Choosing The Right Toys For Children Age-By-Age And Stage

As parents, we want to give our children the best of everything. That includes providing them with toys that will help them grow and develop both cognitively and emotionally. But with so many options on the market, it can be tough to know which ones are right for each age and stage. When it comes to finding just the right toy for your child, one of the most important things to consider is their age and development stage.

Every child progresses through different stages at their own pace, so what may be appropriate for one might not be right for another. To develop their fine motor skills choosing appropriate toys are necessary. For example, some children younger than three may benefit more from stacking toys instead of the typical jigsaw puzzles or blocks.

Though physical skills are important to develop as early as possible in order to have a solid foundation when learning other things such as writing and drawing. To encourage this child development, consider giving your child toys that they can play with.

This will allow them to experience physical movement and play without the constraint of having to be seated for too long. Toys can help children learn through play, which is why it’s important that parents choose the right type for their children. In this blog post, we’ll outline the different types of toys appropriate for children at different ages and stages in life.

How to choose toys by stage development of age range?

Although choosing toys for children is not easy, you can make the task easier by understanding how youngsters learn and develop. This will help you to choose toys that are suitable for specific age groups. The reason why choosing the right toy is so important is because it helps your child build both fine motor skills as well as their hand-eye coordination. At each stage of your child’s development, they will go through specific developmental milestones. These milestones also show the changes in children’s play. Below we have mentioned age-appropriate toys for each stage and they are

1. Toys for infants (From birth to 12 months)

In this stage, it’s a better time to introduce the below-mentioned toys. To avoid any cause and effect, it’s better to introduce only one toy at a time. These pretend play toys can develop their senses, hand-eye coordination and also enhance their cognitive development and they are

a) Push-Pull toys

At the start of child developmental stages, they remain in their grasping-grasping stage. In this stage, you can give them toys that are attached to a handle or a push bar. This helps your child to strengthen their grip and learn hand-eye coordination. For 6 months old baby, you can give them toys like ‘bobbin caterpillar’ or wooden toy animals. For 12 months old babies, you can give push-pull toys like a ball with a bell inside it, while they are playing in the area. This will make your baby work on their motor skills exclusively while enjoying the game too.

b) Mirror

While your child is in their early developmental stages, they won’t have the ability to control their neck muscles properly. This is why you can give them a mirror so that it helps them develop hand-eye coordination and learn about themselves. In addition to this, it also enhances socialization skills. To avoid cause and effect, it’s better to introduce a mirror only after 3 months of age.

c) Ring stack

There are many different types of ring stackers available in the market. It’s a good toy for babies because it helps them learn the rights reserved stacking and enhances their cognitive skills. There are various sizes of interlocking rings that your child can use to sort out from big to small, from smallest to biggest etc. These toys help in developing different thinking skills within toddlers. In addition to this, it also enhances mental as well as physical development and it’s better for after 6 months of age.

d) Rattles

Whether you choose a soft cotton rattle or a plastic one, giving your child stuffed animal toys is beneficial because it helps them improve their coordination skills and enhances the cognitive or motor skills of older kids. You can also buy colourful rattles that make a sound as well as develop senses like touch and sight too. These toys are ideal for babies aged 3 to 10 months.

2. Toys for toddlers (From 1 to 4 years)

In this age range, your baby’s key development will be in the form of motor skills like climbing, standing and moving. These toys are suitable for toddlers because they enhance motor skills as well as cognitive abilities and these toys are

a) Different types of Balls

It’s important for your child to develop their gripping skills correctly. So, instead of giving them smaller balls right away, it’s better to start with bigger ones so that they can grasp them easily. You can give them softballs or plastic ones. The best thing about a ball is that toddlers not only enjoy playing with it but also learn many skills like kicking, throwing and catching. So, it’s one of the best gifts for toddlers.

b) Mechanical toys

At this age, kids begin to explore the world. You will notice them exploring their surroundings and even figuring out how things work. So, mechanical toys for toddlers are one of the best gifts you can give them to enhance their cognitive abilities. It helps in problem-solving too because once they figure out that by pressing a button or pulling a cute toy, something new happens; they always try to make the toy work.

c) Shape-sorting toys

Choosing toys for kids age by age is not that difficult because you just have to look for the toys that will enhance their little abilities. Your child’s fine motor skills are developing very fast, so it would be a good idea to give them some shape-sorters toys. These toys help babies in learning shapes and colors too. Shape sorters and other such toys also encourage problem-solving because children need to figure out how to open and close the box in order to drop the right shape into it.

d) Role-play toys

This type of pretend play toy is one of the best gifts for toddlers. If you notice your child playing with something and pretending it to be something else, then give them a role-play toy so that they can continue doing what they like and also enhance their creativity. Sometimes the black and white drawings they make on paper may turn into real objects in their imagination. Role-play toys help them in doing that because they like acting like grownups and also reenacting the things they see around them.

E) Gross motor skills development

The Pikler Triangle is a fantastic toy for promoting gross motor skills development in children. Its design encourages climbing, crawling, and sliding, providing opportunities for children to strengthen their muscles, improve balance, and enhance coordination. As they engage with this versatile playroom centerpiece, children not only have endless fun but also embark on a journey of physical growth and skill-building.

3. Toys for kindergartners (From 4 to 6 years)

This is the age when children develop quickly. They learn new things, figure out ways to communicate easier and become more independent. So, at this age, they can play with different types of toys like dress-up sets, arts and crafts kits etc.

a) Arts and crafts toys

This is one of the best gifts for kids aged 4-6. Kids at this age like to express themselves in a creative way with different craft materials. Now your child may not be interested in painting or coloring pages but if you give them something that they can use their creativity, then they will definitely love it. You can give them pipe cleaners, glue, paper and other craft materials.

b) Dolls and stuffed animals

Children at the age of 4-6 like to take care of their dolls or stuffed animals. It is a very important step in children’s development process. But, if you give your child some dolls, it doesn’t mean that they won’t play with toys like cars and trucks anymore. Kids can enjoy playing with all kinds of toys including dolls and stuffed animals.

c) Blocks and constructions sets

Blocks and construction sets are some of the best gifts for kids aged 4-6. There is a wide range of blocks and construction toys that you can easily find at toy stores. Kids love to build castles, cars etc., with these building toys. These game play sets will help your kids improve their creativity and imagination skills.

d) Puzzels

All of us love solving puzzles and we expect toddlers to love them too because it helps in enhancing their problem-solving skills. There are puzzle toys that come with sounds, lights and objects that your child can remove from the board. They can also come with numbers, alphabet or animal shapes that help in the development of motor skills.

e) Books

Reading books are not only fun but also enhance your child’s imagination and creativity. If you give them a book with pictures and stories, their concentration span also increases so that they can read it with interest. You can also read out stories to them so that their social and communication skills improve.

4. Toys for school-going children’s (6 and above years old)

At this age, children can play with all types of toys. But, the most important thing is that they should enjoy playing it. If they don’t have any interest in a particular toy, then it will be useless to them. This is the time when you have to think about what your child likes and give them stuff that matches their interest.

a) Jump rope

Jump ropes are very important for your kid’s physical activity. Even the new generation kids like to play this game. For your kids, this is a great time to play jump ropes. They will get plenty of exercise through this game and they can also make new friends by joining some group who is playing it.

b) Card and Board games

Children at the age of 6 and above like to play simple card and board games. You can buy them a package containing different types of board games like checkers, chess, etc. They will love it and you’ll be happy to see your child playing with other kids and having fun. Board games also help kids in improving their problem-solving skills and logical thinking.

c) Science toys

Nowadays, science toys are available for kids of all ages. At this age, the play of your kid will be more imaginative and creative. They can make different types of models with these science kits and they love doing it again and again. Science toys are available for all types of kids’ science kits like chemistry, biology, etc. are available.

d) Musical instruments toys

Music is the best way to express yourself. And musical instruments are increasing in popularity among kids and youngsters these days. At this age, they like more to play real musical instruments instead of toys that make sounds. Also, you can help them to learn an instrument while playing.

e) Bicycles and skating boards

At this age, they are free to go out and need some tools to move around the town easily. This is the time when you can teach them how to ride bicycles or skating boards. Bicycles and skating boards help children to move without any trouble and also help them to go far from their home easily. For their self-balance skills, bicycles and skating boards are the best.

Why is it important to play with age-appropriate toys for babies?

It is important to play with age-appropriate toys for babies because they are learning through play. Some baby’s toys can be educational allowing different senses to develop while playing. Baby’s need to have the right size and softness of toy for their age and stage, or it can become a safety hazard and put them in danger.

Generally, babies are born with the ability to see the contrast. As they age, their vision becomes more clear and now babies can start distinguishing between certain colors. It is best to let your baby explore different types of toys depending on what they like, but it is also important that you choose age-appropriate toys for them.

Furthermore, toys that are soft in texture help babies to feel safe and secure. These types of toys also support the development of their motor skills. A baby’s age range should be taken into consideration when they are choosing what toy is most beneficial for them. Toys for infants should not be too advanced in the sense of causing frustration. By playing, babies are developing their fine motor skills, listening skills and language skills.

The Bottom line

Therefore, with so many different toys on the market, it can be difficult to know which ones are best for your child. The best way to avoid buying the wrong toy is by understanding what each age group needs. Toys can be an expensive investment, so it’s important that they are picked out correctly. It is important to choose the right toys for children as they grow and develop. Different stages call for different types of toys, and choosing the wrong toy can have negative consequences. The toy recommendations we’ve provided should help you get started in choosing the right types of toys for each age and stage. We hope this article will help you in getting the best toys for your kids. If you have any queries, feel free to ask in the comments section below.