Toys For Children

Toys For Children • Toy Stores

Are you unsure what to get your child for a birthday or holiday gift? This simple guide can help you select toy gifts for kids of all ages, including babies, toddlers, and elementary school-age children. Bear in mind that some children develop more quickly or slowly than others. So toys that are listed for one age group (as long as they are safe) can sometimes be appropriate for children who are older or younger than the suggested age range.

Recent Toy News

Legos' "Braille Bricks" aim to help blind children learn
Most kids in America grow up playing with Legos. Now, the iconic toy is being used to help blind children read. The Lego Foundation hopes that "Braille Bricks" will help blind kids learn alongside children who can see. ...
CBS News. Sunday, 11 Aug 2019 20:10:30 +0000.
The eight mistakes everyone makes in their garden that put home at risk of being burgled
Chris Hone of Jacksons Fencing has revealed the eight security risks British homeowners should be aware of, including placing children's garden toys and trees too close to the boundaries.
Daily Mail. Wednesday, 07 Aug 2019 16:05:55 +0100.
Visit this toy news page for more extensive news coverage.

A Child Plays with Wooden Tinkertoys

When shopping for toys, consider the age, personality, interests, and skills of the intended recipient. Toys can help children build intellectual abilities as well as motor and social skills. Parents, relatives, and friends can help a growing child develop a well-rounded personality and skill set by providing him or her with a variety of toys.

Birth to 1 year old

Infants like to grasp and hold things, and they should be exposed to a variety of sight, sound, and touch experiences. Squishy toys and lightweight rattles as well as large blocks, nesting toys, and stacking toys, are good choices for the first few months of a baby's life.

1 to 3 years old

Toddlers like physical play activities. Outdoor toy possibilities include wagons, balls, and ride-on toys. Indoor toy selections include large blocks and toys that encourage development of hand-eye co-ordination. Toddlers like toys that enable them to imitate their parents, and toy safety is a very important consideration for children in this age group.

3 to 5 years old

Preschool children are fascinated with the way things work. Consider creative toys such as construction sets, crayons, and washable markers, as well as watercolor paints and simple board games. Introduce toys that enable children to practice life skills and imitate their parents. Examples include toy telephones and computers, doll houses, and pretend kitchen appliances.

5 to 9 years old

Introduce toys to young, school age children that teach them independence, team play, and sharing skills. Select hobby toys, sports equipment, computer software, and problem-solving toys, as well as construction sets and storybooks. Some games can help youngsters learn counting and problem-solving skills, while electronic toys with lights and sounds can help teach cause and effect relationships. Many toys are designed for children in this age group, and appropriate toys for specific age children are listed below.

5 year old

Major play focus: play house, motor skills

Art and craft supplies
Dress-up clothes
Role-playing toys
Toy trains
Construction toys
Dolls — action figures, Barbie dolls, animals
Play kitchens
Learning computers
Children's tapes or CDs
Simple musical instruments
Sports balls
Bicycle with training wheels
Lego Duplo
Video games

6 year old

Major play focus: motor skills, pretend play

Art and craft supplies
Sports balls
Bicycle with training wheels
Lego or similar building block toys
Video games

7 year old

Major play focus: outdoor play, realistic play

Art and craft supplies
Board games (Monopoly, etc.)
Jigsaw puzzles
Treehouses or swingsets
Sports balls
Bicycles with training wheels
Lego or similar building block toys
Video games

8 year old

Major play focus: organized play

Board games (Monopoly, Risk, Clue, trivia games, etc.)
Books
Science kits
Art and craft supplies
Construction sets
Doll sets
Collections
Sports equipment (balls, skates, skateboards, etc.)
Bicycles
Lego or similar building block toys
Video games

9 to 12 years old

Preteens highly value acceptance from their friends, and simple toys become less interesting to children at this age. Construction sets, science toys, and sports toys, as well as board games and puzzles, are good choices for preteens. Team and group sports and physical play activities are important for this age group. Board, card, and electronic games can help to develop social and intellectual skills.

Science kits
Books
Musical instruments
Computers
Lego or similar building block toys
Sports equipment (balls, skates, skateboards, etc.)
Bicycles
Video games
Safe projectile toys

Other Toy Suggestion Guides

Fisher-Price has created a toy suggestion guide for infants to 5 year olds.
Parents has compiled a list of age-appropriate toys — as well as ones to avoid — for each developmental level.
The NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) has published lists of suggested toys for children of different ages.

Toy Donation Organizations

Consider sending some toys to needy children!

Marine Toys For Tots Foundation collects toys during October, November and December each year, and distributes them as Christmas gifts to needy children.
Samaritan's Purse - Operation Christmas Child brings joy and hope to children in desperate situations around the world through gift-filled shoe boxes and the Good News of God's love.
Angel Tree delivers gifts to prisoners' children in their parents' name and shares the Gospel with them.

Toys For Children