Best learning toys for children as they age

Kids need toys to stimulate their brains and body. However, some toys are better suited to this type of development. How can you choose the best smart learning toys for your kids? The answer lies in the age of the child. This guide will highlight the different toys for each age range to help you get started.

Infant range

Babies begin to develop motor skills at four months. During this time, they’ll appear more coordinated during play. They can pick up objects, and even toys switch between both hands. Five months after this, they begin to pick small objects.

The appropriate smart toys for babies should be simpler toys to grab. Find more information on children’s health pages.

Ring stack

This is one of the most popular toys for babies. It is simply a large ring with multicolored keys. The keys are large as well to avoid swallowing. They can help stimulate the baby as they grow.

Nursery mobile

For a younger baby of four months, a nursery mobile is a perfect toy. It is a great way to develop the baby’s attention span with colorful dancing objects.

Push and pull toys

These toys come in handy when they start grabbing things. It teaches them balance and helps with muscle development. They can learn to pick themselves up and start climbing or running. It also helps them later in life to increase their speed while running.

Toddlers range

For toddlers, play is completely different. They learn how objects work and start stacking them together. At this stage, they no longer need baby bottles but use a sippy cup. Their imagination also begins to run wild here. Hence the need to play with dolls or make car sounds while playing with them.

It is important to incorporate these toys at this stage to help them blend in during preschool. They will be able to understand how objects work.

Pretend toys

Toddlers can understand roles with pretend toys. It could be anything that piques their interest, such as a play kitchen. Similarly, a toy badminton set or a doctor kit could also work well. By playing pretend with their toys, kids tend to get better at expressing their emotions. Additionally, it might also improve their social skills. Those in search of the perfect pretend toys for their kids could search online for suggestions. Considering, toy stores such as Luki Lab offers a number of exciting toy brands that have a wide range of toys, dolls houses and plushies, finding pretend toys shouldn’t be a hassle.

Balls

This toy is perfect for all toddlers, regardless of their gender. Also, the balls don’t need to be bouncy alone to meet the needs of the child. They can be rolled and thrown as well. It teaches the kids motor skills, and they become more dexterous. Also, balls help them develop hand-eye coordination.

Sorting toys

This is a perfect time to acquaint them with all the shapes and colors they’ll come across in life. The ideal toys would be large colorful toys such as building blocks and buckets with holes. These toys help them develop muscle strength but also hand-eye coordination.

You can also get toys with levers, knobs, and buttons. Other pop-up toys also work too to teach them problem-solving.

Preschoolers

After the baby phase, kids figure out how the five senses work. Using objects or toys, they imagine new ways to have fun. Their mind becomes open to different play possibilities. Playing with fake dough and making sand castles become interesting for them.

Also, they’ll likely become interested in the arts as their motor skills get better. Hence, they paint everything in their path, draw other members of the family, and even write on walls. You can get them toys to do these activities safely.

They will develop self-esteem, strengthen their coordination and even become more creative.

Puzzles

Jigsaw puzzles offer age-appropriate cognitive challenges for children, making them an ideal activity for various developmental stages. For younger children, simple puzzles with larger pieces contribute to the development of fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and spatial awareness. As children grow older, more complex puzzles with smaller pieces provide an engaging way to enhance problem-solving skills, pattern recognition, and logical thinking. Overall, jigsaw puzzles offer a versatile and enjoyable tool for fostering cognitive growth in children.

Building sets

They can come in Lego bricks for building houses or trucks. This toy improves hand-eye coordination. Also, it can teach kids how to solve problems when they face them. Even though they may be familiar with colors, it still helps to have colorful play sets. It shows them how to build with the toys.

Elementary school kids

Older children in elementary school probably need more advanced toys. They can begin to develop skills for their future. Opt for toys that challenge them.

Science

Just like the play set when they were toddlers, you can get them science kits or robotics and coding kits from KinderLab Robotics and other similar companies to help build their imagination and teach them complex ideas in a simple and practical manner. Additionally, they could learn by using telescopes, binoculars, or other interactive sets.

Musical instruments

There are so many musical instrument options for kids of this age. Depending on their skills, you can choose piano, guitar, violin, or even the flute. The instrument helps kids develop motor skills; besides building attention skills, they can also find a satisfying hobby or a career.

Jump rope

Whether a child is athletic or not, a jump rope is an excellent toy. Jumping helps them develop coordination and learn to solve problems. In the same vein, it promotes motor development.

Finally, you can get games for them. Games in this aspect don’t mean a PS5. Card and board games will suffice because they build their strategy skills.