Age Appropriate
Play is your child’s version of work, and in the preschool years, their play will largely imitate the work they see in the world around them. Preschool toys are all about imagination, make believe, and playing ‘pretend’, so the best toys for this age group are toys that imitate your own tools for living.
Look for tools you use in your own ‘work’ such as gardening implements, cooking utensils and telephones, but make sure they are the right size and weight for your child. Giving your child a toy (or tool) that is too big or heavy causes frustration, and limits how much ‘make believe’ they can really play. There are lots of great child-sized ‘tools’ available, so make sure you find ones that suit the age and stage of your child. Staff at NZ educational toy stores will be able to point you in the right direction.