What kind of toys do preschoolers like

For example, your child might be using the toy weapon as a prop in a make-believe game of cops and robbers. This might be OK with you. A toast gun is a symbol, and children are less likely to use it to scare others. For example, some female dolls come with sexy clothing like microskirts, fishnet stockings and very high heels. This might seem fun and innocent, but it can also create an image of women that you might not be comfortable with or want your child to copy. In the end, it might just be a phase your child is going through and will pass by itself.

But if it really worries you, you could suggest your child plays with something else. Lots of toys have advertisements and marketing aimed at children. Advertised toys are often designed to promote a particular type of play based on a movie or TV program.

This can happen if your child only plays with these toys to copy what happens in the TV shows, rather than using their imagination. Skip to content Skip to navigation. What's the best toy for an infant vs. Before you go holiday shopping, check out our list that matches developmental stages of play with toys that work well for kids at each age.

Start Slideshow. Top Toys: Brightly colored, multipatterned crib mobiles Note: Remove from crib once your baby can sit up Rattles Unbreakable mirrors Floor gyms Activity boards Soft, washable, colorful stuffed animals or dolls with a smiling face Small stuffed fabric balls. Credit: Kathryn Gamble. Top Toys: Stacking rings Nesting cups or boxes Push- or pull-toys that make noise or have pieces that pop up or move Hammering sets that let kids hammer pegs or balls through holes Simple, sturdy musical instruments like tambourines, drums, or maracas Shape sorters Large play vehicles, such as a school bus or a fire engine, plus plastic people that ride in them Puzzles with four or five pieces Rubber ducks or toy boats for bathtime.

Top Toys: Dolls and stuffed animals Props for make-believe play, such as toy telephone, a tea-party set, a toy kitchen, or a doll stroller Ride-on toys and tricycles Musical instruments especially popular are those with flashing lights on the keys that your child needs to press in order to play a tune Large transportation toys with buttons to make a horn honk or a siren whistle Puzzles Construction toys that snap together.

Credit: Buff Strickland. Top Toys: Art supplies and craft kits Blocks of different shapes Electronic phonics toys Construction sets with large pieces, such as Legos or Lincoln Logs Puzzles of greater complexity Action figures Barbies Dress-up clothes Transportation toys, such as parking garages, airports, and train stations Board games that don't require reading, such as Hungry Hungry Hippos, Yahtzee Jr. Shop interactive and educational toys.

Credit: Thayer Allyson Gowdy. Top Toys: Remote-control cars Basic science kits Magnets, magnifying glasses, and telescopes Craft kits Barbies Game Boys Computer and video games Construction sets, such as Legos or K'Nex Sports equipment Board games that involve strategy, including chess and checkers. Replay gallery. Pinterest Facebook. Up Next Cancel. Share the Gallery Pinterest Facebook.

It comes with a couple of trains but is also compatible with Brio, Thomas and generic wooden trains. With a toddler-sized slide and steps it is perfect for my younger two.

Add in the mini basketball and soccer net and James can join in their fun. Great, amazing fun for rainy, cold days or weeks. Easy to put away, fits into our foyer when open.

Nintendo action figures. Random, but surprisingly successful, these little characters have been carried continuously by one child or another for the last 6 months, and if they get lost we actually have to take the time and look for them. Two of my children are sleeping with one in hand right now.

Related: The Secret to Calm Parenting. Three Common Parenting Traps. Get this as a PDF. Enter email to download and get news and resources in your inbox. Share this on social. Family Resource Center. Michaela Searfoorce. Michaela Searfoorce has blogged at thefoorce. Was this article helpful?