Toy Buying Guide
Based on Child development research, the following guide will help in your selection of toys for various age groups. Some toys are recommended for more than one age catogory as some children of different ages often enjoy the same toy, each playing with it at his or her own level.
Birth to Six Months
Abilities and Interests.
Babies of this age are discovering how to use their hands, feet, eyes and most of their senses. They are fascinated by cause and effect, and are becoming aware of their surroundings.
Toys that are the most popular for young babies at this age include toys for looking, listening, sucking or fingering. Babies love to see bright primary colors like red, blue, or yellow. Toys with high contrasts and simple designs are the best buys. Toys should be light, soft and easy for your baby to handle. Toys that respond to baby's actions are more popular.
APPROPRIATE TOYS AND GAMES
- Colourful Teethers
- Cloth Toys
- Squeeze Toys
- Hanging Toys - Mobiles
- Play Gyms
- Soft Dolls
- Small Stuffed Toys
- Soft Hand Puppets to be moved by Adults
- Unbreakable Mirrors
Six Month to One Year
Abilities and Interest
Babies at this age are slowly becoming more aware of their surroundings. They start teething, learning how to grasp, pull themselves up, crawl, begin to stand and walk alone at the later stages. They start wanting to explore their surroundings and objects around them. With toys, they exhibit a great interest in opening - closing, twisting, poking, shaking, biting, pushing - pulling, and dragging.
APPROPRIATE TOYS AND GAMES
Push-pull toys
Ride-on toys (feet-propelled)
Nesting and stacking toys
Simple shape sorters
Pop-up toys
Blocks
Sandbox/sand toys
Pool/water toys
Puzzles with knobs (whole-object pieces)
Stuffed animals (with short pile fabric)
Dolls and baby gear
Play vehicles
Kitchen equipment and gadgets
Play household items (telephone, lawn mower, workbench, shopping trolley)
Child-sized table and chairs
Musical instruments
Baby Walker with bricks
2 to 3 Years
Abilities and Interests
For children of this age social play becomes more important if other children are around.They are developing good hand-eye coordination and can build quite elaborately, or put on simple garments. They tend to imitate those they know and like to do what they do. They can put words together to make simple sentences and uses “I,” “me” and “you they follow simple instructions and can recall what to do.
APPROPRIATE TOYS AND GAMES
- Role-play toys
- Ride-on toys
- Battery-powered ride-ons
- Play kitchen with pretend food and utensils
- Simple remote-control vehicles
- Themed play sets
- Dolls & stuffed animals
- Music-making toys
- Basic counting, number and shape-matching toys
- Child-size toy kitchens
- Construction toys
- Wooden puzzles
- Dolls to undress
- Basic jigsaw puzzles
- Memory games
3 to 4 Years
Abilities and Interests
Kids at this age love pretend play. They love to imitate grownups and so love role playing toys. The child’s gender comes into play at this age, with little boys and little girls playing in their own typical fashion. Preschoolers also enjoy little trikes with safety wheels. This is a great age to further learning, as their little brains are active and absorb faster.
APPROPRIATE TOYS AND GAMES
- Dollhouses & accessories
- Play sets and action figures
- Role play
- Cars, vehicles & RC toys
- Toys that encourage creative expression
- Battery-powered ride-ons
- Science-themed entertainment toys
- Simple hand puppets
- Dress-up clothes and props
- Picture books and story books
- Toys for learning shapes, colors, numbers and letters
- Intermediate puzzles
- Simple board games
- Sand and water play toys
- Pedal trikes
- Sports sets -basketball, tee-ball, golf, bowling
- Simple computer programs for early learning
- Variety of sport balls, e.g., soccer, football
4 to 5 Years
Abilities and Interests
Preschoolers from the ages of 3 to 5 years are very active and adept at most physical activities including running, bending, jumping, and more. They love toys which look more realistic and with more detail. Pretend play is also more popular, as are model cars and trains. Preschoolers also show an interest in construction type toys where they have to reach a certain goal.
APPROPRIATE TOYS AND GAMES
- Dolls Houses
- Fantasy Castles
- Play Sets -Castle - Garage - Fort
- Push and Pull Toys
- Ride-Ons - Tricycles and rocking horses
- Construction wooden blocks
- Model building sets with large and few pieces
- Large jigsaw puzzles and number or letter puzzles
- Counting Toys like Number boards
- Dolls especially baby dolls
- Stuffed Toys
- Role Play Equipment like household and pretend play food
- All musical rhythm instruments
- Matching games and simple board games
5 to 7 Years
Abilities and Interests
Children at the ages of 5-7 are developing their individual personalities and interests. They love playing with toys that are engaging and interesting, like board games, remote control toys, dolls, building sets, and action figures. Peer pressure sets in at this age, and the popular toys of the moment are very much in demand.
APPROPRIATE TOYS AND GAMES
- Toys that encourage creative expression
- Sports toys
- Skateboards
- Interactive preschool electronics
- Children's software
- Electronic learning toys
- Advanced level scooters
- Entertainment toys
- Simple working camera
- Framed puzzles with 25 to 50 pieces
- Picking-up or balancing games
- Simple card games
- Science materials such as magnets, binoculars, magnifying glass
- Two-wheeled bike with training wheels and helmet
- Battery-powered ride-ons
- Skipping rope
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