Selecting age-appropriate educational toys for children

By Deborah Latouf PhD

Birthdays are a magical time for children, and you can make a special day even more memorable by selecting developmentally or age appropriate toys.

Firstly it is important to check the toy for safety warnings. For example, many toys carry a 0-3 warning, meaning the toy isn't suitable for children under the age of three years. This is not an indication of the child's skill level; rather that the toy contains small parts and may pose a choking hazard. Secondly, check the toy for age advice suggestions. Most toys indicate the approximate age of suitability, however the developmental age of children can vary considerably and this also needs to be taken into account. Finally, check the quality of the toy. Australia has vigorous toy safety standards and, to ensure these are met, be sure to purchase your toys from a reputable dealer.

A quality educational toy shop will have trained staff who can give you advice about developmentally appropriate toys. For babies, soft toys that stimulate a variety of senses are preferable - different colours, textures and sounds. Rattles, blocks and nesting cubes are also all suitable. Good brand choices are Haba , Heimess , John Crane , Brio and Boikido ; who all manufacture an extensive range of high quality soft and wooden educational baby toys.

At 12 months of age baby is close to walking, so a pullalong or baby walker wagon is ideal. For two to three-year olds, puzzles are a good choice and the Melissa and Doug range of jumbo knob and chunky puzzles are recommended. Ride-ons are also popular at this age, and you can't go past a Wheely Bug - which are by far the best quality and most versatile of all ride-ons available. Musical toys are suitable for toddlers and some good choices here are the Dobbin and Drum mellow drum and Plan Toys musical band. Putumayo Kids Music CDs are also a lovely introduction to world music for children.

Puppets and puppet theatres are great items for creative play. A good starting point is the Fiesta Crafts Tellatale theatre , which converts to a shop front. Add some fairytale puppets (either finger or hand puppets) and make story-time come to life. Pop-up puppets are a whimsical step back in time and marionettes are a nice way to develop hand-eye coordination. Folkmanis hand and finger puppets are popular with older children, and a gift of one of these encourages imaginative, open-ended play, endearing hugs and snuggly companionship.

For four to five year olds there is a huge selection of toys available that will develop motor coordination, artistic and creative skills, construction (Baufix, Quadrilla marble runs, Playmobil ) and creative role play. Choose from dress ups, kitchen role play, dolls (Corolle and Kathe Kruse ), doll houses (Le Toy Van and Voila ), castles, pirates, fairies and Papo figurines. Quality brands to look out for include Anamalz , Bajo , Automoblox , Djeco , eeBoo , Moulin Roty , Pintoy , Wonderworld and Vilac.

In the middle childhood years sports and physical activity items are ideal. The Mookie swingball range is portable fun in a carry case; or try a traditional classic such as stilts, skittles, a kite or skipping rope. Active People have an innovative range of funky toys that get you moving, and engage imagination and creativity.

The selection of suitable craft and artistic toys expands considerably in the middle childhood years. Craft kits from 4M , the Little Experience , Alex Toys and Hama beads are all good choices.

The older primary years can present a challenge for parents, however there are plenty of options that are not electronic. Science kits are great value for money and some of the new craft and beading kits for girls are wonderful. Sports and activity equipment are also popular choices at these ages. For gifts, we find that Sigg bottles and Swatch Flik Flak watches are especially well-liked and the feedback is always positive. Intelliquest quizmo books have also been a hit with this age group. Thinkfun games are ideal for travel as most as played individually with challenge cards that increase in difficulty.