Play teaches children how to interact with others and learn about the world. The toys you select for your young child affect his development. Your child's current developmental stage plays a major role in toy selection. Observe the skills he is currently learning, such as fine motor skills, letter recognition, counting, self-care and language development, as a guide for selecting toys that enhance those skills.
Because of the way a child develops in his social abilities and the type of play he enjoys, interacting with another child during play often results in squabbles. Even when playing with a good friend, your child lacks basic imp...
The often rigid play patterns utilized by a child on the autism spectrum limits her ability to learn about her environment and interact with her peers. A limited interest in toys further hampers social development. Peers at sch...
A sick child often clings to his favorite comfort items to help him feel better. While stuffed toys help your child feel safer and more comfortable, the germs and bacteria that he transfers to those toys are anything but comfor...
Toddlers, especially, struggle with controlling their emotions. One result of the stress is biting. This behavior is not unusual for children between the ages of 14 to 24 months, explain researchers at Penn State University. Ce...
While floating toys can help make your young one more willing to take a bath, it's important not to allow those same toys to become a health hazard for your child. The wet environment of a bath can encourage mold and bacteria g...
Toys can help keep infants entertained and stimulated, and they can also help infants learn basic skills such as coordination and movement. Unfortunately, some toys pose a safety hazard for your children. Keep your kids safe by...
Your child uses toys to explore and interact with the world, so choosing the right toys can help your child learn.
Age-appropriate toys help children learn and practice skills important to child development. The key is to choose quality toys that engage children and teach them while they play. Make sure a variety of toys are accessible to c...
Simple games such as peek-a-boo with mom and dad are key to a baby's normal development. "If play is the child's work, then toys are the child's tools," according to "Which Toy for Which Child: A Consumer's Guide for Selecting ...
For some families, there seems to be no escaping the tub full of bath toys. If you find that every time you open the shower curtain to bathe, you need to remove the wet, dripping bath toys, you would probably appreciate some or...
Toys that contain lead are extremely dangerous to your children's health. When children are exposed to lead toys it can have serious effects on their body. Some of the parts of the body that are affected include their brain, ki...
You wash your baby's clothes and bedding, and you disinfect the counters and floors, but you may be forgetting about those objects children touch most often. Toys can transfer dirt and germs to your toddler and to other childre...
Gathering these toys can help you declutter your home as well as do something to positively benefit other children, says Emily Wilska, author of "Knack Organizing Your Home: Decluttering Solutions and Storage Ideas." Working wi...
Mold and bacteria can grow inside and on the surfaces of plastic, rubber and cloth bath toys if they are not cared for properly. It's not difficult to clean children's bath toys if you make it a part of your weekly routine. Was...
Bath toys can make bathing fun for children and also ease their fear of the water by making the bathtub an entertaining and engaging environment, according to the "Parenting" magazine website. Because bath toys are often kept i...
Donating your family's old toys to charity is a simple way to clean out your closets and provide happiness to a child in need. When going through the toys your children don't use anymore, you can easily determine which toys mig...
The germs and dirt that collect on toys present a health risk to kids, in addition to making toys look old. Young children are particularly susceptible because they often place their toys and hands in their mouths. Regular clea...
Giving kids natural toys to play with is one good way to get children off to a healthy start. It is also an effective way to teach children about nature and the environment. Eco-friendly toys made from natural materials are usu...
Toys are entertaining and educational. When they are safe, they are the building blocks of a great childhood. Size, materials and washability are just a few of the features to look for when purchasing new toys for your little o...
Organic, eco-friendly toys are made from natural ingredients and safe, lead-free dyes. Green toys are an effective way to introduce children to eco-friendly habits. They are made from recycled materials under conditions that ...
Toys that sit in dirty bath water and especially those with openings that fill with water are prone to bacteria buildup, often turning into mold. With young children known to put everything in their mouths, cleaning mold from b...
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment recommends that parents and childcare providers avoid letting infants and toddlers share toys. You can also help prevent the spread of germs by regularly cleaning and sanitizing c...
After a seasonal illness like the cold or flu has made the rounds in your home, it's important that you clean and disinfect your children's toys to reduce the risk of reinfection. Germs can live on the hard surfaces of your chi...
Although toys are important learning tools for infants, dirty toys are also a breeding ground for disease and illness. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, infants can get lead poisoning from toys pollut...
Preventing the spread of germs is essential to maintaining the health of babies and young children. One way to ensure children aren't at risk of spreading germs is to give them clean toys to play with. Disinfecting plastic toys...
Toy stores and superstores have aisle upon aisle of children's toys, and advertisers and toy manufacturing companies are always trying to woo kids and parents with the next hit toy. Keeping safety, longevity and purpose in mind...
With all the toys out there for toddlers, it's hard to know what toys are empty fun and what toys aid children in the vital development they experience at the age of one and two years old. As a parent, it is your role to ensure...
Toy play is an essential part of learning for children. Toys can help children figure out how things work, build coordination, use imagination, solve problems and learn how to cooperate with others. All of these elements help c...
He is born with a desire to learn. He uses every one of his senses to help his brain develop and to learn how to interact with you and the other people in his life. Toys help promote your child’s development. The parentin...
They can help increase fine and gross motor skills, teach problem solving and provide hours of enjoyment. However, poorly constructed toys or those meant for older children can pose a threat to the safety of infants. Approximat...
Kids Health suggests that playing a variety of different games and with a variety of different toys will enable a child to gain muscle control, balance and coordination. Playing goes hand in hand with learning and there are man...
Today, you can find phosphorescent paint illuminating emergency exits and fire escape routes, making light switches easier to find in the dark and even accenting children's toys and adorning clothing.
A child will often come up with every excuse they can think of to avoid going to sleep. However, nighttime fears are very real for many kids and should be addressed. A child should never get in trouble for being scared. There a...
No toy is a babysitter or substitute for you--a toy that recites a story will never be as rewarding or as beneficial as you reading a book to your child, for example. Children quickly learn what toys can and cannot do. If a toy...
