Toys for Kids
When the kid is in the cradle and cannot grip anything the toys that would attract it would be toys that make a noise and something that is colorful. These toys could be dangled and rocked about so that the child gets engaged in looking at them and that is how a child would enjoy a toy at that age. There are so many dangling toys available in the market. There could be toys that look like animals, jokers and even decorative bells that make a noise.
Toys for Toddlers
The next stage is when the baby starts crawling and has learnt to grip things. Not much difference would be seen between a girl child and a boy child at this stage in a child's life. Soft toys would be ideal at this stage, toys that could be safely chewed as a child at that age chews on anything that it can get hold of.
Anything that has attachments such as eyes, buttons, bells should be avoided. Even toys made of fur are not advisable.
When the child starts walking about and knows what it is to get hurt one could go in for toys that move about. Here again not much difference would be known about what a girl child or a boy child would choose. This is the most interesting age for a child that learns to look around and has the capacity to play by itself cluttered with toys round it. Inflatable toys that makes a noise when they are pressed would engage a child's attention at this age for hours on end and a relief for the mother to spend time for herself while her little one is busy.
Toys for Preschoolers
As the child grows and reaches the age of about 5 that is the time when they would know the difference between what a girl or a boy child prefers. There is no limit as to the type of toys that are available to amuse a child who has reached this age and is also capable of making choices. A Tricycle would be something both a girl or a boy would enjoy riding, building blocks, walky talky dolls, kitchen set, mechano set, moulding clay, bat and ball, magic slate, balloons, toy cars, aeroplanes, sewing kit and so many battery operated toys which are abundantly available in any super markets and even in small stores.
The parents should be aware that a child loses interest in anything fast and investing in expensive toys would not therefore be a good idea.
What a child may like is unpredictable. There are times when a child could just cling on to a rag doll and be with it for days on end and phenomena not easy to explain and yet there are times the child would keep on wanting new things every single day. Parents should be ready for such eventualities.
A child should on its own decide what kind of toys they would like to possess and play with as trying to force a distinction between what a girl child or a boy child should play with will not be quite advisable. As when efforts are made for equality between the two sexes influencing the child to make choices would be an unnecessary exercise.
Once the child knows to read and write they could go in for toys depicting the characters in comic books and such other books that a child is familiar with. The Harry Potter series characters would be anyone's choice and so too Dinosaurs. Just holding a Dinosaurs would give them immense joy.
Children are known to collect toys - for example different makes of cars, different Barbie dolls, other type of dolls. They get into this collection mania just as adults do and spend hours and hours just looking at them and prodly displaying and showing them to their friends and also would know the history behind each and every toy they have collected. This should be encouraged as it in a way sharpens the mind of a child to remember and narrate stories behind each item collected.
With video games flooding the market and handling computers having become a child's play literally once the child is able to sit on that chair opposite the pc or sit on the ground opposite the tv there is no limit as to the kind of activity that will keep them engaged forgetting the toys that once were their only pass time. This activity can start even when a child is hardly seven years of age.
As the child grows parents watch their child's interest and should encourage them to own toys that keep that interest alive. Some enjoy playing with a doctors' kit, painting, repairing broken things, construction items, cooking, inviting guests, entertaining - the list is endless.
Right toys at the right time will ensure a happy childhood.
Image Credit: Sakuya Masaki's photostream
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