Kids Toys & Games

How Do I Choose The Best Toys For My Child?

With a lovely collection of toys and games at Spotlight, parents are spoilt for choice. Of course, first time parents can struggle finding the right toys and games for their little one, as they want to make sure they promote their overall development with the right choices. If you could use some tips and hints during your toy selection today, be sure to check out our tips and hints below.

Are The Simplest Toys Or Complicated Toys Best?

Parents often believed that the most complicated toys are better for their child's development. However, this is not always the case. Even though children love talking dolls and other technical gadgets, they can actually rob your child of imagination.

Toys should always contribute to your child's ability to imagine during playtime. Therefore, it is a good idea to choose toys that contribute to imagination. In other words, you want toys that are somewhat simple, but still fuel imagination. A good example of such a toy are blocks. With blocks, your child can create his or her own creation, but also learn about shapes, colours, and even practice their motor skills.

Should I limit Game And TV Time?

This is a question many parents struggle with, especially because their child seems so well-behaved when they spend time on a video game or in front of the TV. Despite the benefits for parents, it is better for a child's long-term development to limit the time spent in front of the TV or the computer.

Electronic games and television have been linked to an increased chance of hearing loss in children. A study executed at the Kansas State University in the United States has also shown that children who frequently watch TV or play video games have problems concentrating or paying attention. Researchers claim this can be attributed to the constant changing images, constantly moving the child's attention. This, in time, turns into a habit.

To avoid problems in the future, it is a good idea to limit TV and video game time as early as possible. If your child gets free reign, then it will be more difficult to unlearn the behaviour once they get a little older.

Are All Toys Educational?

Many manufacturers will market their toys as educational and almost all toys can teach your child a skill of some sort, even those toys that aren't marketed as such. There is no real thing as a non-educational toy, but don't overcomplicate things when you want to teach your child something.

As we've mentioned earlier, some of the simpler toys and usually the most effective when it comes to teaching your child something. Building blocks, colouring pencils, crayons, memory cards, and even something as simple as paint can contribute to your child's development greatly.

Of course, this does not mean you can never buy something elaborate. There are plenty of chemistry and science-related games and toys that could awake an interest for a specific subject in your child. If you purchase these particular sets, it can be a good idea to keep them for special occasions such as Christmas or the child's birthday.

Should I Regularly Change Toys?

While you should provide your child with a good selection of toys, it is not always a good idea to overwhelm them with too many. If you only focus on a couple of toys at a time, your child is going to spend a little more time with each one. By spending more time on a specific toy, it is more likely that they will develop a valuable skill. In addition to that, it also teaches them the value of their stuff and increases their ability to concentrate.

Check Out The Toys And Games From Spotlight

Spotlight provides you with some excellent toys and games for children of all ages. Whether you are looking for something simple to teach your child some valuable skills or something more advanced for a special occasion, you will find them all in our catalogue. Explore the range of children's toys and games today and benefit from our amazingly low prices and deals! And, don't forget to check out the other categories in our children's catalogue!