With the holidays approaching many parents are wondering what the best gift choices for their children are this season. It may be easy to get caught up in trends and buy your child the most popular video games and flashy toys, but there are many alternative choices that you and your children will both enjoy.
For younger children, don’t worry so much about buying the toys with lots of flashy features that can talk to your children and play sounds and music. Instead, focus on toys that will help your child with early developmental skills like counting or letter recognition. Simple building blocks with number or letters on them can work great.
As children get a little older and develop more ability, geometric building toys are great for promoting learning while playing. Toys that can snap or lock together and let children build different shapes and structures will help foster their creativity and improve their dexterity.
Older children may start to express individual interests. As they are able to understand more complex ideas and develop more abilities, you can begin to buy them items that reflect this. For example, a beginner’s science kit or microscope is a good gift for a child interested in science. A beginner’s paint or drawing set may be a good choice for a child who expresses more artistic interests.
Rather than buying the trendiest and flashiest toys this season, take some time to think about your child’s abilities and interests and look for items that will address both. The toys will keep your child’s interest longer and will help develop their strengths and talents.