Today, toy shops offer parents with hundreds of varieties of toys for their kids. These are spoilers, educative, innovative as well. But they come at a price. Parents spend a fortune buying toys, wanting to do the best there is for their children. However, most parents find that they spend more time playing with these toys than their children do.

Kids are at a rapid development stage, at a stage of discovery. Their interest keep on changing with time. However, that does not mean that toys are redundant because household items are not going to offer a sufficient challenge to a toddler’s rapidly growing abilities in the long run.

Then which toy is the right toy for your kid?

– The toy should be simple and durable. Kids have a tendency to bang toys on walls, tables, etc. and this should not break the toy. Also the toy should not have any sharp edges, for this might injure the child.
– If parents are buying books, they should look for ones bearing colorful images and the book should have cardboard covers, again due to their durability. Parents can also go for coloring books, as children love coloring and drawing. Which would improve the child’s aesthetic sense.
– Puzzles are a very inventive set of toys. Certainly improve the kid’s understanding and thinking capability. But make sure that you don’t overdo with the puzzle thing, as it you don’t to make your child lose interest in it.
– Simple mechanical toys can also be good option. But this usually helps when the child is matured enough. A Mechano kit for example can enhance the child’s understanding and develops his mechanical reasoning.
– Building blocks are a very good toy for very young toddlers. But again the blocks should be safe and should be durable, as children enjoy breaking their construction as much as they enjoy making them.
– A ball is a toddler’s delight. He/she can kick it, throw it, bounce it, roll it and crawl after it. It is portable and the child will be delighted if he/she can carry a large, but light beach ball around by herself. In addition, the ball is a tool for initiating social interaction. The toddler realizes that when she throws or rolls the ball to someone, they usually throw it back.
– Speaking of toys that encourage interaction, toy telephones top the list. You and your toddler could entertain yourselves by having pretend conversations. At a later stage, you will find that dolls, stuffed toys, toy utensils, etc. also encourage role play and fantasy activities in your toddler.

Finally, parents should not worry if their child doesn’t play with the toy, as a child’s likes and dislikes are extremely variable. What a parent must realize is that every child has his own way of learning, and it is your duty to know where your child’s interest ultimately lies.