The Best Gift Ideas for Children

Play is one of the best stimuli for children to learn new things. Furthermore, it’ll encourage them to explore, and learn by doing, which is why the choice of gifts is essential when it comes to toddlers. Not to mention that it can be overwhelming to look at all the possibilities at toy stores, considering there’s a myriad of figures and games created for toddlers. However, look for those that will help your children learn better and develop new skills even before they start going to school.

Educational toys

Books and musical instruments will be great gifts for your little one because aside from having fun using them, the kids will also learn. Whether you read to them, while they flip pages and ask a whole bunch of questions about the characters drawn in the book, or they start reading on their own, children will learn through fun. What starts as a random keyboard playing can soon lead to your child falling in love with music and deciding they want to become more involved with playing, and maybe even pursue a career in music one day.

Exploration and problem-solving toys

While playing, kids practice old and develop new skills, day in day out. Toys that promote logical thinking and help toddlers solve a small but also a bit bigger problem will be highly beneficial for their future learning. Puzzles and shape-sorters will help kids figure new things out on their own, and become more persistent in problem-solving. Cups, nesting blocks or regular blocks will help your kids understand how certain items fit together, making them develop spatial relations skills. Clay, play dough and other art materials will teach children fine motor skills such as using the small muscles in the hand.

Toys for fun

When kids just want to have fun, they’ll reach out for action figures or video games. You might want to leave video games for when they’re in middle school, and give them the most popular bobbleheads such as Harry Potter, Obi-Wan, or maybe Captain Marvel pop vinyl figure, at an early age. Small plastic animals, trains and dump trucks and stuffed animals or dolls will also be some of the amazing gifts your children will play with for a long time, and maybe even pass on to younger siblings or their kids one day.

Toys that nurture cross-generational play

One of the best ways to observe your child’s development is by playing games with them. Luckily, some games are designed precisely for adult participation, so think about including board games into your playtime. After your child is three or older, board games such as memory games or those that encourage counting can be fun for the entire family. Therefore, invest in games that also include listening skills, and self-control, where kids will learn when and how to take turns in playing a game, while they also improve their language and relationship-building skills. Board games are a great means to teaching kids to be gracious winners and withstand defeat.

Gifts that will encourage their physical activity

Restlessness is one of the major characteristics in children, so feel free to look for gifts that will encourage their physical activity. The stronger your kids grow, the more challenging the activities they’ll engage in, which is why you should consider giving them balls of different shapes and sizes, three-wheel scooters or tricycles to allow them to practice various types of activities. Moving boxes with openings on both ends, gardening tools, wagons, child-size basketball hoop, and plastic bowling sets are just some of the great examples of toys your child will be able to play with while putting all of their energy to good use.

Parents should do their best to ensure good development of their children, and investing in proper gifts is only one of the potential ways do to it. Help them learn, grow, and stay active while playing, and your children will develop various skills that will help them through their education later in life.

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