Toddler toys, like childhood itself, mean different things to different people. To the average European or American parent, a toy serves to keep the young amused and distracted. Now more than ever, with the belief that multiple intelligences can be stimulated in the early years, toy manufacturers are gearing their products towards those than can keep children beguiled, occupied and instructed. For instance, toys should help the child develop his motor skills, and engage him in fantasy and investigative play.

Many toy companies have continuously strived to make products which not only stimulate physical development but also nurture emotional and intellectual advancement. Despite this, the sad fact remains that not all toy bought stores come up to the specifications for toys that stimulate holistic growth. Thus, it is up to the parents, especially the mother, to make sensible decisions when purchasing toys.

Claudia Jones, in her book “Parents are Teachers, Too,” cited how important that responsibility is, and how to implement it by outlining the 2 Stages of Learning, and suggested appropriate toys for each stage:

The Sensorimotor Stage

This is the period from birth to 1 ½ -2 years, which includes the stage where, if an object is hidden, it no longer exists. Toward the end of the first year, the toddler begins to realize that just because an object can’t be seen, it doesn’t mean it’s no longer there. When he begins to put words together with objects (word association), and grasp the concept of representation, he is thus prepared to pass into the second period.

Toys to look for:

Shape-sorting toys, animal puzzle toys, knobbed and squeezable toys, touch and stack toys, stack and sort toys, and others of the same kind make wonderful toys for toddlers at this stage.

What these toys do:

Most of these toys stimulate the toddler’s imagination, boost his language development and build up his dexterity.

The Preoperational Period

This stage follows the sensorimotor period and lasts up until 6 ½ to 7 years of age.(Ms. Jones reminds parents that the passage from one stage into the other is not abrupt or definite.)This second stage is one in which the child judges entirely by appearance. During the preoperational period, a child is aware only of his own point of view.

Toys to look for:

Washable poster paint toys (ie: Melissa and Doug wooden deluxe standing easel set), room set toys (ie: bedroom set, living room set, kitchen set, etc.), mini-scooters, card game directional toys (ie: Right Turn, Left Turn), catch and shoot basketball toys, activity books , memory games, airplane kits, stick ‘em toys, piggy bank toys (ie: Money Savvy Pig), etc.

What these toys do:

These toys stimulate creativity, allow children to make their own decisions, give them a sense of control that leads to a sense of security, develop strategy skills, encourage group play, and most importantly, encourage parental participation.

The Period of Concrete Operations

At about the age of 7, a child understands the concepts of conservation and the relationship between a whole and its parts. His thinking seems fairly logical to adults, but he has a difficult time dealing with abstract ideas.

The Period of Formal Operations

At about 11 years of age, the child enters this period, which lasts until he is 14 or 15. The child learns to see beyond reality. He can visualize the potential of things and deal with ideas. These all lead him to adult reasoning.

The Bottom Line

The parent’s decision to purchase toddler toys involves seeing those toys through the eyes of a child, and going beyond that viewpoint to see how it would develop the child in all aspects. The decision to buy a toy is apart from actually buying it. That window, then, should be one that looks through what the toy can do in developing a child’s multiple intelligences while providing the child with genuine joy and satisfaction.