Toys Across the Ages

There are toys that last across the ages.  No age defines these toys but they are loved by the young and the old.

I bet every child had a slinky.  Some were metal, some were plastic.  Some were big and some were small.  All were fun!  Figuring out how to get a slinky to slink all the way down the stairs took higher level problem solving.  Using 2 hands to make a slinky go up and down was easier but still a coordination challenge.

Sidewalk chalk is unlimited in your ability to be creative.  You can draw stick figures – be sure to add as many body parts as you can.  You can draw hopscotch – challenge your 1 foot standing skills and make more squares that require 1 foot.  Draw a 4 square court and challenge your ball skills!

A parachute is a great social skill game.  Use direction words – go up and now down!  If you have enough people, call out a name and have that person go under the parachute.  This is a great sensory experience.  Close the parachute around the person then raise it back up and call another name.  Challenge everyone to walk right then stop and go left.  Put balls on the parachute to encourage reaction time skills – don’t let those balls pop off!

A canvas tunnel – great for crawling when young and as part of an obstacle when a bit older.

Bubbles!  Who doesn’t love bubbles!?  Bubbles encourage breath control in order to blow a bubble.  Then you need eye hand coordination and reaction time skills in order to catch each bubble.  Wait!  Hold a bubble down by your child’s foot and ask then to gently pop the bubble to encourage 1 foot standing.  Then hold the bubble up high to encourage tiptoes.  What fun you can have with bubbles!

Fidgets are fun for everyone!

Pin art where hundreds of pins take on the shape of your hand or your foot or your face.  What a great sensory experience!

Try these toys with your child and have fun together.

Be sure to know what skills and toys to have for each age level by answering this checklist based on your child’s age – checklist.abcpediatrictherapy.com.

Visit https://www.abcpediatrictherapy.com for more information about child development.

ABC wants to help you “create the best life for all children”.