Top Three Things to Consider When Choosing an Educational Toy For Your Toddler

Author: Rachel Nunez

Toddlerhood is the best time to start building your child's fundamental skills. During this stage, which typically lasts during the ages of 1-3 years old, your toddler has a heightened sense of curiosity towards the world around him. He will begin to explore new objects and sensations with more than just a passing interest.

This is also the time when your child starts learning how to speak. As he advances further into the later stages of toddlerhood, he will be able to add new words to an ever-expanding vocabulary and use those words to form simple phrases and sentences.

You can maximize your toddler's rapid brain development by giving him educational toys to play with. These toys stimulate your child's inquisitive mind and hasten the learning process. At the same time, your toddler can have loads of fun!

Here are some helpful tips to consider when selecting an educational toy for your child:

* Choose Eye-catching Toys

With so many new stimuli bombarding your toddler's senses and vying for attention, it is important to pick out a toy that will hold your toddler's attention for more than just a moment. Bright, gay colors will help capture and hold your child's attention. Your highly inquisitive toddler will also be drawn to toys that come in different shapes and sizes.

When picking out any toy, educational or not, looks play an important role so choose carefully. Educational toys are only educational if your toddler plays with them. Moreover, it is economically wasteful to buy a toy that will only be relegated to a recluse corner in the nursery to gather dust.

* Select Multi-purpose Toys

There are so many educational toys to choose from that selecting one for your toddler can be quite a headache. With a limited budget, you can make the most out an educational toy by choosing one with a variety of uses. Some toys, like flash cards, only allow your toddler to practice their alphabet or numbers. While playing and learning one thing is great, playing and learning multiple things is better!

One very useful toy that develops multiple skills is a building block set. You can get your toddler to sort out the blocks according to color and shape. They will also introduce your toddler to patterns and dimensions -- concepts that he will be able to appreciate more when he matures into childhood.

* Make Safety a Priority

Lastly, but most important of all, choose toys that are safe for your child's age. Toddlers perceive objects through all the senses: sight, taste, touch, smell and sound. Primary among these senses is that of taste. If you give a toy or any object to a toddler, he will automatically put that object in his mouth. It is therefore very important not to give toddlers toys that contain small parts or toys that are prone to breaking. Your toddler may choke on the small pieces.

With these tips to guide you, you will be able to choose a safe, educational toy that will engage your toddler for countless hours on end!