All play is physical for a young preschooler, which is why it's ideal to make a wide variety of playthings available to your child. Each stimulates his growth in body and brain in different ways. A range of toys wards off boredom, too.
That doesn't mean you need to buy out the toy store. Simply make sure that your child's toy box provides a range of different kinds of play experiences — and do lots of trades with other parents or happily accept hand-me-downs.
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Maybe your child never liked a particular toy truck or has two of something. Could you trade the spurned toy or duplicate for something he hasn't seen before?
Choosing toys from each of the following categories is a great way to offer well-rounded play that encourages physical development.
For large motor skills
Choose toys that emphasize coordination and balance, and build arm and leg strength.
- Push or pull toys: Try pretend lawn mowers, shopping carts, or vacuums; baby carriages; animals on a string; a light wheelbarrow.
- Ride-on toys: These require foot power and can help improve balance. Choose wagons, wide low-to-the-ground vehicles (without pedals at first, then low tricycles once your child can reach them, around age 3 or 4). Avoid battery-powered ride-on toys (aside from safety concerns, it's better for your child to get the exercise).
- Sports equipment: Playing catch improves hand-eye coordination and involves running, too. Start with large rubber and foam balls. Kicking the ball is also important.
- Action toys: A low plastic structure that includes a slide and climbable surfaces can be kept indoors or out. (If you don't have room for it, playground visits are a good alternative.) Also consider play tunnels, swings, spinning seats, sofa cushions arranged as an obstacle course, or large cardboard cartons to crawl through.
- Rockers: Rocking horses, rocking vehicles, and rocking chairs all provide the foundation for imaginative play.
For fine motor skills
Choose toys that involve hand-eye coordination. Your child may not be adept at fine-motor action yet, but this kind of play provides practice.
- Art supplies: Always make available different types of paper and large-sized crayons and pencils, sidewalk chalk, watercolors, washable markers, coloring books, and play clay.
- Toys that make patterns: Felt boards, magnetic boards, peg boards with large pegs, and matching games involve precise hand movements.
- Stacking and building toys: Any kind of blocks work well (wooden, plastic, foam, cardboard), as do stacking cups and rings (baby toy holdovers that young preschoolers still enjoy). Shape sorters that allow a child to sort by color and shape appeal to younger preschoolers.
- Toys to manipulate: At 2, your child may still enjoy knobbed wood pieces but is getting ready to move onto jigsaws of up to 20 pieces or foam puzzles with large interlocking pieces. Also good: Lacing cards, large threading beads, tea sets, musical instruments.
For language skills
Don't forget the following sorts of toys, which emphasize speaking, music, and pre-reading skills.
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- Books: Make a wide variety available, from picture books to simple nonfiction you can read to your child. Replenish often with library trips, bookstore visits, and yard sales.
- Dramatic play props: Pretend play encourages making up stories. Include dress-up clothes, miniature household props, play sets (dollhouse, farm, soldiers, castle), dolls, action figures, and dinosaurs.
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FAQs
Balls. Whether they're bounced, rolled, caught, or thrown, balls encourage gross motor skills, hand–eye coordination, and dexterity. Shape-sorting toys. Pegboard puzzles, nesting cups or blocks, and buckets with holes for different shaped blocks challenge hand-eye coordination and problem-solving skills.
What is type of toy would help with physical development? ›
Balls. Whether they're bounced, rolled, caught, or thrown, balls encourage gross motor skills, hand–eye coordination, and dexterity. Shape-sorting toys. Pegboard puzzles, nesting cups or blocks, and buckets with holes for different shaped blocks challenge hand-eye coordination and problem-solving skills.
How does playing with toys help physical development? ›
Physical development
During play, children will learn to move, balance and lift things. This helps them develop the fundamental movement skills that will help them stay active in later life. As children get older, physical play will also help them to stay healthy and active. It also strengthens their bones and muscles.
What is a physical toy? ›
Physical toys, even simple ones such as blocks or a ball help develop relationship-building skills and language skills unlike an iPad screen. Physical toys are encouraged for young children's development, while the iPad acts more like a pacifier to calm a child rather than further their development.
Which of the following are examples of physical development? ›
Examples of physical development are large muscle groups needed for activities such as swimming, running, or skiing. Other muscle development occurs in muscles that are needed for specific tasks, such as cutting paper, writing, or pointing. Development of the senses includes changes to vision and hearing.
What are examples of physical play? ›
Jump rope, throw balls, catch bubbles, robot dance, hide and seek, hula hoop, yoga stretch, climb, roll or wiggle! There are so many wonderful ways for children to explore physical play in the early years, and so many important reasons to do it.
How do toys help motor development? ›
Toys that require manipulation, such as building blocks or puzzles, strengthen your child's fine motor skills. By grasping, stacking, and manipulating objects, they develop hand-eye coordination and dexterity. Activity toys like climbing frames and balance beams promote gross motor skills, coordination, and balance.
How do you stimulate physical growth and development? ›
Play games that involve running, hopping, throwing, and catching together. Switch things up! When playing ball, ask your child to use alternate feet for kicking or alternate hands for batting. You want to make sure the ball is large enough to promote success, yet small enough to present a challenge.
What are the four areas of physical development? ›
What Is Motor or Physical Development. Children grow and develop rapidly in their first five years across the four main areas of development. These areas are motor (physical), communication and language, cognitive, and social and emotional.
Are toys good for child development? ›
Toys help Children Think
Cognitive development is the increased ability to process information to understand how the world works. For children, environments that push them to think, explore, and figure things out bolster the most amount of cognitive development.
While most 13-year-olds have given up their childhood toys, they still play with their friends in a variety of ways. From slumber parties and camping out in the backyard to board games and sports activities, most 13-year-olds want to be active with their friends.
What is the object of physical development? ›
Physical development:- Development of organ systems such as circulatory system, nervous system, muscular system, digestive system etc. Mental development:- Physical activities require alertness of mind, deep concentration and calculated movement. This objective is related to the mental development of an individual.
What type of toys are best for developing cognitive development? ›
Puzzles and Open-Ended Fine Motor Toys
Puzzles and other fine motor toys help children explore many cognitive concepts. Children have to observe each puzzle piece and then fit it into the correct spot. They have to maintain their attention to the task as they turn the pieces to fit.
