Best Toys For 18 Month Old Kids

Climbing Blocks — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 11:28:05 +0000

If you’ve been thinking about the best toys for 18 month old kids remember children are absolute sponges when it comes to learning. When you think about all of the major milestones they learn in their first two years of life it really is amazing. Toys are an integral part of that learning process and foster development in your child. The right toys at the right time will bring a lot of joy.18 month old children are really at a very unique age. They are still babies in many senses of the word but they are also beginning to exhibit some very independent behavior. By this age there are certain things you can use as a base to see that a child is developing normally, or identify when they may not be and seek professional advice.What they can and can’t do with simple toys and objects is a great indicator for parents and care givers. We may not have a handbook on parenting but there are a solid set of measures used to see your 18 month old has normal development.Types of DevelopmentChildren develop in a few ways as they grow. Here are the major areas: * Social Skills– how they might act socially and interact with people around them. This can be family, friends, other children, child care providers, and strangers. How they understand and respond to the emotions of others is another important social skill. * Gross Motor Skills– Take in the major muscle groups that are used to walk, run, sit, stand etc. All of these things they will learn by the age of 18 months. There’s also keeping balance, climbing and moving from one position to another. * Fine Motor Skills – These include the smaller movement and many hand-eye coordination activities. Using the hands to eat, writing, drawing, get dressed, catch a ball etc. * Cognitive Skills – This encompasses the brain activities of thinking, memory, problem solving, and reasoning (if you leave the room you are still there and will be back, for example). You could say that all developmental skills rely on the cognitive. * Language Skills – This area includes not only speech but the body language and gestures in communication with others. It is clear that babies understand a lot more than they can speak to us about and they have many ways of letting us know there needs without speech.What Should An 18 Month Old Be Capable Of?Remember that all children can learn differently and thrive in some areas. But there are some ways to ascertain what is known as a normal development for an 18 month old. Once you can understand each of the developmental skill categories and where the average 18 month old should be, then you begin to see clearly which toys are going to be the best for them to learn with.Toys designed to fulfill their learning needs will keep them satisfied, and advancing normally in their learning journey. The following is a guide and not by any means an exhaustive list, nor meant as professional advice. The list will help you to buy the right toy for this age group.Motor Skills –Both Gross and Fine * Enjoys pushing, pulling and dumping things * Runs with rigid movements and can keep eyes on the ground * Can turn book pages * Can stack two blocks on top of each other * Can remove hats, socks, mittens etc * Scribbles with crayons and thick pencils * Walks unaided with good balanceCognitive Skills * Identifies an object in a book * Can laugh at actions they see as funny (using a box as a hat for example) * Knows something out of sight is still there and looks for it * Can fit objects the correct shape together (square lid onto a square box) * Does problem solving which involves trial and error * Can understand and follow simple directions with one stepSocial and Language Skills * Can seem a little selfish * Will compete with other children for the toys * Like to play alone on the floor with toys * May still be anxious when separating from parents * Actively looks for attention * Can use eight to ten words that are said clearly * Points to objects and uses one word descriptions * Can play pretend games with adult * Draw your attention to an object or to an action * Can place words like Bye, Hi, Please and remembers to use them when prompted * Can communicate frustration and make a protest * Will ask for mum or dad in a specific manner * Can recognize themselves in a mirror or in photographsBest Toys for the 18 Month Old ChildSo now a good picture of educational and developmental toys becomes apparent. With not too much trouble there are many choices available in toys and they don’t have to cost the earth. Just be sure they are sturdy and safe as they are likely to take some banging and crashing together quite often.Here are a few that come to mind: * Large blocks * Toys with wheels that can be pushed and pulled * Simple hide and seek games * Shape puzzles and games * Dolls and soft toys * Sturdy and colorful books * Low climbing toys * Crayons ( but protect your walls) * Simple dress ups * Basic role play (kitchen sets, tea party, shops) * Simple puzzle and problem solving games and activitiesBeing 18 months old puts your child right into the middle of the toddler toys in the 1-3 years age group. Look for toys by Playskool and Little Tikes.

Choosing the Right Toddler Toy – Some Thoughts

Climbing Blocks — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 11:05:44 +0000

Knowing which toy to pick

Although toddlers will already have specific preferences in terms of toys and games they like it’s best to check with the parents before buying a toy. Kids own a lot of stuff nowadays and this will, at least, avoid duplication. Most importantly it will help make sure that the toy is something that they will like playing with and that it is right for their age and developmental stages.

The fact is that kids will play more with toys they like — so, they’ll get more benefits from them. And, getting the age and developmental stage right maximises their potential for learning.Toddler toys

There are all kinds of toddler toys to choose from — many will help them develop mentally whilst others will help them develop physically.

For example, toddlers love handling toys and particularly enjoy playing with balls, bricks and blocks and smaller toys such as character figures, dolls and soft toys. They enjoy toys with which they can interact and role play so look out for toy phones, kitchens and play food and animals and people. Things with buttons to press and noises to make will always appeal as well.

Vehicles are also a big hit here — for girls as well as boys. Trains, cars, boats and planes will all go down well with play-sets such as an airport or station a sure-fire hit.

Don’t think that toddlers are too young for books. It’s wise to pick hard board books in general here as small fingers find paper too easy to tear which can sometimes be more fun than actually reading! Look for books with flaps and pop-ups and ones that introduce them to things such as animals, letters and numbers.

Creative play is also helpful at this age — chunky crayons and paint brushes can help a toddler develop fine motor skills. Drawing and painting can also help them start to work with colours and to use their imagination.

Don’t forget about physical play here either. Toddlers will benefit from outdoor toys such as swings and slides, climbing frames and play apparatus. Look at ride-ons and push toys to help with balance and walking and don’t forget tricycles and scooters.Conclusion

Safety is still a big issue with toddlers — they still tend to put things in their mouths so avoid toys with small parts that could choke them. Look for British Standards accreditation such as a Kite Mark, the Lion Mark or the CE or EN rating. These marks show that the toy has passed certain standards and is safe to use.

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Best Toys For 18 Month Old Kids

Choosing the Right Toddler Toy – Some Thoughts