Hobbies And Interests
Infants
Infants learn by touching, tasting and listening. Appropriate toys for infants include rattles, soft mouthable toys and items that can be stacked, filled and dumped. Stacking rings are an ideal and inexpensive learning toy for a baby. The colorful plastic rings are mouthable, washable and can be stacked in many different combinations. Toys that play music when kicked or hit introduce babies to early cause and effect relationships. Toys that have a container as well as several smaller pieces allow babies to engage in one of their favorite activities -- filling and dumping.
Toddlers
Many toddlers still enjoy playing with their baby toys, but are beginning to show a preference for toy items that resemble real life objects. Toddlers are learning how the world around them works and where they fit into that big world. Push toys and ride-on toys give toddlers a chance use their bodies to set the toys in motion, as well as exercise their burgeoning independence. Toy dollhouses with people and animals to go with them are ideal for toddler dramatic play. Large interlocking blocks are just right for toddler-sized hands and can provide young children with a creative outlet.
Preschoolers
Preschoolers are capable of higher level thinking and are beginning to enjoy board games, puzzles and toys they can share with others. Interlocking block sets will keep preschoolers busy while providing them with ample opportunities for creative expression and logical problem-solving. Chunky wooden puzzles and shape sorting toys are self-correcting, allowing children to play with them independently as well as encourage problem solving skills. There are several electronic learning toys available that introduce children to academic concepts such as phonics, pre-math skills, music and animal sounds. Most are highly portable and have several software options available for different stages of learning.
School-Age Kids
School-age kids are ready for bigger challenges. They enjoy games of logic, sports and toys that require concentration and higher-level thinking. Portable tangram puzzles are self-correcting and usually portable. Many contain tangram blocks as well as cards that show shapes that kids are to create. Kids have to figure out how to arrange the tangram shapes in order to make the shape on the card. Construction toys such as interlocking blocks, wooden unit blocks and other building kits give children the chance to create independently or follow included directions in order to create intricate structures. Magnetic word kits are a great way for kids to explore stories, poems and rhymes on their own. Children can play with language, increase vocabulary and develop their reading skills by playing with these interactive toys.