AGES 4 TO 5

•avarietyofbookswithstoriesandpoems–childrenenjoypicturebooksthatallowthemtomakeuptheirownstory;theyalsoenjoydictatinganddrawingtheirownbooks

•equipmenttohelpachilddevelopmusclesortorun,skipandjumpsuchasballs,climbers,wheeltoysandjumpropes

•paper,markers,crayons,paste,scissors,collagematerialsandplaydoughforcreativeartexpressions

• simplecardandboardgames,dominoesandcheckersthatinvolvelisteningtoandfollowingdirections

•propsformake-believeplaysuchasdolls,dishes,dress-upclothes,shoesandpurses

AGES 6 TO 8

•avarietyofbooksforthechildtoread

•aselectionofcardandboardgames

•avarietyofmaterialsforcreativeartexperiencessuchaspaper,markers,coloredpencils,glue,scissors,collagematerials,papier-mache,clay,acompassandruler

•materialsforimaginativeplaysuchasadultdress-upclothesandaccessoriesorplasticconstructionsets

•avarietyofmechanicaltoyssuchastrainsetsandcars

• largemuscleandsportsequipmentsuchasgloves,balls,bats,basketballandhoopatproperheightforthechild’ssizeandtwo-wheelbikes

AGE-APPROPRIATETOYS AND ACTIVITIES

SLC10659_11.11

WE’RE READY FOR YOUR CALL

For questions about childhood health and development, or for assistance in choosing a pediatrician,

our pediatric nurses can help.

Call the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Answer Line at 314.454.KIDS (5437)

or 800.678.KIDS (5437).

St. Louis Children’s HospitalOne Children’s Place, St. Louis, Missouri 63110

314.454.6000 • StLouisChildrens.org

© 2011, St. Louis Children’s Hospital

AGES BIRTH TO 6 MONTHS

•bright,colorfulobjectstowatchturningandmoving

•aplasticmirrorhungabout6to7inchesfromthebaby’sfacetoattractattentionanddevelopabilitytofocus

• sound-producingtoyssuchasbells,squeakersandrattlestohelpdeveloplisteningskills

• soft,durabletoys,suchassmallstuffedanimalsordolls(becautiousofsmallparts,suchaseyesandnoses)

•picturebookswithsturdypagesandphotographsofpeopleandobjects

AGES 6 TO 12 MONTHS

• toystograsp,pickup,roll,pushandpull

• smallobjectsforbanging,throwingandsqueezing;objectsshouldalwaysbelargeenoughtonotfitthroughatoiletpapertube

• largecontainersintowhichthebabycandroptoys,putthingsinortakethingsout

• sturdybookswithpagestoturnandbrightpictures;readtoyourbabyregularly

• simplemechanicaldevicessuchasbusyboxesandpop-uptoys

AGES 1 TO 2

•anassortmentofballstobounce,throwandchaseincludingsoftrubberandplasticballsthatarelargeenoughtonotfitthroughatoiletpapertube

• four-wheelcartsorwagonstositonandmove

• toysdesignedforfittingshapesintoproperplaces

Childrenunderage3tendtoputeverythingintheirmouths,soyoushouldavoidbuyingtoysthatmayhavesmallpartsthatposeachokingdanger.Avoidtoysthathavesharpedgesandpoints.Makesurethatalldirectionsorinstructionsarecleartoyouand,whenappropriate,tothechild.Alwayslookforqualitydesignandconstructioninalltoysforchildrenofallages.

Plasticwrappingsontoysshouldbediscardedimmediately;theycouldbecomeasuffocationhazard.Toyboxesshouldalsobecheckedforsafety.Useatoychestthathasalidthatwillstayopeninanypositionwhenraised,andwillnotfallunexpectedlyonachild.Forextrasafety,besurethereareventilationholesforfreshair.

Carefultoyselectionandpropersupervisionofchildrenatplayisthebestwaytoprotectchildrenfromtoy-relatedinjuries.Herearesomeideasofage-appropriatetoysandactivities:

AGE-APPROPRIATE TOYS AND ACTIVITIES

Shoppingfortoyscanbeexcitingandfun,butitcanalsobefrustrating.Theremightbethousandsoftoystochoosefrominjustonestore,andit’simportanttochooseanappropriatetoyforyourchild’sage.Whenchoosingtoys,keepinmindthechild’sageandskilllevel.

•avarietyoftoystopushorpull

•avarietyofbookswithsturdypagesandbrightlycoloredpictures

AGES 2 TO 3

•avarietyofbookswithstories,shortpoemsandnurseryrhymes

•propsformake-believeplaysuchasdolls,dishes,dress-upclothes,shoesandpurses(forbothboysandgirls)

•avarietyofmaterialsforcreativeartexperiencessuchascrayons,markers,bluntscissors,paste,constructionpaper,collagematerialsandplaydough

•avarietyofsmalltoyssuchaspuzzles,smallplasticbuildingblocksthatsnaptogether,smallwoodenblocksandaselectionoftoyssuchassmallpeople,animalsandbuildings

•verysimplegamesencouragevisualmatchingandmemoryskills

•equipmenttoallowlargemotordevelopmentsuchasclimbers,tricyclesandballs