November 19, 2024
There’s nothing better than watching a child’s face light up as they open a gift — except, of course, knowing that their new toy will secretly enrich their development. But when faced with a toy aisle or the endless options online, knowing which gifts are appropriate for the child’s age and development can be challenging.
To help you choose gifts that are fun and encourage learning, we consulted two of MU Health Care’s certified kid experts:
- Michelle Dampf, speech-language pathologist
- Jessie Nicolaescu, occupational therapist
Together, they explain what children are working on developmentally at each age and how best to support that development with age-appropriate toys and gifts.
Infants: 0 to 12 Months
Development during the first year of life centers around language, attention and movement.
“Infants will increase their babbling during the first year,” Dampf says, “but we also want to encourage receptive language, which involves their understanding of what they are hearing.”
Toys that help development in the first year include:
Soft Books
Reading to a baby helps build their focus and exposes them to new vocabulary and vocal tones. In the second half of the year, soft books with different textures also help with sensory development.
Interactive or Sound-Based Toys
Rattles, crinkle toys and activity mats — especially those with a mirror — are excellent for capturing an infant’s attention. Later in the year, interactive toys that require babies to push buttons or take action help introduce cause and effect. Bubbles are also interactive and fun at any age.
Toys That Encourage Movement
In the first six months, activity mats with mirrors can engage little ones while playing on their tummies. Easy-to-grasp toys, such as rattles and rings, encourage infants to reach and shift their weight. Once your baby is moving, consider balls or toys that encourage crawling.
Toddlers: 1 to 2 Years
Near their first birthdays, babies begin a period of exploration — both physically and through language.
“During this time, babies may start to link one or two words together,” Dampf says. “Receptively, we want to see toddlers start following some simple directions.”
Gift ideas for toddlers include:
Interactive Books
Look for books that have flaps, squeakers or other interactive aspects. “Helping” with the story — even by turning the pages — engages toddlers’ attention and helps with fine motor skills.
Shape Sorters and Stacking Toys
Besides exposing children to colors and shapes, blocks and puzzle-based toys help with problem-solving and fine motor skills. Playing involves following simple directions to “pick up” and “put in” pieces and taking turns. They also teach about cause and effect.
Moving and Climbing Toys
Choose sturdy and safe toys they can push, climb onto or get into, such as grocery carts, push-and-ride cars or toddler slides. Figuring out how to climb also helps with problem-solving skills.
Preschoolers: 2 to 4 Years
Language understanding and use explode during the preschool years. There’s also a lot of fine motor progress — kids are developing their grasp pattern, which prepares them for writing later.
“Play skills also really change a lot at this age,” Nicolaescu says. “They are learning how to take turns, starting to pretend and showing their personalities.”
Great gifts for preschoolers include:
Simple Arts and Crafts
Stickers, coloring books, and crayons or markers are basic craft tools that work fine motor skills and keep kids engaged. Play dough and the tools that come with it — such as safety scissors and rollers — work on grip and can be a good choice.
Pretend Play Toys
Pretend play helps develop the skills needed for conversation, language and following directions. Play food, toy phones and doctor kits are great choices for this age. Costumes and dress-up clothes work on the motor skills toddlers need to dress themselves.
Toys That Go
Swings, tricycles and balance bikes help children use and control larger muscle groups. Balls and age-appropriate sports equipment will also keep children moving.
Grade Schoolers: 5 to 9 Years
School-age children are increasing their vocabulary and following multistep directions while learning to express their feelings and engage in group settings.
“Children this age may be interested in some things more than others,” Nicolaescu says. “Find out their passion — whether it’s horses, sports, trains or something else — and build on that passion when choosing toys and gifts.”
Age-appropriate gifts for school-age kids include:
Beginner Board Games
Simple board games, such as Candy Land® and Chutes and Ladders®, involve following directions and taking turns. But group games also begin to teach complicated social skills such as compromising (who goes first or gets a certain color), managing emotions (through wins and losses) and expressing feelings. Connect 4® is a good beginner game that introduces strategy. Save most other strategy games until age 7.
Multi-Step Kits, Crafts and Toys
Toys such as Lego®, jigsaw puzzles, step-by-step drawing books and how-to art kits involve following specific directions and provide a sense of accomplishment. They also require focus and fine motor skills.
“Real Life” Toys
Pretending that mimics real life is great for social development at this age — kids want to do what you are doing. Consider giving cash registers, babies and parenting toys, or realistic kitchen items.
Sports and Physical Fitness Equipment
Get school-age kids moving with jump ropes, an obstacle course or sports equipment — basketball hoops, baseball gloves and bats, or a portable soccer net are good places to start.
Preteens: 10 to 12 Years
Children 10 and older may gravitate to technology, but engaging them in social, non-electronic activities is healthy.
“Electronics and tablets aren’t necessarily bad,” Dampf says. “But it’s beneficial for kids to engage with real people in real time. And it’s good for them to see adults put their to-do lists aside and have fun.”
Non-technology gift ideas for preteens include:
Experiences
Give your child an event or experience based on their interests. Consider a show, zoo trip or ball game. A coupon book — filled with promises for a hike, movie time or special dinner — provides many options for quality time. Having real-world experiences and time with you can teach them empathy, reasoning and problem-solving.
Party Games
Consider games that build on social skills and time with friends or family. Group games such as Pictionary®, Apples to Apples® and Mad Libs® also support creativity and work on developing language.
Next Steps and Useful Resources
- Want to discuss your child’s development with a pediatrician? Find one today.
