You know playtime is important for your little one’s development, but with so many toys out there, how do you choose the right ones to keep them engaged and learning? The experts at Very are here to help. In this article, we’ll give you insider tips on selecting toys that inspire fun and creativity at every age. From baby’s first rattles to roleplay for older kids, we’ve got playtime covered. With advice from child development pros and real parents like you, you’ll discover new ways to bond and new skills to build, all while keeping your tiny tots entertained. With these top toy tips, playtime is going to be the best time for your family.

Developmental Benefits of Playtime for Kids

Improved Motor Skills

Giving children opportunities for physical play helps develop their coordination and balance. Toys like activity gyms, play mats and activity centers provide sensory stimulation for infants while helping them strengthen neck, arm, and leg muscles. As kids get older, toys that encourage stacking, building, and manipulating objects help hone fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

Enhanced Cognitive Abilities

Puzzles, shape sorters, and nesting toys challenge children’s problem-solving skills and logical thinking in a fun way. Pretend play with dolls, play with food, dress up clothes, and play with kitchen sets sparks imagination and creativity. Board books, activity books, and interactive books promote literacy and language development.

Better Social-Emotional Health

Playing with other children teaches kids important social skills like sharing, taking turns, cooperating, and communicating. Dolls, play food, and dress-up clothes give children opportunities to act out different roles and relationships, helping them understand emotions and empathy. Puzzles, games, and building toys that kids can do with parents and caregivers strengthen bonding and support healthy development.

Lifelong Benefits

The benefits of play extend far beyond childhood. Play helps shape children into well-adjusted, innovative, and resilient individuals. The skills and experiences children gain through play form a foundation for success in school, work, and relationships that last a lifetime.

Providing kids with opportunities for play at every stage of development is one of the greatest gifts you can give. With the right toys and play activities, you’re setting your child up for a bright future full of possibilities.

Fun & Educational Toy Ideas From Very for Different Age Groups

Infants (0-12 months)

For babies, toys that stimulate the senses are key. Soft building blocks, activity gyms with different textures, and plush toys that make crinkling sounds are all great options. As they start sitting up, activity tables with movable parts are endlessly entertaining. These kinds of interactive toys help infants develop motor and cognitive skills in a fun, engaging ways.

Toddlers (1-3 years)

Toddlers are learning through play, so choose toys that encourage imaginative and role play. Dolls, play food, toy phones, and costumes are all fantastic for creative, open-ended fun. Puzzles, shape sorters, and nesting toys build problem-solving skills in an age-appropriate way. Toy vehicles, play sets, and musical toys are also always a hit.

Preschoolers (3-5 years)

For preschoolers, toys that help develop literacy, numeracy, and motor skills are key. Magnetic letters, phonics toys, pegboards, and simple board books are great for learning letters, sounds, and basic math concepts while playing. Arts and crafts supplies, play dough, and building toys cultivate fine motor skills and creativity. Complex puzzles, interactive books, and educational toys build knowledge in a fun, hands-on fashion.

With engaging, developmentally appropriate toys, playtime for kids of all ages can be fun and educational. The variety of options from Very means you can find just the right toys to stimulate your child’s development and fuel their imagination.

Creative Playtime Activities Using Toys From Very

Building toys for little engineers

Does your toddler love to build? Blocks, stacking toys, and shape sorters are great for developing motor and cognitive skills in toddlers. Very’s range of building blocks, Lego Duplo sets and shape sorters are ideal for little hands and stimulate problem-solving skills. As children get older, Lego sets with instructions teach following directions and patience.

Make-believe magic

Pretend play is essential for development. Dolls, play food, dress-up clothes, and play kitchen sets spark the imagination of toddlers and preschoolers. Playmobil and Lego figures, castles, and pirate ships provide props for adventure and fantasy. Very has options for all budgets so your child can act out stories and create their make-believe world.

Puzzles and games for learning fun

Jigsaw puzzles, board books, flashcards, and educational games make learning fun while improving skills. Puzzles with large pieces are great for toddlers developing hand-eye coordination and cognitive skills. Classic board books teach letters, numbers, colors, and more. For preschoolers and up, Very offers educational card games to build math, reading, and critical thinking skills in a fun way.

Arts and crafts

Unleash your child’s creativity with washable markers, crayons, stickers, play dough, coloring books, and more. Arts and crafts provide opportunities for self-expression and open-ended play. Kinetic sand and Floam are squishy, moldable mediums for sensory exploration. As children get older, introduce scissors, glue, and basic craft kits for more complex projects. With the right supplies and a bit of mess, your kids can create masterpieces.

Providing opportunities for creative, open-ended play with the appropriate toys for their age and development stage allows children to learn and grow in a fun, hands-on way. With a variety of toys for all ages, Very makes playtime easy.