The bad news is that it is not over yet. Your child is likely to need different toys as they outgrow the toddler stage. So, what next, and how can you choose toys that will both entertain your child but also help them to learn?
A good starting point is to recognise that you will probably need a variety of toys and materials that do different things. This is because your child is developing a range of skills, and one type of toy cannot do everything. One way to approach the buying is to select toys from different categories.
IMAGINATIVE PLAY
You may have spotted that your child already loves pretending and dressing up. This type of play helps your child's imagination and also develops language skills. Look out for a few real props that you can put aside, as these work as well as the toy equivalents. You may also find that your child will enjoy playing with small-world toys. These are miniature replicas such as dinosaurs, farm animals, toy cars and play people. Don't worry if you cannot afford the big items that go with them, such as castles and doll's houses, as many parents find that after having spent a fortune on them, the children only play with the actual figures.
CONSTRUCTION PLAY
Learning how to put things together or make things from scratch helps children to develop fine motor skills and spatial awareness, as well as problem solving. This is useful later on when they are learning mathematics. Look out for Lego, Meccano or trainsets that get your child assembling structures. Traditionally, these toys have been seen as being just for boys, which is a shame because the knowledge and learning from them can give all children plenty of skills. If you have a daughter, try combining a set of building blocks with small-world play people, or look out for the 'girl' Lego.
PHYSICAL PLAY
The current recommendations are that young children should spend at least an hour during the course of each day engaged in physical activity. It is, therefore, useful to think about toys that will keep your child active. Tricycles and micro scooters are always popular, but think also about roller skates and trampolines. A paddling pool is a must in the summer, but it does not have to be a giant one - children get just as much fun out of a smaller one. Look out for some logs, too, as your child will love climbing on and off them and making obstacle courses.
CREATIVE PLAY
Many children love drawing, sticking and making things out of bits of paper and card. Anything that you put out that encourages creativity in this way is great for your child's imagination and their fine motor skills, which are needed for writing.
The good news is that you don't have to put out paints and very messy items unless you really want to. A roll of lining paper, some glue sticks and plenty of felt-tip pens, crayons and gummed paper will probably do the trick.
Outdoors, think about creating a digging area for your child, and remember that playing with water both in and out of doors is always a winner.
TRADITIONAL GAMES
Alongside the shelves of fancy toys in the shops, look out for traditional games that you can play with your child. Picture lotto, snap and board games are wonderful for helping children to learn how to count, remember shapes and take turns. Choose games that you enjoy playing - until children are five or so, they tend to need an adult to play with them.
PINK OR BLUE?
Many toys are divided along gender lines or are perceived by children as being 'boy toys' or 'for girls'. This is not such an issue if you have a two-year-old, but you are likely to notice this perception from three years onwards. The exploration of what it means to be a boy or girl can govern some children's choice of what to play with and in doing so, can mean that children limit their own learning.
If you have a child gripped by a 'pink' or 'blue' obsession, you may need to hunt for toys and resources that are neutral in colour and if necessary, join in with them so that there is an incentive to play.
A FEW TIPS ...
- Aim for a range of toys that will help your child to play in different ways.
- Rotate and swap toys with friends so that your child has 'new' things to play with.
- Find out from your child's nursery or pre-school about your child's interests.
- See if there is a toy library in your area where you can borrow toys.
CASE STUDY
Joe is four years old. At home he is happy to play dressing-up games with his six-year-old sister Hannah, but at nursery he is 'macho man' and spends most of his time playing with other boys.
One of the big differences that I see between him and my daughter is the way that he is desperate to play with toy guns. The nursery bans them but when he goes to his friend's house, it's all that they play with. My partner wants to get him one for his birthday. I know that it would make him very happy, but then again, I don't really like the idea of him running around pretending to shoot people.
I've talked to quite a few people with older boys and they say that it's just a phase that most boys go through. Maybe I'll start him off with a water pistol in the garden and get a magician's outfit as well, so that he can at least pretend to do some good!
