Ages 1-6 years old Safety Age Appropriate Appeal Choosing Toys Ages 1-6 years old Safety Age Appropriate Appeal By: Lupita Espinoza

How To Choose Toys For Your Children? When choosing a toy for your children, your first concern should be that the toy is safe. Toys can also help your child grow and develop. Its very important for them to play while their young. Toys can be expensive, but they don’t have to be. Expense has nothing to do with quality. When you purchase a toy, you need to consider your child’s personality, likes and dislikes. Choose a toy that makes them happy! Not you.

Children’s Toy Safety Every year more than 150,000 children receive injuries from toys that cut, puncture, burn, shock, or choke them. Many times its lack of supervision or not their age-appropriate. Before buying a toy consider the following aspects of its construction: Strong Construction- Try to pull off eyes, buttons, parts, pieces. Make sure there not too small to fit in child’s mouth. Paints- New toys must be painted with non-toxic paint. Nonelectric- Avoid electric toys for toddlers since they may attempt to eat batteries and its dangerous when plugging. Noise- Activate toys that make noise be sure they wont damage hearing.

Age- Appropriate Toys Generally speaking a good toy should challenge a child at their level of development. If it’s too sophisticated, it frustrates the child. If it’s too simple, it bores the child. So, it’s important to observe the age ranges on packages. A good toy requires the child actively play with it, if the toy does the playing it wont interest the child very long.

Age 1 yrs. Age 2 yrs. At this point, babies can stand and sit but may not yet walk by themselves. Children enjoy blocks, but be sure to get large blocks that have no sharp corners. Don’t have too little blocks they will get bored, but too many will confuse them. Riding toys are dangerous if they cant walk . Children at this age are talking and are interested in learning about size and placement. Large blocks in a variety of shapes interest children. Telephone toys give children an opportunity to engage in an adult activity, and the noise interest them to.

Toys for Age 3 years old This age children are more creative. Talking toys and dolls are very appealing. Trucks are good toys for indoors and outdoors. Push or wind-up trains are popular. Kitchen toys, Handy Tool sets and puzzles can be an excellent purchase. They strengthen hand-eye coordination, matching skills and shape recognition. Occupation toys, such as doctor’s kit and cashier toys inspire creative play.

Ages 4-6 years old This age is physical activities Keep competition out, play to have fun. Ask your child what THEY want to play. Keep them active. Don’t let them become addicted to video games. Don’t be embarrassed to play with them! Ready for games with rules. Examples: reading, talk together, duck duck goose, hot potato, hide and seek, tag or you can put them in sports.

Sources http://lifestyle.howstuffworks.com/family/parenting/child -development/how-to-choose-toys-for-a-child2.htm