One of the most important things when purchasing toys for your kids is to make sure that those toys are appropriate for their age, since it might be dangerous for them to play with certain toys. However, you should also make sure that their toys are high-quality ones, since kids can break stuff easily, so you should try shopping at stores like Step2 Direct.
If you are looking for toys that are appropriate for the age of your child, and you are not sure what to get, this article will help you decide. There are certain toys that will help your children grow socially ad physically, as they also help them be creative.
Newborns to 6 months
As you already know, a newborn baby is not really interested in toys that much, at least not at the beginning. At first, the biggest entertainment to them will be their mother, and all of their surroundings, but as they grow bit by bit you can give them any of the following:
- Crib gyms, mobiles… but you should remove them when the baby is able to push up on hands and knees
- Floor gyms
- Activity quilts
- Safety mirrors
- Large, interlocking rings or keys
- Teething toys
- Soft dolls
- Cloth toys
- Musical and chime toys
- Rattles
- Stuffed animals with soft fabric
Newborns are entertained by everything that surrounds them
6 months to 1-year-old
In the 2nd year of their first year, kids will master their motor skills that will help them play with toys in an exciting and new ways. When your baby is able to sit up, she will also enjoy to drop, bang, stack up, put in and out…. etc. As they start to crawl, they enjoy things that can move with them as well, for example:
- Balls (1-4 inches or larger) and push-pull toys
- Busy boxes
- Pop-up toys
- Soft blocks and teething toys
- Soft dolls, stuffed animals and bath toys
- Simple musical instruments, rattles, squeak toys
1-year to 3-year-old
In their second year, children are exploders. They are fueled by their curiosity and wonders, as they possess physical skills to make it easier for them to learn and play. If you want to keep your toddlers busy, give them toys for physical play:
- Balls (1-4 inches or bigger), push/pull toys,
- Nesting and stacking toys
- Blocks, bath toys
- Ride-on toys, wagons
- Sandbox, sand toys, outdoor gym equipment
- Stuffed animals, dolls, baby gear, vehicles
- Puzzles with knobs
3-years to 6-years old
After the age of three, your kids will start to actively play with each other. They like to have make-belief scenarios, where they will be the masters of their own worlds, while using different props and their imagination to make everything interesting.
If your kids are playing outside, you should be watching over them
- Tricycle and bicycle with a helmet
- Backyard gym equipment
- Stuffed animals, dolls and doll clothes, dress clothes and accessories
- Props for make-believe play
- Puzzles, storybooks, hand and finger puppets
Final word
Kids who are older than 6-years are easily entertained and protected, as they already know most of the do’s and don’ts that you have thought them before. However, you can also buy them bigger toys like swing sets, and Step2 Direct kids outdoor swing sets is the best option for you.