There are many toys you can gift your kids that will put a smile on their faces. Some of them are designed to suit a certain age bracket and this means you should consider age while buying toys. Experts warn that toys that don’t fit the age-appropriateness of children could affect their development, so ensure to be specific with the kind of features included.

To help you know how to pick the perfect toy, here are some guidelines you should consider.

Keep it simple

Some toys do too many things and as much as this might seem a good idea, the truth is that such a toy will not allow the baby to use her imagination. Some dolls that come with buttons that the kid can press to activate a situation will limit the imagination of the kid because their way of operation is too specific and limiting. A good example is star wars toys that highlight different characters. These could be a good toy, that can be purchase in toys for your kid , if they are grown and have a character they adore in the series.

Have limits on electronic toys

In today’s electronic age, you would be lying to imagine you can keep your children away from computers. What you can do instead is to set limits to ensure their safety and protection. Research has shown that some electronic toys pose dangers that could include hearing loss (loud toys), weight gain (inactivity playing games), and could also delay language development. If your kids are under 2 years, they should not use video games or toys that require their attention. Give them toys they can interact with to sharpen their imagination and creativity.

Choose age-appropriate toys

Age appropriateness is something you should stress on while looking for toys for your kids.

Below are a few suggestions you should try that will help you make the perfect choice:

Infancy.

At this age, the most important thing for kids is the human face. Small babies do well with social interaction. After three months, they like mirrors where they can look at their reflection, so you should find a crib bumper with mirror inserts.

1-year-olds.

For this stage, you should focus on cause-and-effect toys. These help to teach children reaction and action. This is to help them in standing. Don’t get toys that limit movement because at this stage the kid is very excited to move.

2-year-olds.

At this level, you should get toys that can teach like books and puzzles. Kids enjoy learning and creating things and they are beginning to have the curiosity. What you need to limit is exposure to electronics because they inhibit learning.

3-to-5-year-olds.

For preschoolers, the age-appropriate toys you should get should include items that foster role play. At this stage, kids are looking to develop understanding of the world and their surroundings. Get toys that activate skill acquisition like balls, kids’ piano and so on.

6-to-7-year-olds.

Kids in elementary school want tools that could foster social skills and sharing. Some ideas could include board games and dice, which inspire imagination. It’s also important to foster movement at this stage with balls, hula hoops, and jump ropes. Kids in this age bracket also spend time watching TV, so ensure to control the content they access.

8-to 10-year-olds.

In this age bracket, kids call for supervision from parents. The toys you get them should pass along values. Some creative toys like weaving crafts and jewelry making kits will go a long way.

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Buying toys is not something you just wake up to. It’s a process because you first need to understand the needs of your kid at their age. Age-appropriateness is something you have to keep in mind while choosing toys. Good toys should inspire and engage, and most importantly you need to promote the growth of your kids by buying them toys that match their intelligence and curiosity.