When I was a nanny, I had a short-term position with a family in New Jersey. They had a
little girl who was about seven months old. The darling girl was happy enough but
she was being held back on her physical and mental development because of her
mother's fears of the child getting hurt. She only had rattles and teething
toys to play with. She hadn't even been allowed to just lay on the floor so she
could learn to roll over, forget begin crawling.
The need for age-appropriate toys is simple: to offer a challenge and encourage development. The toys don't have to be store bought and there doesn't have to be a lot of them, but they are needed. Toys help the child learn to master the skills they should be learning at that stage, especially when they're in the baby, toddler, and preschooler stages. Age-appropriate toys are going to be engaging and challenging to your child. The best ones are fun and, when they can be, educational.
Children also need variety as they grow tired of the same old toys after a few months, which stagnates development. It is good to have some toys hidden away to swap into the mix of toys. Take three to five out that they're bored with and replace with the same number of new ones. This helps save money and keeps your child from getting bored. As your child starts outgrowing the toys, weed them out from the toy box helps eliminate clutter and encourages them to play with more age-appropriate toys.
TIP: When it comes to birthdays and holiday present giving, buy one or two toys that are for the current age and the rest for about six to nine months out so that when they get to that point you already have toys ready to give your child new challenges without having to spend more money.
A Side Note:
The mom's reasoning for the infant toys still being used was that she didn't want her baby to hurt herself. It had been a difficult pregnancy and birth, which she was advised not to repeat. That meant their daughter was going to be their only child and the mom wanted to protect her as much as possible. Not a bad thing until it prevents your child from advancing mentally and physically, which is what was happening with this family.
By the end of my first week I went to Toys 'R Us and made a list of age appropriate toys and added a few things for the next six months. There were probably 20 items on the list from small handheld toys to larger items like an exersaucer, which allowed for freer movement for the baby and the safety the mom needed. The mom accepted that I knew what I was talking about, then went out and bought everything on the list. The baby's life was so greatly enhanced and she started developing in leaps and bounds.
And, with the mom's permission, I took the baby into their bedroom with the uber thick carpet and let her lay on the floor. Within a day or two she was rolling over and managed to get up on her knees. By the end of the week she was starting to crawl a little. She had been more than ready to physically do these things. She just needed to be allowed to do them.
The need for age-appropriate toys is simple: to offer a challenge and encourage development. The toys don't have to be store bought and there doesn't have to be a lot of them, but they are needed. Toys help the child learn to master the skills they should be learning at that stage, especially when they're in the baby, toddler, and preschooler stages. Age-appropriate toys are going to be engaging and challenging to your child. The best ones are fun and, when they can be, educational.
Children also need variety as they grow tired of the same old toys after a few months, which stagnates development. It is good to have some toys hidden away to swap into the mix of toys. Take three to five out that they're bored with and replace with the same number of new ones. This helps save money and keeps your child from getting bored. As your child starts outgrowing the toys, weed them out from the toy box helps eliminate clutter and encourages them to play with more age-appropriate toys.
TIP: When it comes to birthdays and holiday present giving, buy one or two toys that are for the current age and the rest for about six to nine months out so that when they get to that point you already have toys ready to give your child new challenges without having to spend more money.
A Side Note:
The mom's reasoning for the infant toys still being used was that she didn't want her baby to hurt herself. It had been a difficult pregnancy and birth, which she was advised not to repeat. That meant their daughter was going to be their only child and the mom wanted to protect her as much as possible. Not a bad thing until it prevents your child from advancing mentally and physically, which is what was happening with this family.
By the end of my first week I went to Toys 'R Us and made a list of age appropriate toys and added a few things for the next six months. There were probably 20 items on the list from small handheld toys to larger items like an exersaucer, which allowed for freer movement for the baby and the safety the mom needed. The mom accepted that I knew what I was talking about, then went out and bought everything on the list. The baby's life was so greatly enhanced and she started developing in leaps and bounds.
And, with the mom's permission, I took the baby into their bedroom with the uber thick carpet and let her lay on the floor. Within a day or two she was rolling over and managed to get up on her knees. By the end of the week she was starting to crawl a little. She had been more than ready to physically do these things. She just needed to be allowed to do them.
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