Toys by Age Group

What are the best toys for a toddler versus the best toys for a 12-year old? Below, get a quick look at the kinds of skills that kids of all ages should be developing and some of the toys that will help them develop those skills. For a more complete look at toy recommendations by age, please click on the links at the top of each section. Please note that the exact ages listed for each category are only rough guidelines and that you should use your own discretion to find a toy or game best suited to a child based on his or her own maturity.

Infants & Toddlers (0-2 Yrs) Stimulate their senses. Bright colors, textures, and different shapes help babies develop perception and hand-eye coordination. Things that light up and make noise teach babies to recognize where sounds come from and to track objects through space. Mobiles  Rattlers  Soft Baby Books  Stacking Toys  Teethers  Also see Developmental Toys. Babies need to learn to start crawling, standing, and walking. Activity Centers  Baby Gyms  Playmats  Toddlers should learn gross and fine motor skills and coordination. Balls  Blocks  Crayons  Ride-on Toys  To keep rambunctious toddlers busy, find toys that have buttons, knobs, switches and things that open or close. Play Kitchens  Pop-up Books  Train Sets	Preschool & Kindergarten (3-5 Yrs) Get kids in gear for going to school. These kids are talking, walking and ready to get moving. Get them toys that allow them to run around, play sports, and be as active as possible. Encourage playing outdoors with kid-sized sports equipment. Balls  Bath Toys  Jump Ropes  Mini Basketball Hoops  Sandboxes  Teach them social skills, such as how to share and follow rules. Board games  Card games  Puzzles  Give them toys that emulate what grown-ups do or that let them use their imaginations. Cash Registers  Dress Up Costumes  Kid's Tool Boxes  Play Kitchens  Play Sets  It's never to soon to get children's creativity going with Arts and Crafts and Musical Toys. Crayons  Kid's Crafts Kits  Markers	Grade School (6-10 Yrs) Improve academics and feed their brains. Games, toys, books, DVDs, and video games that focus on subjects such as reading, writing, science, foreign language, and math  are very good options. See Educational Toys for more suggestions. Inspire creativity and imagination! Arts and Crafts Craft Kits for Kids  Musical Toys  Find games that teach strategy, improve their concentration, and develop memory. Board  and Card Games  Cranium  Pictionary Trivia Games  With the overwhelming amount of electronic toys and video games that make up the majority of the toy industry, it's crucial to get kids off the couch and outside. Kid's Bikes  Outdoor Toys Sports Equipment Even though they are basic, they still act as great companions to young children even at this age. Action Figures  Dolls	Middle School (11-13 Yrs) Hone a child's interests and talents. Whatever a child's interests might be, you want toys and games to give a child a sense of satisfaction that speaks for their individuality and personality. Arts and Crafts  Journals  Musical Toys  Sports Equipment  Subject specific games and toys that target a child's strong or weak point in school will help them academically and give them an opportunity to expand on particular interests. Educational Toys Foreign Language Books  Math Toys  Science Toys  It's good to give kids games that will help foster healthy competition and continue to develop their social skills. Board  and Card Games  Educational Software  Trivia Games  Anything to do with electronics and video games tend to be good option since many of today's kids are so geared towards technology. However, do not underestimate the need to keep kids active.