How to choose age appropriate child games

Young children learns through playing. Hence, it is important that we choose the right child games so that your child develop the right values that you hope they will learn. As children play with toys, with one another, and with adults, they acquire and improve the skills necessary for formal learning in later stages of their lives.

Select games or toys based on your child's interests and developmental needs. Any child games selected should be designed for interaction keeping children engaged in the ways they learn best - through seeing and hearing, touching and trying.

Below 12 months - At this stage, you would consider providing games that develops eye-hand coordination, motor skills and recognition of animals, objects, colors, shapes and numbers.

12 to 24 months - Start introducing activities that are done in sequence and those that will increase attention span. Your toddler can now play games that requires him/her to follow simple directions. Let your child learn to match things that go together as he/she starts to recognise letters, numbers, colors and shapes. This is also a good time for the children to learn to make music.

2 Years and Up - As your child grow, provide them with activities that develop self-confidence, encourage thinking skills and those that strengthens social skills. Continue to fine tune their motor skills and expand their vocabulary. You can also play games that helps strengthens their memory skills.

The following are examples of child games for different aspects of your child development :

Develop Eye-hand coordination and motor skills - stacking toys, shapes sorter, activity links gym, pounding toys, lacing toys and pull toys

Thinking and Creative skills - Legos, building blocks, art materials, play dough, gears, puppets and dress ups or props

Mathematical thinking skills - Monopoly, construction toys, pretend & play calculator cash register

Logical deductive skills - Clue, checkers

Imagination - pretend play, dollhouses

Problem solving skills - puzzles, brain teasers

Develop self-confidence - roller skates, scooter

Strengthens social skills - pretend play with other children, sports

Physical fitness - sports, hula hoop, Gymnic Hop Ball

The above are just some examples of child games for the different developmental stages.

Other related topics on child games :

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Mathematical child games