Every child develops in their own way and at their own pace. One child may build for hours, while another prefers to sort, move, explore, or invent fantasy stories. That is why choosing toys is not just a matter of age. It is mainly about looking at your child and discovering what they need at this moment.
At Anders nog iets? we believe that toys should cater to a child's curiosity and development. Toys do not always have to teach something new. They can also invite a child to practice, explore, repeat, and above all, have lots of fun.
What are developmental toys?
Developmental toys are toys that cater to skills a child is discovering and practicing. Think, for example, of fine motor skills, spatial awareness, imagination, concentration, language, movement, and problem-solving.
This does not mean that toys have to be like a lesson. On the contrary. Children learn an enormous amount by playing freely.
For example, a child building a tower is working on balance and spatial awareness. A child picking up and sorting small objects is practicing their fine motor skills and learning to recognize differences.
Look at your child first
Before buying new toys, it can be interesting to take a quiet look at how your child plays.
What does your child reach for on their own? Which actions are repeated over and over? What makes your child enthusiastic?
You may notice that your child:
- likes stacking and building things;
- is constantly sorting by color, shape, or size;
- wants to fill, empty, open, and close everything;
- moves around a lot and likes climbing, throwing, or balancing;
- is always inventing stories and fantasy games;
- likes puzzling and looking for solutions;
- finds small materials interesting;
- needs quiet and repetitive play.
These kinds of observations can tell you a lot about the toys that suit your child well at this moment.
Fine motor skills: small actions, big discoveries
Fine motor skills involve the controlled use of hands and fingers. Think of grasping, turning, stacking, threading, scooping, and moving small objects.
Simple materials can already be very valuable for this. Think of wooden parts, sorting objects, tweezers, little scoops, or sensory materials.
With a sensory play bin, a child can, for example, scoop, pour, fill, empty, and pick up small materials. For a child, the activity feels like play above all else, while they are practicing all kinds of hand and finger movements.
Building and problem-solving
Building toys are a great example of toys with which children constantly make choices.
What happens if I put this stone on top? Why does my tower fall over? How can I make a bridge? Which shape fits here?
With magnetic building blocks such as Connetix and Magnatiles, children can experiment endlessly with shapes, connections, and constructions.
The beauty of it is that there does not have to be one solution. A construction may fail. Then your child can try again.
And that trying again is exactly what is valuable.
Imagination and creativity
Some children are mainly focused on stories. A little figure goes on a journey, a few blocks become a house, and a tray turns into a shopping basket.
Open-ended toys are a perfect match for this.
Materials from Grapat, for example, are simply shaped, allowing children to decide for themselves what to do with them. The Nins, Mates, and Coins can be stacked, sorted, collected, or become part of a fantasy world.
No one tells them what they should represent. The child can imagine it for themselves.
Sensory play and exploration
Sensory toys can also play an important role in development.
Feeling, scooping, pouring, kneading, sorting, and experimenting with different textures give children the opportunity to explore in an active way.
A sensory play bin with play rice, kinetic sand, and various tools can therefore offer a different play experience again and again.
Would you like to read more about this? Then also check out our blog about sensory play bins.
Repetition is actually good
You may recognize it: your child always wants to play the same game.
Building the same tower. Filling the same containers over and over. Doing the same puzzle every time. Playing the same little story again.
As a parent, this can sometimes feel like your child is ready for something new. But repetition is actually an important part of learning.
By doing something again, a child gets the chance to discover more and more. An action that was difficult at first becomes easier and easier. A construction gets higher and higher. A game gets more and more details.
So you do not always have to offer something new. Sometimes more time with the same toy is exactly what your child needs.
Age is a guideline, not a rule
Toys often have an age indication. This is important for safety and provides a general guideline, but every child develops differently.
One child may be interested in building at an early age, while another enjoys sensory exploration for longer. One child seeks a challenge, while another needs repetition and predictability.
Therefore, in addition to age, also look at:
- What can my child already do?
- What is my child trying to learn?
- What makes my child curious?
- What does my child visibly enjoy?
From there, you can choose toys more purposefully.
You do not always have to buy toys that can do 'more'
Good developmental toys do not have to be complicated.
A few wooden trays can already offer an enormous number of possibilities. Blocks can be used for building, sorting, or as part of fantasy play. Magnetic tiles can become a different construction again and again.
It is not just about what a toy can do, but above all about what your child can imagine with it.
That is why at Anders nog iets? we find toys that offer multiple possibilities so valuable.
Give them space to discover for themselves
Perhaps this is the most important advice: do not always try to show how a toy should be used.
Give your child the space to experiment for themselves.
If a child thinks of something different than you expected, that does not mean they are playing incorrectly. Perhaps they have discovered a new possibility that you had not seen yourself.
Watch along. Ask questions. Be amazed together.
You do not have to take over the game to help your child develop.
Choosing toys based on curiosity
When you choose toys based on your child's interests and development, the choice often becomes much easier.
Look at what keeps your child busy. What they try again and again. What they enjoy.
A child who builds may need materials to construct further. A child who collects and sorts may enjoy loose parts. A child who invents many fantasy stories may mainly need simple materials that can become part of their own world.
There is no single type of toy that is perfect for every child.
The best toy is the toy your child wants to play with.
That is why at Anders nog iets? you will find different types of toys that give space for discovering, practicing, fantasizing, and growing. From open-ended toys and magnetic building blocks to sensory materials and toys from Grapat.
Discover our assortment and above all, look at your child. Because often your child already tells you what they need at that moment.