Appropriate toys for your kids (Part 1)

Toys bring enjoyment but they also provide educational value for young children. Toys are a fundamental part of every toddler’s life. But if they are not carefully chosen, they can actually be dangerous.

Choosing your child’s toys is very important, although it can be hard sometimes to know which are safe and appropriate and which are not. Protecting children from unsafe toys is everyone’s responsibility. Careful toy selection and proper supervision of children at play is still-and always will be-the best way to protect children from toy-related injuries or incidents. To help parents make those choices, the following guidelines are recommended:

A good toy should be:

•             safe for the child’s age, well constructed, and durable;

•             appealing and interesting to the child;

•             suited to the child’s physical capabilities, and

•             suited to the child’s mental and social development.

With so many choices, selecting the right toys can be an overwhelming (and expensive) undertaking. The following will help you find age-appropriate toys that will bring joy to your babies and toddlers. This guide includes information why a toy makes sense at a particular age.

Toys for newborns

In your baby’s first months, before he learns to grasp objects  or sit up , he will most appreciate things he can look at and listen to. His vision will be fuzzy at first, in the first month he’ll only be able to see clearly up to about 12 inches.

High-contrast patterns (e.g. black and white stripes) and bright colors captivate him because they are the easiest for him to see. He already learns to appreciate sounds and soft music. Objects that move slowly and produce a gentle sound are far more interesting to him than those that are fixed and silent.

Hand-held toys: His nearsightedness makes him appreciate anything you can move into               his line of sight. He won’t be able to hold toys for a while, but he’ll demonstrate his preferences by batting his eyes at the ones he likes.

MP3 player or music box: Music is one of the best ways to entertain and soothe your     infant. Play or sing a variety of music—nothing too raucous—and see how he responds.

Soft books with high-contrast patterns: Soft books with easy-to-see patterns or decorations are designed just for babies. Lie down next to him so he can watch you turn the pages as you read aloud to him. Even at this age it pays off.

Sensory toys: A soft toy that trills or tweets when pressed will please a baby for months               to come. The accidental squeaks will also help him become aware of what his hand is doing.

Wind chimes: Babies love soft music, so hang a set of these in a place where he can watch it move and listen to the sound. If the chime is near his crib, your baby may fall into the habit of watching it for a few minutes before drifting to sleep. Hold him up once in a while so he can sound the chimes himself too. Source: http:age-appropriate toys.BabyCenter.mht

The FREEMAN with the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. is running weekly features on Early Childhood Care and Development to emphasize the importance of Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) and to increase public support for ECCD. For comments or suggestions, e-mail [email protected]. (FREEMAN)