There is no doubt that pre-school children love to be around other children and therefore enjoy sharing many kinds of activities. In fact, child development experts comment that pre-school children learn the most when they are playing. With this in mind, it makes sense to get the best pre-school toys to support their growth and development. This guide offers useful advice to parents looking to buy toys for children aged between three and five years of age.

Product Quality: All pre-school toys should be built properly, safe and suitable for the age of the child. It is always advised not to rush into impulse buying, but instead to read online product reviews.

Product Type: The best pre-school toys by far are those toys that allow the child to use their imagination, such as pretend play, art supplies or construction toys. You might also want to consider look at buying toys that support motor and physical development.

Educational Toys: Although it has already been said that pre-school children learn best through play it is still a good idea to try and educate your children informally and as hands-on-as possible through their toys.

Shopping Online: The internet offers a number of advantages when it comes to buying toys, such as a better selection of products, reduced levels of stress and better deals, it is therefore worthwhile to consider this option once you have made your final decision.

Recommendations: Being a parent is never easy, so always ask for recommendations from friends and family before making your decision. What’s more, remember that no matter how popular a particular toy is it still may not be the right one for your child.

Parental Role:

A parent has an important role when it comes to buying the correct toy for their child. For example, a parent is usually their child’s first and often best playmate, so choosing the toy is only the first step, in actual fact independent research has highlighted that the most developed children come from families where the parents have been directly involved in their play.

Here are four tips to help you become more involved during your child’s play.

1. Observer: Watch your child very closely in order to determine his or her skills as well as their favourite activities.

2. Follow: Join in and play at the child’s level. Over time you can add to the complexity of the play, but always let the child select the direction of the play.

3. Be Creative: Remember your childhood and let go of any of your adult preconceptions that there is only one way to play with a toy.

4. Enjoy: Playtime should be fun, make sure it is! Don’t use playtime as a way to test or develop you child’s skills. Instead, it should be a time that the both of you can enjoy and share together.