With all the toys on the market, it can be challenging to choose a toy for your child.  Parents often buy the biggest and best only to find their child bored, frustrated, or not engaged with their gift.  While a child may beg for the flashy new toy they just saw on a commercial, it may not be the wisest decision to run out and get it for them without considering a few things first.

1.                 Safety

Always check the safety of the object.  Ask yourself, “would I be completely confident that my child will be okay playing with this toy unattended?”

2.                 Age Appropriateness

Can my child understand how to use it?  My son received building sets as gifts and but because they were for older kids, he occasionally felt very frustrated and needed a lot of help.  Some toys might be too fragile for smaller kids to handle.

3.                 Learning

Determine whether the toy is educational in any way.  Think about what it can teach your child, or how it might inspire his imagination.  How might it engage both left brain analysis and right brain creativity and storytelling?

4.                 Multi-Sensory

Does it get your child to use all of his senses?  And does it have a silent button (to preserve the parents’ senses)?  Also, toys or games that get kids to move help children work their sense of body position and balance.

5.                 Entertainment

Consider whether or not this toy can keep your child very active and busy.  Does it help promote social interaction or independent focus, and does it add variety to his toy collection?

While no one can predict with 100% accuracy which toys will be a hit with your child, remember that the best toy is not always the most expensive or the one with the most lights and sounds.  Choose one that meets your criteria and give it with love.  If all else fails, they can always play with the box.