Wooden Toys Are Not Just For Christmas, They Are For Life

Looking for inspirational gifts for kids? Or a unique gift to buy a little niece or nephew? You know the drill, when on Tuesday morning, you work 40 hours a week, and it is your third cousin's birthday on Saturday. You've no time to go to browse the shops and the thought of a large children's store just a little too much to bear. The answer? Shop online for a traditional wooden toy.

A range of varied and colorful wooden toys are currently available in the marketplace . Sturdy shaker rattle for cute, young children is a thoughtful alternative to the mass production branded plastic toys. The price range of wooden toys is from £ 10 to £ 100  and that there will always be something suitable for your budget.

Firstly, do your research to make sure that you buy a toy online of high quality and suitable for the age of the child.

Shopping for baby
Generally, the term includes children ages 0-18 months, and there is an awful lot of difference in age. A newborn will not be able to lift the toy and an 18 month old will probably try and dismantle the toy. A wooden toy is a gift of love and it's important to buy for the the proper stage of development.
0-3 months, look for a bright and colorful wooden toy which is entertaining for the baby, something like a wind-up music box is ideal.
3-6 months, this is the stage when your baby will learn to hold objects, and sit up, so I can go for wooden toys to shake and rattle, bang while sitting still.
6-9 months, your baby is learning to crawl, and he never wants to sit still. Push along toys and balls are fabulous for this age. For boys, it sounds like a cliché, but you can not go wrong with a set of wheels.
9-18 months, development is increasing at a rate of knots. Learning to walk, in a few short months learning to speak and understand the different shapes and colors, the choice of wooden toys becomes overwhelming. Firm favorites are ride or push along toys, such as Wheelybug or Spinny Walker. If the baby is 18 months of demolition derby, you can try using a wooden toy wooden xylophone or drums.

Toys for a toddler
The term early childhood (for those who do not like the parent's book of phrases!) Covers the age group 1-3 years (some say 4 years), so a bit of overlap with the baby. Basically it is when they start walking, when they begin to answer back!

The main purpose of young children at this stage is to consider all the things they saw as a baby, but are no longer available, and now they are more mobile and want to touch. When pulled along, the game spins and rattles and keeps them interested, allowing the mother or father enough time to prepare for dinner.

Preschool
3-5 year old child has mastered walking and in most cases, children have also mastered the English language well enough to be independent and confident. Now they have much time on their hands - time to invest in wooden toys, which feed the imagination, is important in this day and age, and helps them discover play.
3-4 years, do not begin to distinguish between the sexes. In this day and age, parents are more aware of gender differences and become quite stereotyped in their choice of toys. Girls want to dress up and play parties, vanity cases, and perhaps cakes made of wood, for use in role play. The boys, fighting dragons or rescuing endangered friends will need a wooden toy castles, fireman and police cars and fire engines.
4 -5 years old. Learning and motor skills are high priorities for preschoolers. They are active and a  pedal-less bike and toys depicting the world around them are good preparation for the start of the school year.

Spend wisely!
Buying a child's major access to all stages of development and interest is unique, so buying the most expensive baby rattle for a 3 month old  is usually not a good economy if you have a hunch that the parents will have lots of kids!
You'll have plenty of time and opportunity to lavish on your favorite goddaughter as they get older, so consider before you buy, how long the child will play with the toy. More reason to go back to the years of baby toys like wooden blocks, maracas, and push along or ride on toys, new and inventive ways to play, so they are also an ideal gift for the little ones, and still fun years later. Equipping an 18 month old with a carefully bought a wooden toywhich they can still ply with when 4 years old can be very satisfying.

Wooden toys are excellent value in my experience, because of their nature as they usually are not too childish, thay are durable or "baby-proof" and will last for years in good condition.

The last words, why should you buy wooden toys.
Apart form the above reasons, there are some great advantages in wooden toys.

Re-use and gender-free.
Wooden toys very rarely come in pink or blue so gender is irrelevant. Parents know that boys and girls love anything with wheels and to play with. There are wooden toys which are for boys, but the majority are sexless which makes them ideal for passing on to them toa sibling or friend. They may also help the child see that there is more to life than dressing up or playing in the car!

Batteries not included.
The child hates nothing more than when a toy does not work, and the reason most of my children's plastic toys do not work (except for those taken to bits and having lost the parts) that I will never keep up with the purchase of batteries needed to run 70% of the toys. To date I have not seen a wooden toy that needs batteries.

If you hunt around on the internet Make sure you research the safety aspect of the toy and ensure they are appropriate for the child's age. Online retailers of wooden toys come in many shapes, sizes and speciality, but look at delivery times, online credit card purchases and a money-back guarantee to ensure you are not disappointed. A gift wrapping service can be very useful for those short on time.