Toy shopping is something that every parent should take seriously. There are some factors that you should consider first before buying any toy. For instance, if you purchase a toy that is too easy, it will bore your child, but if you pick a sophisticated one, it will aggravate them.
However, if you select a toy that is appropriate for their skill level, you will be giving them hours of exploration, enjoyment and most importantly, education. The toys you buy for your child are an investment in their development.
A typical five-year-old is now making friends, following rules and forming their own imaginations. Their unique athletic abilities also start to shine. At this age, they need a toy that will stimulate their creativity and offer a challenge. Here is a guide for purchasing age-appropriate toys for a five-year-old.
Learning toys
Educational toys not only provide a fun experience for your child, but also for the entire family. At five years of age, your child is already presenting different talents. Learning toys are designed to increase your child’s literacy, motor skills, memory retention, hand-eye coordination and so much more.
As a parent, you need to find a gadget that will develop your child’s problem-solving skills. Find a toy that they will love playing with so that the time they spend on the activity is more extended, meaning a more detailed understanding of what the toy can do. Help your child to learn all the different things that the one you choose can do.
For instance, some LEGO construction sets comes complete with 100+ pieces of building blocks that allow your child to create their own construction truck, a full-length brick wall to smash and a fully operative crane complete with a wrecking ball.
A LEGO construction set is a great educational toy that promotes finger dexterity, divergent thinking, spatial skills, and creative play. These building projects also stimulate your child’s creativity and sharpen their crucial skills.
Imaginative play toys
Help your child broaden their imagination by getting them creative play toys. Pretend play helps to develop real-life skills. When your kid pretends to play, you can rest assured that there is a lot of thinking going on.
This activity is more than just fun as it helps your child develop their thinking, problem-solving, communication as well as social skills. Your child will be trying endless and new roles and will be looking at the world in a new way with each character they take up. This will in turn help to build empathy and imagination.
To encourage pretend play, provide a collection of pretend to play toys and dress up props for role play. For example, you can buy your child a safari vest. There are safari vests that also include a host of safari gadgets and an adventure guide for your child to play the make-believe Indiana Jones.
Physical development play toys
Finally, do not forget about the physical stuff. At 5 years old, your child is in a stage that is strongly tied to plenty of exercise and playtime. Hence, you should start establishing limits on their time in front of tablets, TVs, and computers to play hide and seek, jump rope or engage in other physical activities.
Your child’s motor skills are becoming more refined, and it is a great time to introduce them to organised sports. As a parent, you should make sure your child has at least 1 hour of physical activity each day.
An electric scooter is a great toy that can encourage your child to get more physical play. This toy will help develop your child’s physical activity, balance, and agility. It requires for your child to go outdoors to receive a breath of fresh air and sunshine.
The scooter will also help your child maintain a healthy weight, build their physical confidence as well as develop motor skills. Always make sure to supervise your child when playing and keep reminding them of the dos and donts. Also, ensure that the environment they are playing in is safe and big enough to make turns.
Finally, spending time with your kid is a priceless gift that you can give them as a parent. Providing your child with an opportunity to play with age-appropriate toys will help them develop physically, emotionally and cognitively.
