When you shop toys for your little child, this is when your inner child gets overwhelmed with joy. The whole experience revives the memories of your childhood.
While you are out there shopping for your little bundle of joy, it is extremely important that you buy only the best toys. And, all the toys of the world don’t qualify as the ‘best’ if they are not safe.
I’ve got your back when you are looking out for all the points on the toy safety checklist. I’ve penned down the best toy shopping tips to make the whole experience a fun and an easy one!
Remember when you get befuddled by looking at so many toys in front of you, just keep your calm and use my tips!
1) Safety first
You can give your attention to other chores only when you know that your child is secure. It becomes very important to buy playthings that have no sharp edges and will not cause choking. Besides these two things, you should keep in mind the below points:
a) Always buy toys that label the use of non-toxic materials.
b) It has been seen that toys with loud volume can cause loss of hearing in kids. So, parents should avoid buying toys for kids that are too loud.
c) Also, don’t prefer toys with cords and elastic bands as they might cause strangulation.
2) Age befitting toys
It is very important to buy toys, which are age and gender appropriate for your kids. For instance, buying a Barbie for your baby boy will not make much sense, whereas gifting the same to your baby girl will make her the happiest.
The interesting thing is what grabs the attention of your kid when he is two will differ from when he is eight years old. This is because the learning abilities in kids vary from age-to-age. So, try to find the playthings for your little ones that can actually intrigue them and motivate them.
Every toy comes with age reference, so while purchasing them; just keep in mind the age of your child and his/her capability to understand things.
3) Significant learning for lifetime
The playthings give your juniors the opportunity to learn without being in any constraints and structured environment. Though kids are constantly learning from birth, but the age between one and two years is crucial and significant for development. This is the time for them to learn about their surroundings and enhance their skills. So, mommies and daddies make sure to add a toy in your cart that promotes learning, for instance, games wherein kids have to respond to the questions using the cognitive skills.
4) Let their motor skills blossom
For children, fine motor skills start developing at the infancy stage only and as they are about to complete two years, these skills can be distinctly seen. Such abilities keep on blossoming till kids reach their adulthood. Therefore, it is very essential to buy those toys for your kids that promote the use of their hands and fingers.
There are many toys available in the market for motivating the motor skills of your child. For instance, legos, coloring, board games, art and craft ones, and so forth. These toys are engaging and as little ones involve their fingers and hands, these are sure to enhance their skills, which will be later helpful in their school calligraphy, art & craft competitions, and more.
5) Let their imagination soar
Toys give children a space where they can act silly, pointless and can be whatever they wish to be. Toys not only give kids a way to explore their imagination, but also help in letting their imagination take a flight. Playthings give them their space and a chance to act crazy. When a child turns two, it is the start of the evolution of a genius mind and by the next year, this evolution comes into full effect. During this important mental development phase, give your child the toy that will help spark their imagination and bring their ideas into reality. Ways to foster creativity in your kids are sketching, painting, puzzles, board games, etc. Besides these, there are some pretend toys available in the market that help children become someone else for instance, a superhero, a teacher, a doctor or anything of their choice.
This article is to make toy-shopping fun for parents and fruitful for their kids.
Happy toy shopping to keep your little one busy, out-of-your-hair and make them learn a few lessons while having fun!