How to Choose Toys That Improve Childhood Development
Be aware of the importance of gross motor skills., Look for balls in different shapes and sizes., Get your child a tunnel or boxes to form a tunnel., Consider a push bike or a wooden horse., Get your child a large plastic truck or push toy., Buy an...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Be aware of the importance of gross motor skills.
Gross motor skills are skills like agility, balance, and posture.
Your child needs to use large muscle groups to improve her gross motor skills, often when she is standing, walking, running, or shift her weight while standing.
Having good gross motor skills will ensure your child has proper coordination of her arms and legs and a good sense of balance.Gross motor skills are a major element of strong physical development in a child, often through repetitive motions and motions that require agility and balance.
Your child can work her gross motor skills through running and walking but toys can also allow her to work them in smaller, more manageable ways. -
Step 2: Look for balls in different shapes and sizes.
Foam balls, hollow balls, and bouncy balls are all great for gross motor skill development, especially if your child tends to be more active.
Always make sure the balls are not small enough to be swallowed by your child, especially if your child is an infant.
Toddlers and preschoolers often possess the motor skills to throw and bounce balls with their playmates.Another option is to get your child small tactile toys like patterned balls or tactile discs.
Tactile discs come in a set of five or ten discs with different textures that your child can touch, pick up, and move on her own., You can find nylon tunnels made for children at your local toy store or online.
You can also purchase foam or nylon boxes that your child can move to form a tunnel.
Tunnels and tents are great for building coordination and balance, especially if you are looking for an indoor space to promote positive development in your child.Encourage your child to crawl through the tunnel or tent.
Help her move the boxes to make tunnels or an obstacle course where she has to crawl, stand, and use her weight to move the boxes. , A small plastic tricycle made for small children or a wooden rocking horse are both great for developing gross motor skills.
Look for a push tricycle with no pedals, as this will force your child to use her legs to push herself back and forth on the tricycle.
These types of toys help your child to build her coordination skills and her weight distribution skills.Practice riding a bike or a wooden horse can also prepare your child for balancing on a real bike, or a real horse.
Make sure the bike or horse is sturdy before you allow your child to play on it.
These toys are best for children two years and older, or children who have started to walk on their own. , A push toy is good for infants (birth-18 months) and toddlers (18 months-35 months), as they encourage the development of coordination skills and weight distribution skills.You could get your child a large plastic truck that she can push or another push toy like a plastic lawnmower or a small plastic baby stroller.Look for a push toy that is not too big or too small for your child.
Your child should be able to move the push toy when she is standing and when she is sitting, as you do not want to force her to use her legs all the time. , If you are looking for a larger toy that is more of an investment, you may consider an indoor trampoline or a large plastic slide.
These toys are good for toddlers and preschoolers who are walking and are starting to get comfortable with their weight and coordination skills.Look for a trampoline that has a safety net around it so your child does not injury herself on the trampoline.
You can then let your child play with other gross motor skill toys like bouncy balls on the trampoline.
The plastic slide should also have high sides so your child cannot fall out of the slide easily.
Place soft mats around the slide so your child has a soft landing if she does slip on the slide.
Try not to let her use the slide unsupervised and play with her on the slide, holding her if necessary. -
Step 3: Get your child a tunnel or boxes to form a tunnel.
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Step 4: Consider a push bike or a wooden horse.
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Step 5: Get your child a large plastic truck or push toy.
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Step 6: Buy an indoor trampoline or a plastic slide.
Detailed Guide
Gross motor skills are skills like agility, balance, and posture.
Your child needs to use large muscle groups to improve her gross motor skills, often when she is standing, walking, running, or shift her weight while standing.
Having good gross motor skills will ensure your child has proper coordination of her arms and legs and a good sense of balance.Gross motor skills are a major element of strong physical development in a child, often through repetitive motions and motions that require agility and balance.
Your child can work her gross motor skills through running and walking but toys can also allow her to work them in smaller, more manageable ways.
Foam balls, hollow balls, and bouncy balls are all great for gross motor skill development, especially if your child tends to be more active.
Always make sure the balls are not small enough to be swallowed by your child, especially if your child is an infant.
Toddlers and preschoolers often possess the motor skills to throw and bounce balls with their playmates.Another option is to get your child small tactile toys like patterned balls or tactile discs.
Tactile discs come in a set of five or ten discs with different textures that your child can touch, pick up, and move on her own., You can find nylon tunnels made for children at your local toy store or online.
You can also purchase foam or nylon boxes that your child can move to form a tunnel.
Tunnels and tents are great for building coordination and balance, especially if you are looking for an indoor space to promote positive development in your child.Encourage your child to crawl through the tunnel or tent.
Help her move the boxes to make tunnels or an obstacle course where she has to crawl, stand, and use her weight to move the boxes. , A small plastic tricycle made for small children or a wooden rocking horse are both great for developing gross motor skills.
Look for a push tricycle with no pedals, as this will force your child to use her legs to push herself back and forth on the tricycle.
These types of toys help your child to build her coordination skills and her weight distribution skills.Practice riding a bike or a wooden horse can also prepare your child for balancing on a real bike, or a real horse.
Make sure the bike or horse is sturdy before you allow your child to play on it.
These toys are best for children two years and older, or children who have started to walk on their own. , A push toy is good for infants (birth-18 months) and toddlers (18 months-35 months), as they encourage the development of coordination skills and weight distribution skills.You could get your child a large plastic truck that she can push or another push toy like a plastic lawnmower or a small plastic baby stroller.Look for a push toy that is not too big or too small for your child.
Your child should be able to move the push toy when she is standing and when she is sitting, as you do not want to force her to use her legs all the time. , If you are looking for a larger toy that is more of an investment, you may consider an indoor trampoline or a large plastic slide.
These toys are good for toddlers and preschoolers who are walking and are starting to get comfortable with their weight and coordination skills.Look for a trampoline that has a safety net around it so your child does not injury herself on the trampoline.
You can then let your child play with other gross motor skill toys like bouncy balls on the trampoline.
The plastic slide should also have high sides so your child cannot fall out of the slide easily.
Place soft mats around the slide so your child has a soft landing if she does slip on the slide.
Try not to let her use the slide unsupervised and play with her on the slide, holding her if necessary.
About the Author
Ryan Perry
Writer and educator with a focus on practical practical skills knowledge.
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