December arrives, and families come together to celebrate one of the most important traditions of the year, Christmas. These special holidays are a time when children receive gifts.
When it comes to buying toys, it is very important to ensure they are safe. It is advisable to consider each child’s stage of development and personal interests when choosing toys that best support their imagination and play. The recommended age indicated on the packaging is a helpful guide for selecting appropriate gifts.
The first thing to keep in mind is that the toy is a tool for play. Children handle toys and use their imagination with them, enjoying fun moments where the toy becomes a support for their games. In addition, toys are an effective tool for stimulating learning and fostering aspects such as communication and creativity.
One of the most common mistakes is choosing toys that are too complex or fragile, often based on what parents would like their children to receive or with the aim of speeding up skill and knowledge acquisition. However, different types of toys stimulate different areas of development:
- Sensory: Toys that include music, sounds, bright colours or different textures help children explore their environment through their senses.
- Motor: Games that require hand-eye coordination, precision, and fine or gross motor skills, such as jumping, crawling, or dancing—help to develop children’s psychomotor abilities..
- Social: Group games, whether played with peers or family members, encourage the development of relationship and communication strategies, acceptance of rules, turn-taking, and other social skills.
- Knowledge: From board games to building sets, these types of games involve knowledge and skills that are exercised with each turn or move, such as attention, memory, creativity, musical awareness, and logical thinking.
As a guideline, age can serve as a reference;
- From 0 to 3 years, a child’s development is marked by their sensory skills, from following brightly coloured objects with their eyes or touching and tasting everything they can, to mastering balance. However, it is important to stay attentive to their rapid changes to avoid a mismatch between the toy and the child’s ability to enjoy it.
- From 3 to 6 years, children become interested in toys that stimulate dexterity, activity, and creativity. Any toy that supports physical, intellectual, and social development will be appropriate.
We must remembered that toys are not a substitute for relationships between parents and children, but rather a means or complement to it. Play between parents and children:
- It is a natural way for children to learn concepts and attitudes.
- It reinforces and motivates children’s achievements.
- It is an excellent way to understand children’s concerns, as play serves as a means for expressing their emotions and feelings.
- It is a driving force for development in which parents take on the role of cultural representatives and serve as key figures in their children’s psychological and social development.
- It creates a model and social awareness that will help them adapt to their environment.
Have you thought about the toys you’re going to buy this Christmas?
THE BEST TOY FOR YOUR CHILD IS YOU!
Sources:
AMEI, World Association of Early Childhood Educators
