Play is essential for your child’s development, where you can improve their social skills and boost their confidence by gifting them a toy that they really love. The right toy can keep your little one entertained for hours, where they can return to it in all weathers, potentially over the course of months and years.
In order to get them something they’ll want to play with consistently, it is important to think carefully about your toy-buying, where you can weigh up your child’s interests and needs as well as your own budget requirements. A great gift needs to have longevity, where you don’t want your purchase to be discarded or forgotten after only a couple of uses.
Read on for a comprehensive gift buying guide to get your kid the toy that they really want, with a look at practical purchasing points to consider and a range of toy options you can choose from.
Thoughtful Gift Buying
When considering what toy to purchase you may wish to think about your child’s interests as well as budget and space restrictions within your home. Some practical points to consider may include:
Toy Longevity
When investing in a toy for your child you may want to consider what kind of gift will provide longevity and durability, in that it won’t break down after a couple of uses, or that your child won’t grow out of it after a few months.
Your Child’s Interests
You know your little one best, and therefore you can consider their specific interests and personality when it comes to choosing a toy that they will really appreciate. Whether they prefer an action-fuelled interactive toy or a problem solving individual puzzle, there’s a perfect option out there for every child.
Space Restrictions
Children’s toys can be chosen to appeal to your specific space requirements, where you may wish to consider if you have the garden or outdoor capacity to support a large play set, or if a more compact toy would be more suitable.
Budget
Ultimately when it comes to choosing a gift for your child, thoughtful purchasing can go a lot further than a large unfocussed budget. Bigger isn’t always better after all, and there are many toys to choose from to suit your financial limitations.
Portability
You may also wish to think about how transportable your toy is, where you may want a gift that is easy to take with you in the car or store in your garage space. Some items also work well as indoor or outdoor toys, giving you a broad range of options for different weather conditions.
Children’s Toys: A Guide To Your Options
When shopping for children’s toys, you may feel overwhelmed by the wide variety of options available to you. In order to simplify your decision making process, this list specifically focuses on outdoor toys and playsets, some of which can also be brought indoors during rainy weather.
Garden Swing Sets & Slides
A staple of childhood entertainment, swing sets and slides are a great option for adding a sense of fun to your garden space. These come in all kinds of shapes and sizes to suit your outdoor area, where sets can be permanently fixed or portable. A rope swing or homemade tree swing are also more rustic options that can be added to your garden at a low cost.
Cars, Bikes & Tricycles
Toy cars are an exciting option for young children, where these come in a range of models, including battery or pedal operated varieties. Bikes, tricycles and scooters also provide a fun and active option for larger garden spaces or for use away from the home. Vehicular toys can be purchased according to your child’s mobility level and physical ability, whilst skates and rollerblades make for an exciting high-energy toy option for older children.
Remote Controlled Toys
A fun option for indoor and outdoor play, remote controlled toys are guaranteed to provide endless opportunities for imaginative recreation. These come in a virtually endless variety of shapes and sizes, appealing to any interests your child may have. Remote toys are also easy to store and box up when not in use.
Weather Dependent Toys
If you’re looking to add some interest to your outdoor space during the hot summer months, then you may wish to invest in a selection of weather dependent toys and games. These can include paddling pools, where larger varieties can include slides, or more portable toys such as water pistols. Trampolines can also keep your child entertained for hours on sunny days, where these come in a variety of sizes to suit your space.
Games & Sports
When shopping for kids' toys, it can be useful to remember that the simplest playthings are often still the best. A football, frisbee or tennis racket can go a long way to entertain your child, whilst investments such as swingball sets and ping pong tables are great for larger garden spaces.
Toys For Learning & Development
Not every toy purchase has to be education-focussed, but some gifts can have developmental benefits whilst also supplying lots of fun. Jungle gyms or sports equipment can boost physical mobility, whilst play sets and team games can help to support cognitive development and communication skills.
All-Weather Toys
Warm and dry outdoor weather conditions can never be fully guaranteed, even in the summer months, so a versatile toy that can also be used indoors provides a practical choice. Oversized board games or puzzles are completely portable and can easily be set up in the garden or the living room. Investing in wet-weather activities with reusable arts and crafts supplies is also an easy way to ensure your kids are kept entertained.
Benefits Of Imaginative Play
Investing in a toy that your child will love and revisit over time is a great way to support their cognitive and motor skills through imaginative play. This kind of activity entertains your child whilst also supporting their growth, essential for meeting developmental milestones. Some key benefits of play that a new toy can bring may include:
Increased Confidence
Regular play helps to encourage your child to take risks and use their imagination in exciting ways. This can help to increase confidence and self-esteem, which are both vital for future development. Completing a range of tasks during play also gives your child an important sense of accomplishment, which can further bolster their self-belief.
Boosted Resilience
Imaginative play, especially with other children, will present a range of conflicts and obstacles that can be overcome. This helps to improve your child’s resilience and their ability to cope with challenging situations.
Increased Emotional Intelligence
Regular play sessions help to support normal development of emotional regulation abilities, essential for later life. Playing alongside or with other children can bolster empathy as well as basic social skills. Learning to share is also an important emotional milestone that can grow through playing with siblings or other children.
Boosted Creativity
Supporting your child in play also gives them the opportunity to approach scenarios in lots of different ways, helping them to feed their natural curiosity alongside developing creative problem solving capabilities.
Improved Motor Skills
Alongside the range of cognitive benefits that play can provide, it can also support the development of essential motor skills in your child. Play teaches children to move, balance and sort things, as well as encouraging them to organise and handle multiple tasks at once.
Ride On Carz 4 Kidz: Toys Your Child Will Love
At Ride On Carz 4 Kidz, we supply a comprehensive array of children’s ride on cars, where you can choose from single or two-seaters, buggies, jeeps, tractors and push along vehicles. This includes branded vehicles from Land Rovers to Lamborghinis, to give your child a taste of real life driving.
Our range of children’s outdoor toys also includes pools, swing sets and foam bullet rifles. For indoor entertainment, you can choose from a selection of drum sets and keyboards, as well as child-size football tables.
Contact us today for more information about our complete range of toys and products.
