What Kind Of Toys Should I Buy For My Baby?
Ah, tis the season to be _________! I’m going to let you fill in the blank…hopefully, you will fill it in with something positive. I know this is a time to be ‘jolly’, but often times we end up overwhelmed and harried by the myriad of things to do and activites going on.
One of the things that may be ’stressing’ you right now is the type of toy to buy for your baby or toddler, particularly when you are faced with every type of gadget, gizmo, and product claiming to be educational, brain-building, and ’critical’ or ‘essential’ to your child’s development….
O.K…here’s my personal advice (hopefully, it’s not getting to you too late in the season; you can also apply this to birthdays as well): Take a deep breath and relax. Buying toys should be FUN, not stressful!
Now, here’s my professional advice:
1. Make sure they are age-appropriate. Yes, every parent thinks their child is smarter than the next and can handle a toy that’s for older children, but there’s a reason they are marked with age guidelines. For one, there are safety concerns, and two, they are developmentally appropriate for that age-range.
2. Look for a toy that (this is more for toddlers) is going to encourage creative play, like blocks, balls, dolls, cars, trucks. You see more and more electronic toys being marketed to younger children, even toddlers and babies, but they should be used in moderation. Electronic toys tend to ‘direct’ a child’s play, rather than let the child be in control and be creative.
Toys should encourage your child’s imagination. They should be ‘tools’ for your child’s play, not directing it or controlling it, like computer games or electronic games tend to do. Again, I have nothing against computer and electronic games, but they have their place.
Build your baby or toddler’s imagination with toys that encourage them to be ‘explorers’ and ‘discoverers’. Not only will a strong imagination profit their langauge skills, but their overall development.
Happy Shopping!
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