Choosing Toys for Your Children

Choosing toys for your children isn't always easy. There are many things that you probably take into account when purchasing new toys. This article will cover some of the things I consider and my routine when shopping for new toys for my daughter. I encourage you to take part and answer these questions too!

1. How do you determine what toys to purchase for your child? 
The first question I ask myself when choosing a new toy for my daughter is, 'how will this toy help her learn and grow?'. In other words, 'Which aspects of this toy will help her achieve social, cognitive, and physical developmental milestones for her age?'

Other things that I consider when making my final decision on whether to purchase a toy often involve things such as, 'will my daughter enjoy playing with this toy?', 'is the toy safe?' (e.g. no choking hazards, etc.), 'will this toy stand up to the test of time?', 'where was this toy made?', 'what materials was this toy made from?', and 'is the toy easy to clean and maintain?'. I find myself using a mental scale to determine how important each aspect is to me - those mental scales determine whether or not the toy makes it into my shopping cart.

2. What resources do you use to help in your decisions?
Most of the knowledge that I use when choosing toys comes from my university education, where I learned a lot about early childhood development. I also use my intuition and draw from my past experiences, whether it be from working as a childcare worker or my daughter's experience with previous toys.

Since I spend a fair amount of time online, I learn a lot about new and suitable toys through social media and other blogs. Occasionally, I turn to sites like Fisher-Price.ca to help me discover toys that are age appropriate or meet various developmental milestones.

The 12 Elements of Enrichment from the Fisher-Price Joy of Learning Playtime Guide.

When I'm not quite sure which toys are most appropriate, I pay attention to the manufacturer's suggested age range.

3. Do you usually plan ahead of time or do you go to the store and look through the shelves?
I love to browse! But, when I'm shopping with the plan of purchasing new toys, I often have something in mind. Before heading to the store, I often do research online to determine the types of toys I'm looking for, the brands I'm going to be considering, and where I can get the best deal. My impulse buys for my daughter are usually books or clothing.


What are your answers to these questions? 
What tips do you have for purchasing new toys?

Disclosure: I am a Fisher-Price Play Ambassador and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.