What toys we want for our children

I have been doing some research into finding the perfect gift for a child according to age group. Whilst trawling the web I came across an interesting article by Susan Jindrich titled "How do children develop?" (you can link to the article by clicking on the title) which in turn led me to the website Chateau Meddybemps

In her article Susan Jindrich highlights the head to toe strength development sequence from birth that humans follow.  Head, body, legs and feet; from inside to outside (trunk, arms and legs, hands and feet, fingers and toes); large muscle (jumping, hopping, running, throwing, catching, carrying, climbing, and balancing) to small muscle (using muscles of the wrist and hand in activities such as cutting, drawing, stringing beads, building block towers, working with play dough) skills.

There is so much variety in the market place for children's toys and activities that it can be really difficult to make a decision. Cost no doubt plays a big part in how parents decide on what to buy and some really great, good quality toys and activities are often passed down to younger children when their siblings, cousins, friends outgrow them.

When my children were small there were many points I would consider when deciding on the perfect toy or activity; will it make a dreadful noise, will they be able to dismantle it, how long will it survive, will it damage the immediate environment if thrown wildly about, will it hurt another child if used as a weapon, and so on and so forth.  It became quite a challenge kitting three small children out with toys to ensure peace and tranquility would reign.

No doubt in my mind that these particular points were never considered when toys and activities were purchased by my childrens' loving grandparents, aunties and friends when it came to Christmas, birthdays and whatever else required a gift. And those gifts were always the best loved ones because of the noise and chaos that ensued.

So when we shop for toys, activities and gifts, whether for our own children or family and friends' children, do we think about the growth and development of the child or does it depend on how cute, colourful or cheap the item is?

There is so much variety available and so many information labels to take into consideration.  From the impact on the environment, health and safety, fire safety and regulations and controls to ensure the safety of the child, a trip around ToysRUs turned into an information nightmare

After trawling toy shops and many online stores I have found that the Early Learning Centre provides a fantastic online store for toys and activities listing category, price range, learning skill, brand, gender and age and their shops are great fun for finding that perfect toy at a reasonable price!

(Special thanks to Susan Jindrich for permission to refer to her article in my blog).