Parents are very well conscious that learning toys can encourage their children’s brain development and problem-solving skills. It can be frustrating, though, to discover that many educational toys are extremely costly. If you are looking for an substitute for expensive educational toys, here are some excellent ideas for inexpensive toys that are developmentally-appropriate for young children. It’s good to know that you can buy toys that can promote learning without emptying your wallet.

For toddlers who are 12 to 18 months old, toys that help them practice spatial skills, dumping and sorting are the most appropriate. At this age, babies like to toss things into a container and dump them out again. They could do this for hours without getting bored. Stacking toys help preschoolers to sort and organize items. You will find many cheap toys for stacking, such as stackable plastic cups and rings. These types of toys help little toddlers develop their hand-to-eye dexterity. Toddlers may also enforce their spatial skills of “in” and “out”. Young preschoolers will also love playing with blocks and shapes that they can sort into containers. Other cheap educational toys for this age group are pounding toys and books.

Cheap stacking toys include the Melissa and Doug Geometric Stacker with a price of less than $20, and the Fisher Price Brilliant Basics Rock-a-Stack which can be purchased for less than $10.

For small children who are 2 to 3 years old, consider buying toys that enhance their large muscle groups and develop fine motor skills. Balls of various sizes are cheap toys which will provide loads of fun for young children while building large muscles and enhancing hand-eye coordination. Simple puzzles, building blocks, coloring and painting activities, etc. can also provide opportunities to develop their mind and problem-solving skills. The Train Toddler Number Puzzle costs less than $20, while the Playland Peg Puzzle has a price tag of less than $7.

Around this age, toddlers love to play make believe games. Old Halloween costumes and thrown away hats and clothing can foster role-playing and pretend play. These toys are certainly not only cheap but they may even cost you next to nothing. Your toddler, however, will get loads of fun from the costumes and accessories.

When you buy inexpensive playthings, always take note of the recommended age range of the toy. Even if your child is advanced for his age, it doesn’t mean that he can handle a toy intended for older children. Aside from skill levels, safety concerns must be considered, such as choking hazards.

Yard sales, specialty shops and discount stores can provide cheap, educational toys. If you purchase used toys make sure there is nothing broken. Wash the toys well before offering them to your child.

Every single Melissa and Doug toy is worth the money! Not only are they educational, but they also have safe wooden baby toys as well! Check out our helpful product reviews by visiting our website today!

categories: baby toys,kids toys,toys,babies,home and family

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 1st, 2010 at 5:59 pm and is filed under Toys. You can leave a comment and follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

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