Since games enhance children’s thinking power and creativity, to choose the best games for your children, you should pay attention to the appropriateness of the games for your child’s age.
One of the most important concerns of parents for their children is to choose the appropriate games for them at different ages. In addition to being safe, the best toys should also match children’s developmental stages and abilities. Many safe and suitable toys for children can easily be found at home. Cardboard boxes, bowls, plastic bottle cap sets, etc. can be used more than once. Before reading the text below, remember that every child develops at his own pace.
In addition to being safe, the following options can be good choices for your children.
Toys suitable for children (from birth to six months)
Many things happen in the brain and body of babies in the first months. They love to look at the people around them and follow them with their eyes. Babies usually prefer bright faces and colours, reach for what they want with their hands and feet, turn their heads to sounds, and put objects in their mouths. Although they are not quite ready to get their first set of Lego, having some stimulating toys around is a good way to encourage their development and curiosity.
Best baby toys:
- Things they can handle, hold, hit, shake and make noise with. Rattles, balls with different textures or sensory balls, vinyl books, teethers, and soft toys can be good choices for this age.
- Listening to nursery rhymes, lullabies and simple songs attracts children of this age.
Best toys for babies from 7 to 12 months
At this age, children tend to be mobile. The toss, sit, sit, and finally pull themselves up and stand up. They understand their own names and other common words and can recognize their own body parts. They find hidden objects and put objects in and out of containers.
Toys suitable from 7 to 12 months:
Things they can play with: soft toys, plastic and wooden toys with wheels, dolls, and water toys that they can take things (big beads, balls, plastic bowls) to or inside.
- Toys they can make such as: large soft blocks and wooden blocks
- Games that make them use their muscles by pushing or using force on them. Very smooth and soft surfaces aid in crawling.
Toys suitable for one year old
One-year-olds struggle to walk. They usually walk steadily and even climb stairs, enjoy stories, speak their first words and can play with babies but they haven’t played with them yet! They like to experiment. At this age, the presence of adults is essential to protect them from potential dangers so they can experience their surroundings in a safe environment.
Toys suitable for one year old:
- Place pictures of surrounding objects on the wall or bed of the child’s room.
- Tools that give them the power to create! Large sheets and washable markers.
- Things they can pretend to do! Toy phones, dolls, doll beds, strollers, plastic animals, plastic and wooden vehicles.
- Toys that you can craft things with! Cardboard and wood blocks whose dimensions can be larger than blocks of one year ago.
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Best toys for 2 year olds (toddlers)
Young children learn language quickly and feel threatened. However, they do many experiments and experiments. Jumping from a height, climbing on couches and surrounding objects, hanging from their arms, rolling over and playing rough games are just some of the mischief. They have good control of their hands and fingers and love to do things with small objects.
Games suitable for two years old:
- Problem solving and puzzles: 4 to 12 piece wooden puzzles, interlocking blocks, hook toys, sorting objects by size, shape, color and smell.
- Building kits, children’s furniture, kitchen sets, dolls with accessories, sandboxes, sand and water games
- Things that give them more creative power. Large blackboard and chalk, flat scissors, large paper and washable finger paint.
- More detailed picture books.
- Music players with a variety of music
- Using appropriate games to strengthen large and small muscles, such as large and small kicking balls, hitting and hammer games.
Games suitable for ages 3 to 6 (kindergarten and preschool)
The range of interest in children of this age is much greater than that of toddlers and children under the age of three. Children this age usually talk a lot and ask a lot of questions. They are interested in trying their new skills. They love to play with their friends, but hate to lose, and they also gradually share a game with their friends.
- Problem solving and puzzles: puzzles (12 to 20 pieces), small colored cubes, connected blocks, groups and other smaller objects to sort by length, width, height, shape, height, color, smell, and quantity.
- Pretend to make! Use the blocks for more complex constructions, transportation toys, kid-sized household items, finger puppets and stage performances, and sand and water toys.
- And recreate it! Things to create with them: Large and small colored pencils and pencils Large and small paper for drawing and painting Preschool sized scissors Large and small blackboard and chalk Modeling and play dough Additions of paper and collage fabrics Use of music production toys such as bells and rhythm keyboards etc. that.
- Picture books with more detail and even a few words.
- Games suitable for small and large muscles. Kicking and throwing a ball, riding equipment such as a tricycle, setting specific targets to throw things at, and a kid-friendly workbench with hammers, nails, and saws.
- Music players with a variety of music
- If the child has access to a computer: interactive programs (the child can do something) that he can understand and communicate with.
Games suitable for 7 years old
According to Dr. Robert Golinkov, Professor of Child Psychology:
“Seven years is the age of independence.” When you are in first grade, you still feel dependent, but in year two, that dependence ends.
Dr. Robert Golinkov
By the age of seven, children are socializing more, learning basic math and science, and gradually understanding the activities they are interested in. The best games for this age group are games that challenge them educationally as well as have fun. On the other hand, intellectual games are designed in such a way that, in addition to entertaining them, they are also effective in teaching and learning.
Safety of toys and children
Children’s toys are made with the utmost safety. Without sharp and crumbling parts, with non-toxic and lead-free paints, and finally, they are easy to clean. Electric toys must be approved. Before buying, be sure to check the label indicating that the games are approved. For toys for children under the age of three, make sure there are no small parts that could cause choking. Normal wear and tear can make a toy dangerous, which is why adults need to check toys regularly.
In the end
Games are not just for fun. In addition to entertainment, the child’s creativity level should be improved and introduced to new concepts. The game should not be so difficult that the child feels weak and loses self-confidence, and it should not be so easy that the child can handle it without any effort. Because being curious helps develop children’s intellectual and emotional skills. As a result, it is very important to match the age of the child to the game.
