There are lots of toys available in the market. Most of the modern toys involve a lot of sound and entertainment but offer nothing in terms of creativity and brain development.Remember to buy toys that will stimulate your child’s brain along with having lots of fun. It is easy for your child to press a button to hear a song about shapes, but at the same time, a shape sorter will get his brain working.Do buy toys that allow your child to develop their imagination and be creative. Toys are essential for the overall development of your child.
Here is a list of toys that should be on the list of a parent shopping for toys for their toddler.
- Play dough-Give your child a box of play dough and watch his imagination go wild. Let him make whatever comes to his mind. It allows him to be creative
- Lego-Lego is a toy that has never gone out of fashion till date. What keep its magic alive is its ability to be the ultimate building toy. They can build anything from cars to buildings with them. They can build whatever comes to their mind.
- Wooden blocks-This age old toy is the rage these days. Research has proved that the more creative a child is in building with wooden blocks, the better grades they got in school. Encourage them to stack, build or plonk them around, thereby helping them learn the concepts of balance, stability and symmetry.
- Ball-A ball can be used at all ages. It helps in improving hand and eye co-ordination in the earlier stages of childhood. It is the best way to encourage your little tot to spend some time everyday outdoors.
- Art supplies-Give your little one an easel with lots of paint. Watch them express themselves on paper. Give them a choice of various artistic mediums like crayons, paint, pencils or even markers.I suggest you leave out the brushes with the tiny tots. They love getting their hands dirty. So let them have a go at finger painting.
- Books-One of the best habits a child can inculcate in life is to read. For younger children, buy picture and board books and even tiny fairy tales. Allot a specified time for reading and read to them. For older children, select books based on their interest.
- Musical Instruments-Music can get your little one to express using the medium of music. Do invest in simple musical instruments such as drums or a piano and see how they experiment with the various sounds. For tiny tots, you can even start developing their music sense by handing them a metal pot and a wooden spoon and let them bang away.
- Puzzles-Don’t forget to add a puzzle to your shopping cart. Puzzles are a great way to get your child to think analytically. They will start imagining the picture and try to figure out how to fit the small pieces in the right places.You can start with simple board puzzles, with limited pieces and then move on to the more advanced version.For the first attempt, don’t hesitate to drop down on your knees and help them get an idea of what they are supposed to do.Puzzles help in developing the problem solving skills of your children.
- Dolls and role playing toys-Dolls and costumes encourage your child in pretend play. Buy your child a doll, kitchen set or even a doctor kit and watch him or her come alive by playing the part of the pretend character.
Play is the most important job for toddlers. So do buy them the right kind of toys to help them develop their minds, muscles and skills.