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By
Catherine M. Pruissen
It's
no secret we are now in the Christmas shopping season.
And with it comes the influx of direct mail catalogues,
wish books and newspaper flyers - not to mention a
glut of television commercials aimed directly at those
who greatly influence our buying decisions -our children.
Toys
are an important part of childhood. With them children
develop in all areas of their mental and physical
growth. Choosing toys that are appropriate for your
child's age is no easy task. The best toys are ones
that your child will play with in many different ways.
Blocks, dolls, and art supplies are some of the items
that fit into this category and have for generations.
The
chart that follows will help you and your provider
with your toy selection. You might want to share this
information with family, friends, and yes, providers
who ask the age old question, "What can
I get (your child's name here) for Christmas?"
Infants
(0-12 months) |
- soft,
cuddly toys
- lightweight
rattles
- soft,
squeezable balls
- board
& cloth books
- stainless
steel mirrors (no sharp edges)
- gym
crib, plastic blocks, teething rings (exploring
and hand coordination)
- toys
to bang, drums , wooden spoon & cereal box
- water
& tub toys for older infants
|
Young
Toddlers
(12-30 months) |
- cardboard
& large wooden blocks
- sturdy
toy cars, trucks
- stacking
& snap together toys
- pop
up toys (hand-eye coordination)
- push
toys
- baby
dolls, blankets, accessories
- balls,
plastic trains (imaginative play)
- sturdy
picture books
- low
riding toys without peddles (language development)
(develops large muscle groups)
- containers
for filling and dumping (hand-eye coordination)
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Older
Toddlers
(30-36 months)
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Add
to the above list:
-
art supplies -water based markers
- dress-up
things, hats paints, non-toxic crayons, glue
dresses, shirts, shoes big paint brushes,
stickers (imaginative play, (encourages self-expression
and language development) builds small muscles)
- wagons,
rocking toys
- easy
puzzles -wooden
- keys
(intellectual development, hand-eye coordination)
- climbing
apparatus, swings, tunnels, low balance beams
(large muscle development)
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Preschool
(3-5 years) |
- toy
kitchen utensils
- blocks
- construction
toys, plastic tools
- dolls,
strollers,
- toy
people, animals (imaginative play, cooperation,
learning how the world works)
- picture
& story books (listening skills & language
development)
- play
dough, cookie cutters
- blocks
- art
supplies (as above plus)
- simple
puzzles scissors, tape, pencils (small muscle
development, fosters creativity, self-expression)
- puppets
- dress-up
clothes (in addition to above) jewelry, purses,
shawls, wallets, briefcases, (imaginative
& role playing)
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Other
Toy Purchasing Suggestions
To
get the most for your toy purchasing dollar and to
be sure the toys you do buy are safe for your child,
the National Association for the Education of Young
Children (NAEYC) suggests, in their brochure, Toys,
Tools for Learning , you ask yourself the following
questions before you buy:
| QUESTION |
YES
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NO
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| 1)
Is this toy safe for my child's age?(i.e. free
from sharp parts or small parts that can come
off, shatter proof, painted with nontoxic, lead
free paint.) |
|
|
| 2)
Will my child be interested enough to play with
it over and over again. For several minutes or
even an hour at a time? |
|
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| 3)
Is it constructed well? Will it hold up to lots
of use? |
|
|
| 4)
Does my child provide the power and, imagination
to operate the toy? |
|
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| 5)
Will my child feel successful when using the toy?
Does it challenge my child's abilities just enough?
|
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| 6)
Can the toy grow with my child? will it still
be appealing in a year? Several years? |
|
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| 7)
Can my child use the toy in different ways? Can
it be used creatively? |
|
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| 8)
Will it help my child learn about other: people,
nature, or how things work?
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Toy
Safety Tips
In addition to everything else, you might want to
keep the following toy safety tips in mind, particularly
when you are visiting the daycare centre or home:
- always
check toy packaging for warnings and other safety
messages
- show
the children how to use the toys properly
- inspect
the toys regularly for damage and toss out those
that cannot be repaired
- mobiles
and toys that are strung across the crib should
be removed once a child can sit and all toys that
can become entangled in a child's clothing should
be removed when a child can stand
- toys
should not be left on stairs or in passageways
- toy
boxes should have the lid removed to prevent it
from slamming on a child's head or from trapping
a child who crawled into the box
Source:
Toys, Tools for Learning, National Association
for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
Consumer Tips: How To Buy Toys: Alberta Consumer
and Corporate Affairs.
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