Choosing toys for your child’s age, likes and abilities
Today, there are so many different toys for children that choosing can end up being complicated, even for parents who are experts in this area.
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Games and toys are as essential for your child’s development as good health, proper nourishment and love. A child that does not play is generally an unhappy child suffering and parents should be careful that this does not occur.
The Universal Declaration of Child Rights recognises that play is a fundamental right. Playing is the principle ‘work’ a child does, and is also the best way to learn and develop. As soon as the child finds an activity pleasant or amusing, he will return to it frequently, and it is just this repetition that forms the basis of learning.
As soon as the baby amuses himself and plays, he begins to communicate both joy and anxiety. He feels pleasure and strengthens emotional ties with the people around him. He also begins to perceive the social role of each individual. All this is acquired through very little: just the communication that stems simply from play.
In childhood, amusing yourself is to plunge into a world of fantasies, a kingdom where the dead can live again and animals talk. Through their prodigious capacity to invent, children try out their coordination, creativity, sense of humour and intelligence. If a child does not play or invent games, he will be ill-equipped for the future as an adult.
It is important to understand that the first few years of a child’s life will determine his future personality. We, as the parents, must therefore take responsibility for finding our children games that are appropriate for the child’s level of learning and personal preferences.
Doctissimo has put together this guide to help you guarantee your child’s happiness and safety.
Age-appropriate toys
When consulting the box of a children’s game, the information regarding age can help you choose, but don’t forget that the age indicated on a game is only a recommendation and won’t useful if the game doesn’t match the needs and preferences of your child.
If she is a baby, you can allow yourself to be guided more or less by these key concerns: will she follow the objects he sees? Will she reach out to catch them, shake them or throw them? The kind of abilities he will develop should determine the main criteria for choosing toys at this stage.
If your child is older, you could try just observing what sort of things capture her attention the most; music, animals on television, in the countryside or in a park? Or is she more interested in imitating every gesture you make?
It’s the child herself who will put you on the right path when it comes to her preferences, even if she can’t tell you. Don’t be bothered if she doesn’t show immense enthusiasm when she receives her new present. She may already have a ‘favourite’ toy, and her interest in the new game will not arise until later… but she will become interested!
Soon enough, she’ll be telling you exactly what she wants, thanks to the other children in the playground and advertising. Here, you’ll also have to consider your child’s preferences (and not what makes you happy…).
Have confidence in your child’s ability to choose for herself, as long as it seems appropriate for her age, safety and family values of course.
Test the toy beforehand…
- Take the game in your hands, handle it and try to imagine the child in your place: does the object present any kind of danger? And if so, what?
- If it is made up of lots of little pieces, look closely at the size and shape of the pieces: are they so small a child could swallow them or insert them in their nose or ears? If yes, put this game to one side for now.
- Make sure also that there are no sharp edges or sharp metal objects in the game. Is the paint toxic? Is the battery, or power source, properly isolated?
- Finally, make sure that the object has certification (European standard); the criteria for toys suitable for children under 3 years old are quite draconian.
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Copyright © 2011 Doctissimo
Posted 14.10.2011
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