We tell you which is the best toy for children according to their age

It does not matter if it is expensive or cheap, if the advertising shows that it is hilarious, if it is "educational" or if it is for a boy or a girl, the only thing that should matter is that, complying with the safety conditions, it is a gift that the children enjoy very, very much.

Here are some examples of the ideal toys for each age, which can serve as inspiration to find the perfect gift:

From 1 to 3 months

• Various mobiles
• Cloth books or figures with black and white pictures or images to stimulate the newborn's vision
• Rattles
• Unbreakable mirror attached to the inner wall of the crib
• Varied music (nowadays there are very interesting singers with melodies that babies love)

4-7 months

• Soft balls, especially those that make soft, pleasant sounds when moved
• Baby books made of vinyl, heavy cardboard, or fabric
• Toys that emit sounds such as maracas, tambourines, bells, etc., cloth pianitos
• Transparent rattles
• Squeezable and / or water filled bathtub toy
• Gym or educational blanket

8 to 12 months

• Toys that can be stacked in different shapes, colors and sizes like large fabric blocks
• Unbreakable cups, buckets and other containers 
• Large dolls and puppets 
• Books with windows
• Toy phones
• Push-pull toys
• Balls of all sizes (not so small, to avoid choking) 
• Toy cars, trucks and other vehicles made of some flexible material and without tips or parts that can come off

12-24 months

• Simple puzzles
• Digging toys (shovel, bucket, rake)
• Outdoor games: slide, hammock, sandpit, etc. 
• Beginner tricycle
• Plug-in toys
• Toys that encourage them to play imitate situations in everyday life (kitchen, telephone, vacuum cleaner, etc.) 
• Animals and / or stuffed animals
• Dolls and puppets of all sizes
• Musical instruments

2 years

• Large stackable cubes made of cloth or material for this age
• Toys with pieces to build (taking care that the pieces are not so small to avoid accidents)
• Cardboard or fabric house, where you can hide, carry your toys and have fun inside the fantasy house
• Music to dance and sing
• Farms with animals
• Dolls and accessories for dolls
• Carts to transport things

3 years

• Games with dough, clay, plasticine
• Simple board games like cards, ludo, dominoes
• Puzzle (with 20 or 30 large pieces that represent a challenge for the child but that can put it all together)
• Clothing to dress up
• Books 
• Pedal cars 
• A game of basketball 
• Plastic Bowling Game
• Little trains
• Bicycle with wheels
• Scooter

4 years

• Blackboard / magic blackboard
• Bubble Toys
• Paints, brushes, watercolors, cases
• Books with short stories and pictures, to color or paste figures
• Toys and dolls to assemble and disassemble
• Marionette and puppet theater
• Colored pencils and crayons 
• Board games where they have a challenge according to their age and skill (fish little fish, arrange pieces so they do not fall, etc.)
• Karaoke with microphone
• Adult craft and activity toys such as toolboxes, nurse's, doctor's, etc.

5 years

• Organizing games: towns, garages, cities, farms, etc.
• Kaleidoscope
• Games based on sports such as ball, soccer goal, basketball hoop, racket, etc.
• Dolls
• Children's microscope
• All kinds of costumes and makeup boxes
• Scout games and accessories (binoculars, flashlight, walkie-talkie, etc.) 
• Tracks of cars, trains with tracks
• Visual memory games 
• Jump rope, elastic
• Stencils and molds for drawing and painting

6 to 8 years

• Experiment games
• Microscope, telescope
• Magic games
• Sets of pieces to assemble or glue
• Puppets
• All kinds of instruments: guitar, harmonica, organ, drums, etc.
• Sets for sewing or knitting
• Beads and threads to make bracelets, necklaces, etc.
• Games to make up, comb your hair
• Games to make crafts such as cold ceramics to create shapes and dolls of greater difficulty and then paint
• Sets to paint with tempera, watercolor, etc.
• Gardening games to plant your own little plant
• Cooking games with simple recipes to make with parental supervision
• Race circuits
• Photo camera
• Skates
• More complex board games to share with family and friends (naval battle, memotest, cards, dominoes, etc.)
• Digital games (link to video games)

What to take into account when choosing a toy?

Finding the ideal toy for the child is a task that needs time and attention, because among so many advertising stimuli, prices and fashions it is sometimes difficult not to get dizzy and choose well.

As a guide, parents, uncles or grandparents can use these tips to find the perfect toy:

• In principle, it is essential to look and give importance to the safety instructions of the toy, also verifying that it is indicated for the age of the baby or child.
• Do not buy toys in non-specialized establishments and opt for responsible businesses where original toys are sold and where they can inform, advise, find out about the origin of the toy and allow a future change or claim if necessary.
• Choose toys that allow the role of the child and an active attitude so that they are really stimulating and fun for them, preventing them from becoming mere spectators of the toy. 
• Don't choose toys just for their instructive or "educational" nature. The toy should be fun and interesting for the child, and if it is not, it does not fulfill its purpose.
• Try not to get carried away by advertising, which can often be misleading. Although you have to take it into account to know what is in toy stores or what boys may like, you do not necessarily have to buy that which is fashionable or that is constantly repeated in advertising guidelines.
• Do not buy a particular toy because it is expensive. Price does not go hand in hand with fun or quality. A cheap toy can be a lot of fun for kids, and an expensive, sophisticated and complex toy may not be enriching. 
• Do not decide based on your own taste: choosing based on what you played or liked to do as a boy is not always the best option, because times have changed and the tastes of boys, in part, too. 
• Know what you are buying: whether it is a game for consoles, a toy or a board game, it is important for adults to know how it works, how to play it, what the characters are, the rules, etc. Because there are games with slogans that are not suitable or ideal for childhood.
• Choose a toy that is not sexist, warlike, violent or that transmits values ​​contrary to those instilled at home.
• Do not always give a similar toy or the same type of game each time because the child “loves it”. Variety helps children to enjoy diverse experiences and stimulates their development from different points of view.