We're in the middle of prime shopping season, and many kids have made out lists of toys they'd like from their parents and Santa. Besides concerns about toy safety, it's a good idea to evaluate just what is right for the children on your list.
Think before you buy
Child development expert Novella Ruffin, an assistant professor at Virginia State University, offers these tips:
First, determine how the age of the child will affect his or her ability to understand and interact with a toy. For younger children, choose toys that match their gross and fine motor skills: easy-to-grasp objects, books with thicker pages that are easier to turn and toys that don't have any sharp edges or loose parts that can be swallowed. You also want to buy toys that the child won't outgrow quickly.
Look for toys that promote interaction because the purpose of play is to "allow children to explore and experiment with their environment," Ruffin said. Is this toy something that adults and kids can play together?
Go for quality over quantity. If you get too much stuff, children will lose interest quickly. Spend more money on something that provides a good play experience -- a toy kitchen, castle or building set, for example -- than lots of cheaper toys that won't hold their interest as long.
Laurel Bongiorno, an associate professor at Champlain College in Vermont and president-elect of the state chapter of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, recommends these toys, proven to help children's development:
Building toys or blocks: They help develop mathematical skills. Children sort, balance and use vocabulary for cylinders or rectangles. They plan, predict, arrange and compare sizes.
Art supplies and texture toys: Paint brushes, markers, paper, scissors, finger paint and crayons allow them to express their creativity, figure out how to mix colors to make new ones and develop motor control needed for learning to write. If the child has room at home, buy an art easel or an art table. Texture play such as Play-Doh, a sand table or water course allows them to figure out solids and liquids.
Music: Rhythm instruments let kids make noise and develop rhythm, tempo and volume. There are lots of great CDs for kids, from old favorites such as Ella Jenkins and Raffi to newer talents, including They Might Be Giants, the Uncle Brothers, world music and much, much more.
Play environments and play clothes: Follow their interests. Do you have a budding chef who will want to explore a play kitchen or set up a play restaurant? A princess who would love a castle or a magic wand? These toys allow them to develop their imaginations and also act out "real life." Setting up a pretend restaurant, for example, allows them to count pretend money and make change, set a table and interact with their "customers."
Picture books, and simple card and board games: Books provide a great opportunity to read to a child, and classic children's games, such as Uno, Candy Land and others, help them learn to take turns, count, identify numbers and match colors.
-- Peggy O'Crowley