games.

• 3-5 years old: These years are crucial for brain development in preschoolers. Introducing board games, craft activities, construction toys, etc., is the right way to enhance their child play.

• 5-8 years old: These are impressionable years for kids as they enter elementary school. Giving them 5-year-old games like dolls, action figures, board games, etc., allows them to use their imagination.

• 9-12 years old: At this phase, it is best to upgrade from 8-year-old toys. You should introduce advanced learning toys like science kits, party-themed games, electronic toys, musical instruments, etc. These toys teach and tap into kids' talents.

Consider safety: Mishaps with kids happen because of lack of supervision but also inappropriate toys. It is essential to read the age sticker on games before buying. All kids are not the same, and they develop differently. Hence, even if the sticker suggests your child's age group, think about their habits as well while purchasing. This helps avoid choking hazards.

Keep it simple: It is best to include playthings that the kids can control. Not the other way around. Hence, avoid toys that direct you to do a lot of things on your own. It limits child play to pressing random buttons. While extravagant games offer fascination, they lack educational value. Simplistic playtime is the best.

Child's interest: Although kids play with anything. They engage with toys they connect with better. If you ask them, you get random demands, and if you take them shopping, they want everything. So how do you understand their interests? You can do this by observing them while they play. Pay attention to what excites them and what they are good at. Their favourite cartoons are also a good indicator of their likes.