How To Choose Perfect Christmas Toys For Kids

Every parent wants their children to wake up on Christmas morning to a tree surrounded by great gifts, but how do you ensure that the choices you make are ones your kids will enjoy again and again?

Choosing toys that will educate and delight your children throughout the holiday season and beyond needn’t be a chore – with a little forethought and advice we’re sure that you’ll make decisions that will give your little ones plenty of fun throughout the festivities and beyond!

Plan Ahead

We’ve all been in the situation where life gets in the way, and before we know it we’ve hit the middle of December and we haven’t bought a thing for Christmas! Planning ahead helps to ensure that you don’t make rash purchases and wind up with inappropriate gifts for your kids. When it comes to buying ethical, safe, educational and fun toys that your children will love, you’ll need to put the time in for research – the process can be fun in itself, as it’s a little adventure into the mind of your child and allows you to put yourself in their shoes for a while.

Some Things To Consider Before Buying

As an ethically-minded parent you can’t make the assumption that every toy on sale will be up to scratch – you need to think a little about how your children will play with the toys you buy, and whether or not they’re going to be learning the lessons you wish to promote.

Another worthwhile consideration is the quality of the materials used to construct the toys and whether you judge the toy to be safe to play with – some seem more suitable to adults!

With so much choice around it can be hard to know where to start, so before you make any decisions on what to fill the stocking up with this year, you might want to ask yourself these essential questions first:

• Is The Toy Built From High-Quality Components? – Top quality toys might cost a little more but they’re built to last. Do your homework and avoid cheap imports without the rugged nature to survive beyond Christmas.
• Is It Clearly Marked As ‘Nontoxic’? – If the toys you’re considering are not clearly marked this way, we recommend leaving them behind. It’s rare to find toys that don’t conform, but always be careful – especially when buying from online auction sites.
• Is It Educational? – Look for tohttps://www.kiddit.com/blog/how-to-choose-perfect-christmas-toys-for-kids/ys that develop motor skills, problem solving, language and other key skills in a fun way.
• Is It Easy To Clean? – Some toys are a nightmare to keep clean, so consider how it’s going to be played with and whether it’s going to be easy to keep germ and grime-free.
• Is The Recommended Age Range Clearly Stated? – One guaranteed way to have your child reject a gift is to buy something inappropriate for their age. Make sure you choose toys help to build skills and engage your kid’s attention based on their developmental stage, or they’ll just end up playing with the box it comes in!
• Does It Encourage Children To Be Aggressive Or Violent? – Exploring their physicality is a crucial part of growing up, but this energy and self-awareness is probably better channeled through sporting activities where possible. Avoiding toy guns, swords and anything linked to violent TV shows will help to prevent accidents and overly aggressive play that could easily get out of hand.
• Does The Toy Fire Darts Or Balls That Could Cause Injury? – There are so many wonderful toys on the market that there’s really no need to risk injury with projectiles!
• Is The Toy Gender-Neutral? – ‘Pink toys for girls and blue toys for boys’ is a fairly common idea that makes it easier for companies to zero in their marketing, but unfortunately it also teaches your children that stereotyping is the norm – and we’re sure you’ll agree that it shouldn’t be! Consider more neutral colors when you choose your gifts, and allow your children to play with toys traditionally designed for the other sex, if they feel drawn to them.

Great Gift Choices For Your Kids

Your choice of presents for your children will have a lot to do with how you’re choosing to parent, your budget, and your cultural background… but one thing that influences all of these considerations is a desire to see your kids grow up to be happy, creative and well-adjusted. The following ideas are all perfect for these goals:

• Art And Craft Supplies – Your kids will occupy themselves for hours with enough paper, pens, crayons, Play-Doh, scissors and glue! Why not spend the weeks leading up to Christmas by building up a big box full of everything they might need to be creative throughout the year? Wrap everything up individually and fill a big plastic or wooden chest with the goodies.
• Toys To Encourage Movement – Anything that inspires your kids to be active is great! This can be simple toys like bats and balls, bikes and tricycles, or climbing frames and tunnel systems. Consider the weather, however, and choose some activity toys that can be safely used inside – nobody wants a gift that they can’t use till spring!
• Puzzles And Board Games – Educational toys like puzzles and games are popular with children of all ages because they tap into both their inherent desire to learn and their competitive spirit. We find that interactive games that encourage role-play and make-believe are a brilliant addition for the Christmas period – or choose some family-friendly games so you can all gather around the table for some special time together.
• A Special Trip Or Day Out – Imagine your children’s surprise when they open up a Christmas card to find tickets to their favorite movie or to join a local club that they’re interested in. Experience gifts are a great way to extend the seasonal spirit and give your kids something to be excited about after the holiday.
• Make Something – Nothing expresses your love as much as a gift that you’ve made yourself. This could be anything for a cake that you’ve baked to homemade toys and cards – the sentiment means much more than the gift. You could try putting little ‘play time vouchers’ in your kid’s cards that can be ‘cashed in’ when your children feel like they’re not spending as much quality time with you as they’d like.

As you can see, with a little forethought and a healthy dose of Christmas spirit you can turn the festive period into a wonderful occasion for your children and the whole family. Here at Kiddit, we believe that making informed and aware choices will help your kids learn and have fun throughout the holidays and for weeks and months to come.