What Are the Best Types of Toys?

Toys are a great way to start and support a child’s growth and development. Just like playtimes, choosing the best toy for your child requires knowledge and attention.

Toys help a child in many ways - may it be in physical, cognitive, and emotional development. They spark a child’s interest and curiosity that encourage them to use their imagination, creativity, problem-solving and social skills.

In choosing which is the best toy for your child, some things must be considered such as their age, interest, and stage of development. There are different types of toys for babies, toddlers, and older children. For babies, it's all about interaction with the parent and other family members. They get to enjoy play activities like listening to your voice or music or looking at brightly colored objects. Toddlers likely enjoy open-ended toys such as building blocks, boxes, dress-ups, and crafts. Older children, at their age, would often like to deal with puzzles and problem-solving toys.

The way your child uses and plays with the toy and their safety are also important things to be considered. The Michigan State University Extension identifies best types of toys for children:

Blocks and building toys

In a research conducted among preschoolers, block play has been found to stimulate brain development. Children who play block regularly will do better in math and numbers.

Puzzles and problem-solving toys

Toddlers as early as 2 years of age can do best with puzzles. It develops a child’s memory, motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and many more.

Materials that promote art and play-pretend items

A variety of writing and drawing tools for older children, as well as musical instruments, will help in developing their open-ended creativity and let them explore and imagine. Play-pretend items will help children build their social and emotional skills.

Motor play items

Large play items such as balls, bicycles, toy cars, etc. will give an older child some physical activities to do and help them be more active.

Considering all of these and determining a toy’s effect on your child’s growth and development will guide you in deciding which is the best toy for your child.  Sign up today!

Why You Should Avoid Having Too Many Toys at Home


Toys help children, especially toddlers, to learn something new and discover their skills. But as much as the positive impact of toys on a child’s development, there is a downside in having “too many” toys. At times, parents are responsible for this. If you’re thinking of buying another set of toys to keep your child busy, then think again.

According to child behavior experts, too many toys can affect the concentration and focus of a child. Having too many toys in their spaces can be overwhelming and impact their ability to learn and play creatively. Children with too many toys get distracted easily and cannot enjoy a quality playtime. A study led by the researcher at the University of Toledo, Ohio found that children with fewer toys are actually far more creative and develop their ability to think of other ways to play with the toys they have, expanding and using their imagination for a more enjoyable playtime.

There are also other reasons as to why there are downsides of children having too many toys:

Too many toys can result in boredom.

When children know that they have so many toys to choose from, playing with one toy for a long time can easily get boring - resulting in children always asking for something new.

It can spoil them and have less care for their toys.

Having fewer but special toys can teach your child how to value something they own. It will also help them understand the concept of “having enough” and being satisfied.

Too many toys means less space in your home.

Toys take up space - organizing and decluttering them can be a tedious task. It's better to give your child more space to play and be more active.

Most parents buy too many toys because of pressure and by thinking that it's the only way to satisfy their child and make them happy. The truth is, you can break this trend and become a smarter parent to help in the overall development of your child. 

Why Educational Toys Are Important to a Child's Development

Kids are able to learn better when they are active and stimulated. When they are having fun, it's easier for them to remember the skills that they pick up. They can make sense of an activity they are engaged in when there is a component of play--because nothing should be bookish and serious when you're learning in your early years, right? Make learning fun for your kids through educational toys!

Here are some reasons why educational toys are so important! 


They can boost their IQ 


From hand-eye coordination, memorization, to fine motor skills, kids can develop these skills when they're playing with the right toys. And you know why these skills are so important to be developed at such a young age? Because these are essential for them to increase their IQ over time. In fact, some studies show that majority of kids with the highest IQ for their age are those who have spent more time playing with educational toys. 


They develop their senses 

Most educational toys are designed to help little ones make use of their senses. Senses like touch, sight, and hearing, are all used when a child plays with greatly designed toys. Toys are often colorful and this is obviously important for their sense of sight. Most toys are also very tactile, which helps them develop their sense of touch. Toys also produce various engaging sounds to help a child process their sense of hearing. As the child grows, they become more familiar with the kinds of sounds, materials, and colors that they prefer. 


They keep them creative

Fun is an essential component of being creative. It allows that feeling of being unconstrained, giving someone the chance to express themselves without fear of being judged or corrected. Playing with educational toys has no rules so a child can have the freedom to be creative with an activity and play however they want. 


They enhance their social and emotional development 


Playing is a chance to interact with another person, whether that be an adult or other children. These interactions will help a child encounter social and emotional cues that they need to face one way or another as they grow up. Having this understanding can help them adapt to the real world. Most educational toys also instill values like sharing, leadership, patience, which are all essential for a child's development. 


What advantages have started happening to your child as they play with educational toys?

Benefits of Ride-On Toys for Kids

Your kids playing around and riding their ride-on toy. It's a nostalgic scene that brings you back to your own childhood, and it's such a thrill to see your child experiencing the same joy as you did when you were young. Ride-on toys have been around for generations but are rarely seen as an educational toy with lots of learning benefits, so here we round up the advantages that they hold for your child's growth development. 

It will help develop their gross and fine motor skills 


How can they tune up their fine motor skills with these toys? By operating the toy on various types of terrain (whether grass, concrete, uphill, or downhill), opening and closing doors, fitting themselves on the compact seat, or manipulating the dashboard, their gross and fine motor skills will certainly come in handy. 


It encourages spatial play 


When kids are exploring open spaces, their spatial play is stimulated. Along the way, they get to improve their observation skills and make use of their creativity and imagination. 


It builds their confidence 


There's always a sense of pride and confidence once a child gets through the necessary movements for playing with a ride-on toy. Pushing their feet, using the pedals, balancing, stirring the wheels...all of these are milestones that they can celebrate, giving them that confidence that they can take on a challenge. The more they get comfortable with riding, the more they get comfortable with facing challenges, and this attitude also applies in other areas of their growth. 


It can be enjoyed for many years 


How many years can a child enjoy a ride-on toy? According to research, enough years to make it a wise investment for you as a parent. Trendy toys come and go, but a child will always enjoy the simple concept of a ride-on toy. Some ride-on toys even have adjustable seats; some bikes also have removable training wheels for when they're ready to balance a bicycle. These adjustments make it certain that the toy can stay with them as they grow older and increase their physical and mental capabilities. 


What kind of ride-on toy does your child enjoy playing with? 

Best Activities for Children to Learn Through Play

In the eyes of a child, playing is fun and exciting. It's something that they naturally do and it's easy for us to take such an activity for granted. At its core, play is actually the most effective way for learning essential skills that children need as they grow up and start preparing for school. 


These are some of the best activities your child can do to have fun while learning.

Encourage your child to do more of these more often!  

Here are the best activities for Children to Learn Through Play

Dress up and role play 


Children get to learn a lot when they act out situations based on real life. When they do role playing activities, they get to apply their own observations and use them to express themselves in a creative way, while developing their communication skills along the way. Having them dress up into their favorite characters or as people they want to become when they grow up, they also develop their confidence and sense of identity. 


Get the senses involved 


Sensory activities have become very important in many pre-schools, and for good reason. With everyday materials like foam, dry noodles, uncooked pasta, water, sand, and other materials with unique textures, your child can explore their senses, having so much fun, all while learning. Using materials like these, have their fingers move through a surface, drawing imaginary letters, shapes, numbers, faces, and whatever figures that inspire them. You can also ask them about how they feel about touching such materials. 


Blocks, jigsaws, shape sorter activities 


Making activities that have to do with blocks, jigsaws, shape sorters be a part of their play routine is key to laying out the foundations for spatial thinking and logical reasoning. They get to familiarize themselves with shapes, sizes, colors, and math concepts that they need to understand once they start going to school. It may seem like they're just having fun stacking up blocks, or organizing colors, or filling out missing pieces of a puzzle, but all these seemingly simple activities are very effective in shaping their brain. 


Stretching, jumping, and other physical activities they can do right inside a space at home

Albeit current situations that prevent most kids all over the world from going outside and exploring all the great things that the world has to offer, you can still give your child the chance to move and use their energy right in the space they are in. Their gross motor skills get a mighty boost from simple activities that allow them to move and use their bodies. You can simply provide a certain space for them inside their rooms, install some mats, and together you can do simple physical activities like stretching or following action songs, or even doing simple kids' workout routines. 


What educational activities does your child currently enjoy doing? How are those activities effective in their learning journey? 

Reasons Bedtime Stories are More Important Than You Think

It's a routine that parents all over the world practice with their children almost every night. It's a chance for them to bond, catch up, and get to know each other better in a safe, secluded space during the perfect time of the day--just right before a little child goes off to dreamland. It's such a routine that it's also easy to forget its purpose; why it's being done in the first place. But here's a reminder of why bedtime stories are so important and why you should never skip them for your child's own good. 


It encourages your child's love for reading 


Readers are great learners. They are well versed about many topics, their vocabulary is impressive, they are imaginative, creative, well-rounded about life. A habit of reading really is one of the best foundations for a life of success and fulfillment. So, how do you ever raise a reader? Many times, that love for reading is developed during their bedtime story habits with their parents because reading is associated with comfort and happiness.


It trains them to be more empathizing


When they relate to a character, they get to understand the joys, sorrows, fears, and other feelings that the hero goes through. They are able to make sense of why certain things happen, as well as the cause and effects of each circumstance that they encounter in the story. With a deeper understanding of such emotions, they can better empathize with the people around them.


It enhances multi-sensory integration  


Studies show that children who are used to bedtime stories and reading have significantly greater activation of the parietal-temporal-occipital association cortex (the area that processes visual association) in their brain. This greatly benefits in building their brain networks to have the capability to transition from talking to reading. 


It strengthens your relationship with your child 


Connections in the physical sense are very important these days and bedtime stories are a great avenue for you and your child to develop just that. Through the stories that you read together, you can both express yourselves and connect the scenarios with certain connections in real life. When both the parent and child open up, they get to know each other better and their relationship is strengthened with each time. 
Do you often read bedtime stories with your kids? How does this routine affect your child? 

Ways to Keep Kids Entertained at Home Without Gadgets

Gadgets are a constant in the lives of this generation's little ones. It could be a good thing to embrace what technology offers but being too exposed to it can also have harmful effects. As a parent, you want to discipline your child with a balance in which they can make use of the conveniences of technology without overindulging themselves. When all is said and done, it really isn't beneficial for them to rely on gadgets alone for entertainment; there are still so many other things a child can do without the need for any form of technology.

Here are some activities you can keep them entertained without gadgets.


Organize a treasure hunt 


This is an activity that the whole family can enjoy over a weekend and you don't even need to leave the house for it. As the designated organizer, you have the task to hide some treasures like toy gold bars, delicious goodies, or even your children's favorite stuffed toys. Hand out a treasure map with clues and riddles leading to each hidden treasure. This type of activity does a lot of things: it develops their reading and communication skills; it helps them become more creative and imaginative; and it allows them to bond closer with the whole family! 

Instill a love for reading 


Give your child the opportunity to discover the wonderful world of reading. Buy them books--better yet, allow them to choose what they want. It starts with regular bedtime stories and as they grow older, they'll learn to read on their own. A reader will never get bored. Give them a book and you'll see them immersed in that little world for the rest of the day. A reader is patient, imaginative, empathizing, creative and so much more! 


Indoor Tent

Because of the scorching heat of the summer sun, we know that you would rather stay indoor. A great way to keep your kids entertained is by indoor tent. Kids love tents because it gives them a fun place to play. This kind of activity helps them get to know their surroundings, develop their motor skills and stimulate imaginative play.


Get them preoccupied with educational toys 


Toys will always be a part of a child's interest and you shouldn't have to worry if you find that they like playing too much. In fact, you should encourage it. Play is a form of learning while having fun. Provide them with toys that also allow them to develop some basic skills that can prepare them for pre-school. From building blocks, tactile toys, dolls, to tools for imaginative play, these types of educational toys open up your child to have hours of fun without realizing that they're away from the gadget screen they've been so used to facing. 


What kind of gadget-free activities do your kids enjoy? 

Why having too many toys may actually make your kids more bored

As a grown-up, you know the overwhelm brought by the sheer number of choices you have to make in a day, whether it be at work, at home, and even through the mundane. The same is true for children, especially in the options they have to make at their "work", otherwise known as playtime. 


While it seems enticing to them at first, too much toys will only leave children unoccupied and bored more than ever. Quite consequently, having a limited amount of stuff to play with will get them more engaged and busy for longer periods of time. 


Bored with having too many toys? It sounds like a paradox, but we're here to lay out the reasons why it's better to be more selective and minimalistic with the toys that your kids play with. 


It curbs their creativity 

Getting too many toys for kids can curb their creativity and imagination skills as they will not experiment with everyday random stuff within their eyesight to create their own playthings. They are able to be more creative and flex their imaginations when given fewer toy choices. Studies back up Einstein’s claim that “the true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.”  When their creativity isn't unleashed to its fullest potential, they will become less inspired to do things and in turn will make them bored. 


It doesn't inspire mindfulness

Setting up a less cluttered environment for playing is great preparation for mindfulness practices for your kids. There’s more mindfulness connected with this type of play and less mental fatigue, which helps create a more nurturing, calm learning experience.

It makes them complacent 

Boredom comes easily for kids with too many toys because they know they will get something new when they ask for it. Toys may turn into an addiction to fight boredom and stress. They may grow up and show the same traits.


It hinders their social skills 

Kids with fewer toys have better social capabilities as they grow up because they have more time to converse and communicate with friends and family. When their social skills are developed, they have fewer chances of relying on toys to occupy their time.


Have you noticed your kids' frequent boredom despite having too many toys? Maybe it's time to clear out the clutter and make a change in their environment!

Why Renting Toys is the Best Option for Parents

Toys can often represent a major expenditure for parents. From growing out of them to simply losing interest, many toys are destined to only maintain a child’s interest for a matter of months, sometimes even weeks. With renting toys, you're able to constantly introduce different varieties to your child, without fear of overloading your space or spending a ton.

Thinking of trying out toy rentals?


Your kids will never be bored at home 

The family room is cluttered up, toys are overflowing from their bins everywhere in your house. The worst thing of all is your child seems bored! How can that be? It could be that they've used a toy enough that it’s no longer a novelty, and now they’re looking for something else to stimulate their mind. You can take steps to ensure that your child’s creative juices don’t dwindle away along with the excitement of the toys. One of those steps is to rent toys. You get to offer them a variety of options to keep them excited and return the toys once they're through. The anticipation of having new toys each month will definitely keep them on their toes! 


It helps you declutter the house 

With toys, we think that more is better. But really, it is just overwhelming. Studies show that kids spend more time playing with fewer toys than when they have a lot of options. Having a house chock full of toys is certainly not doing the kids—or the parents—any favours. Think about the hours you spend just organizing everything!  Renting toys means you're not adding loads of clutter to your house, nor are you getting rid of things and having them put to waste. 


It lessens negative environmental impact 

By embracing a more ‘borrow-centric’ culture, we can reduce the environmental impact of key industries through lowering demand for items with a short utility lifespan and shifting emphasis from buying to sharing. And since it’s the youngest generation who will have to live with our current-day decisions, toys seem a pretty good place to start, don't you think? Holding true to our stand, we'd also like to emphasize that majority of the KIDDOS Toys Club partner brands are those that produce toys made with sustainable materials and advocate concern for a greener world.


Subscribe to a monthly toy bag at KIDDOS Toys Club!

 Here's how it works: Sign up for a monthly plan and then leave it to the pros to curate bags based on your child's age and stage. Receive a bag every month, then return an old one! Get started today! 

Types of Toys that can Boost Toddlers' Attention Span

Improving a child’s attention span is not easy. It requires plenty of practice, hard work, and dealing with underlying conditions which may contribute to why they don't have focus in the first place. There are many ways to address this but we believe that toys have great power to assist with this process!

Here are some toys that can boost toddlers' attention span


Sensory toys 

Sensory toys help stimulate a child’s senses. That stimulation all goes on inside the brain and is closely related to tons of other skills that your child needs to grow into a fully functional adult. These are the motor skills like writing, cutting, and zipping their coat. Also, sensory toys can help give a child the sensations they want. When kids are busy trying to get the sensations they like, it distracts their brain from everything else it needs to be doing. That’s why when kids get the sensations they need through sensory activities and toys, it helps them do everything they need to do.

Dress-up materials

It seems that the art of putting on the dress ups and then acting out when wearing them motivates even the most distracted child to pay attention. It has several other benefits too--kids create situations and scenes and act out social events when they play dress-up. They're able to test out new ideas and behaviors in a comfortable environment. Dress-up encourages creative thinking and communication skills. It also helps kids practice language development and their social skills. It could be as simple as Mom’s old high-heeled shoes, a Superman cape or a Princess dress: any child’s costume is simply magic! 


Art supplies 

Concentrating on an art project for long periods develops focus and longer attention spans for kids. Time-dependent projects, like waiting for paint and glue to dry, encourage patience, which is tough for most kids. Not only that, mastering skills, completing art projects, and learning to express themselves in new ways all help them gain confidence and perseverance. These things also help kids come up with positive emotional responses to stressful situations.


Puzzles 

A puzzle teaches young children about the concept of a 'whole' and that each piece is a fraction of the bigger picture. In order to get to the result they want, they'll understand that they need to hone their concentration skills. Completing a puzzle also helps them with goal-setting, patience, and gaining a sense of achievement, which will stand children in good stead for school.
What kind of toys are you getting for your kids to help boost their concentration?