Playing is a need for children because that is how they learn skills and abilities that will enable them to be independent people in the future. For that reason, toys and games geared towards learning and developing these skills are positive and recommendable.

The first games

Babies are like sponges in their first months and years of life. During this phase they are developing their fine motor skills (using their fingers to grasp things) and gross motor skills (those that engage the larger muscle groups) as well as memory and social skills.

Some fun and simple games you can play with your baby are the following:

• Hide-and-go-seek. That will help her understand something vital for her psychological development that is known as “object permanence” or knowing that an object has not gone forever, even they may not see it. This will help her to understand that, even though you left the house, you are coming back. Simply cover your face with your hands and tell your baby: “mommy’s gone!”. Then uncover your face and say with a smile “mommy’s here!” It is a classic game and you can introduce variations such as hiding a toy.

• Grabbing games. As the baby grows, she will perfect her pincer grasp. Let her pick up objects that you display on the table, but make sure she doesn’t put small objects in her mouth. Eating “O” shaped cereals will also help her develop this skill.

• Tag. Babies love you to pretend you’re running after them to “tag” them. You can do this at home or outside. Then, switch roles and have her tag you.

Response and communication games

When kids turn 3 or 4, kids have developed other coordination skills, which enable them to play interaction games. For example, throwing the ball is perfect for this age group.  

As they grow older, their socialization needs are more complex and kids enjoy developing their relationship-building and interaction skills.  Group games where players team up are appropriate for this age group.

Stimulating these participation games is very important in kids who spend the most part of their time playing with videogames or electronic games, in order to avoid being isolated. Playing hide-and-go-seek as a team, staging a play or engaging in a board game are excellent activities.

Here comes competition

At around 7 or 8 years old, children need to reaffirm their qualities and individuality. Standing out in games or sports events is a form of play that will help them in this stage.  

It is a very good idea for your son or daughter to be a part of a little league sports team that meets weekly to play. Summer camps and other venues where competition activities are promoted, whether they are individual or as teams, are also recommended.  

Creativity

Any game that promotes creativity is a good thing. Crafts using play dough or clay, painting with water colors, pencils or crayons are wonderful to develop imagination.  

For the older ones, prompt them to make up stories with their own characters, or with characters of traditional stories in a tale of their own is a fun and creative activity. You could also make your own home puppet theater, to include the puppets themselves. Writing stories, that the kids will illustrate with their own drawings or with pictures and photographs out of magazines is also a great stimulus.

The Internet is an endless source of ideas for educational toys for all ages.