When a birthday or holiday rolls around, no doubt your kids will present you with a wish list of the toys they want. And every time a toy commercial comes on TV, your child is probably pointing to everything they see, asking you to buy it. While you’ll want to fulfill some wishes, there are some more things you should think of when buying toys for your kids.
Here’s how to make the right choice for finding perfect toys for your kids.
1Choose Brand Names
Brand names tend to be more reputable and often offer warranties that ensure the durability of the toys you buy. If you shop online, in particular, be cautious of brand names because there are many knock-off items at cheaper prices. While those price cuts might seem like a bargain, they often aren’t very durable. They’re also more likely to come from a vendor with a less than stellar reputation which could leave you with a broken product and wasted money.
2Check Out The Reviews
Internet trolls aside, the majority of reviews you see are legitimate. You can learn a lot about the products you plan to buy by seeing what others who have bought and used them have to say about it. If there are more bad reviews than good ones, you’ll probably want to look for a different brand or product instead.
If you want to know if buyer reviews are legitimate, check out Fakespot.
3Keep It In The Age Limit
Toys are all designed for different age ranges. Children under the age of 3, for example, shouldn’t have anything with small parts because of the dangers of choking.
Other toys are for older children and while a child of 5 won’t be attempting to eat small pieces, they might not have the patience or understanding for a toy that’s been created with older children in mind.
4Think About The Product Features
That toy guitar sure is cute! But does it have a volume control on it? If not, you’ll be doomed to listen to it blaring every single time you attempt to make a phone call. Some products in the same genre will have very different features on them too and it’s up to you decide what makes one set of features better for your child.
5Choose Toys That Do More Than Entertain
Some of the toys you choose for your child will be purely for fun value. But other toys will have educational elements to them. Things like water tables or block sets or even toy kitchens all provide an opportunity for your child to learn new things like colors, shapes, new words, even new languages.
There are also other toys that can help children build self-confidence or self-esteem such as pretend toys or musical instruments. While it’s nice to give your kids plush and cuddly toys to love on, the perfect toys for your children can teach soft skills too.
6Think About Assembly
Is the toy you’re choosing ready to go right out of the box? Or will it require some effort on your part to put it together?
Make sure you’re aware of the packaging and assembly so you won’t be surprised when you’ve got a new dollhouse that you have to put together while your children shriek with excitement and try to touch everything as you’re assembling it. Talk about pressure!
7Compare Prices
Once you’ve decided on the toys you want to buy for your child, you’ll want to look at the price. Not everyone has a limitless budget. You’ll want to factor in things like the cost as well as the usage of it.
For example, if you’re going to buy a walker, you might want to invest in one that has a detachable face of learning activities. That way, when your little one begins walking on her own, she’ll still get use out of this toy.
Before you buy it anywhere, compare the prices of the toys you’ve selected among reputable stores in your area as well as online. Don’t forget that if you order online, you will have to factor the cost of shipping into your budget unless it comes with free shipping.
Remember, toys should be age-appropriate, safe, and durable. Keep that in mind and you’ll always find the perfect toy!
