Supporting your children’s growth and development as best as possible is one of the biggest attributes you might have as a parent. While there are many strategies and tools to do so, one of the most practical ways is through playing. Educational toys have become increasingly popular as they promote learning and skill-building while providing entertainment and engagement.
With so many options available, choosing a suitable educational toy for your child can be daunting. Should you choose a musical toy, a building set, or a pretend play item? Rest assured that this problem will no longer burden you.
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Consider Various Factors
As a parent, you should know what toy would benefit your child the most. For instance, if your child just turned 3, a great choice would be the connetix tiles to bring out creativity. Here are the factors you might want to consider before purchasing an educational toy.
Age
Educational toys cater to various age brackets. Why give an 8-year-old boy animal flashcards when he needs something like a terrarium kit?
Enjoyment
While toys help children discover their interests, pushing them to like something they don’t wouldn’t be effective. A child interested in music may not enjoy a math-based toy.
Safety And Cost
A significant issue toys face is that they’re dangerous, especially the smaller ones. Children still in the oral stage of development have no business playing with miniature objects. Also, ask yourself if you’d need to replace your child’s favorite toy frequently.
Educational Toys For Your Children
Now that you know what to look out for, time to know the best educational toys your money can buy.
1. Sound-Producing Toys For 0 to 6-month-olds
Toys that make sounds may not look educational, but to infants, they are. Musical toys allow children to learn how to produce sound by performing specific actions.
There are too many sound-producing toys, but here are the most popular ones.
• Interactive Learning Cube
• Rattles
• Ukelele
Any toy that produces sound can be educational for infants because it introduces them to the cause-and-effect relationship. Also, these types of toys assist in the development of fine motor skills.
2. Shape-Sorter Toys For 1-year-olds
Toddlers couldn’t resist the fun they get out of playing with shape sorters. Initially, they’d try to force a piece into the wrong hole. When this happens, you might have to step in and teach them how to do it. Once they understood the concept of shapes, they’d play with shape-sorter toys non-stop. Eventually, children would learn to name the different shapes.
3. Stacking Sets For To 2-year-olds
A toddler’s motor skills and hand-eye coordination will eventually see progression with the help of stacking toys. Children will improve in the problem-solving department as stacking activities trigger their imagination. Good examples of stacking toys include stacking cups.
4. Educational Laptops For 3 To 5-year-olds
Educational laptops offer several modes that contain specific topics. These modes usually teach the alphabet, numbers, animals, and even songs. Gadgets like educational laptops also allow the child to roleplay as a working adult. Some educational laptops also have a touchscreen feature to keep up with modernity.
5. Assembling Toys For 8 To 12-year-olds
Children who spent more time playing with building blocks would gravitate toward toys that require assembling. Assembling kits help children hone their problem-solving skills. On top of that, these kits make children feel proud after they complete a task.
Here are some great examples of assembling toys.
• Modifiable robot toys
• Play blocks that create different puzzles
• Remote racecar toys with customizable racetracks
• Electronic kits
Aside from providing excitement, assembling toys also give children a sense of independence. Most of all, assembling enhances creativity and cognition.
Allow Your Children To Explore
A child’s development is essential to their long-term health, and educational toys can only do so much to help. Children are always curious; giving them the right tools to satisfy their curiosity is already a huge step.
