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How big the importance of playing for children has already been pointed out in the linked article. Play is a kind of basic need for children. But how to choose toys for children? What’s important? What should be considered?
development and age
There are several points to consider when choosing toys for children. Some key points are given below. For one thing, you should age and also development of the child for whom the toy is intended. He already has many toys age recommendations on their packaging to give parents and other people information about whether the toy is already suitable for the child. In general, larger, easy-to-grasp objects make sense for smaller children, as they still have gross motor skills that they cannot yet master with smaller, softer toys. In addition, the smaller parts are easy to swallow and are therefore only suitable for older children.
However, age is not the only thing that matters in this context. So it is each child individually and thus the development of each child. A 3-year-old child can be slower or faster, more or less skilled, etc. The The age is therefore only indicative when choosing a toy for a child. It should always be considered how far the child is in his development and also which one character and which one Characteristics It has. Children who are less dexterous are unlikely to like and therefore not be interested in toys that require a very high level of dexterity. As a result, the toy is usually rejected and associated with negative feelings of failure.
Children are often given toys that they cannot handle due to their age and/or developmental level, and are therefore always with them failure be confronted, that may change negative affect. Children fail to build the necessary self-confidence needed to try new things, learn something new, and continue to develop positively. It is therefore important to take these aspects into account and not choose toys that are too difficult or unsuitable for children.
However, this does not mean that toys are not also a a little challenge can represent for a child. Through toys he can new incentives be set up to further test and expand one’s abilities and skills. However, the level of difficulty should not be much higher than the child’s actual abilities, in order to avoid great experiences of failure. This can be useful here Start with toys that the child already owns and enjoys playing with. A new toy can build on this, making the existing toy more interesting and creating new incentives.
durability and quality
If you want to choose toys for children, you should also pay attention to longevity. On the one hand, it is relevant what a versatile toy it is. Toys that are particularly useful are long used it can be, like a doll or a stuffed animal, and such toys that used differently it can become like toy furniture or something to build with. Good is something that can please you for a long time, is versatile and can be used expanded with other toys may be.
However, that too is part of longevity material toys as well processing. Different materials like wood, plastic, fabric, metal, etc. are not automatically better or worse. Good toys can be made from any of these materials. It is important that the material corresponds to the type of toy, e.g. wood is mainly suitable for trains or construction sets, while stuffed animals and dolls are mainly made of textiles. Again, that should be the case here age of the child are taken into account.
and quality The toy is usually good due to strict controls and care is taken to ensure that it does not contain any substances dangerous to health. There is also a lot to it Safety and test seals, which are intended to ensure the quality of the toy. This should also be taken into account when purchasing.
However, quality toys must it doesn’t have to be expensive be. One can at every price level find good toys It may make sense to invest a little more in toys that can be built on later and will therefore serve for a long time (eg a doll). However, this investment can be used for a longer period of time, and over time, cheaper accessories can ensure lasting entertainment.
function and appearance
When choosing toys for children, the function of the toy must also be considered. This means that care must be taken to ensure that the toy is as well Space for imagination and creativity of the child, for example by the fact that the car itself does not make sounds, but the child must/can imitate them. The toy should to be curious and encourage imaginative and diverse use. Here you can process the experiences that the child has had recently, which is one of the most important tasks of the game. On the other hand, toys that children can only passively “look at” hinder these qualities and, in the long run, get bored more quickly and are therefore rejected more quickly.
Keeping interest in toys for a long time is also Appearance and layout this important one. So are children’s toys various shapes have, different materials and various attractive colors.
Conclusion
Various points are important when choosing toys for children. It is the most important age and level of development of the child for whom the toy is intended. Also longevity and quality it is important to be versatile possible use to some extent it also matters material and the presence of the important Safety and test seals. of Price it often plays a rather minor role, while larger investments pay off, especially for toys that can be built on for the future. In addition, care must be taken to imagination and creativity the child is stimulated and is attuned to different shapes and colors. All of these are fair though some traces, which can facilitate the selection of children’s toys. In addition, there are other points that may play a role and may be relevant. Nevertheless, this list is a first reference point that can provide orientation.
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