With so many kinds of learning toys available on the market, it is becoming more and more challenging for parents to choose those few products that will benefit their child in particular. Thankfully, there are many sources, both print and digital, that give good advice for parents who seek to find the right toys for their kids. In Which Toy for Which Child, a guide to choosing the best toys for children in different age categories, the Consumer Product Safety Commission lists the best kinds of toys and activities for kids from birth to middle school. When choosing toys, the Commission recommends, parents should consider the child’s developed skills, abilities, and interests.
The CPSC separates all toys into five categories: active play, manipulative play (building blocks, cubes), pretend play (dolls, puppets), creative play (arts, crafts), and learning play. Because our main goal is to discover the best options for learning, let’s take a closer look at learning toys for kids from 3 to 12 years old.
Note: the skills, abilities, and interests expected from these age groups are only an approximation, because each child develops individually. So, it is better to approach this guide as a hint rather than a rule.
Learning toys for ages 3-5
According to CPSC, at this age kids typically demonstrate increasing finger control, meaning they can pick up small objects, cut with scissors, hold a pencil with an adult grasp, and string small beads. This is when kids begin using toys with smaller components. Preschoolers are also fond of building using both small and big construction toys. Children of this age show basic knowledge of shapes and colors. They also start developing an interest in sorting, matching, and producing designs (puzzles, construction toys). Kids of this age tend to like nature, science, and animals. Socially, they begin to learn to share and play fairly. They also enjoy looking at books and listening to stories.
| What CPSC Recommends | What We Offer |
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· Construction toys with a plan or goal · Games like dominoes, simple card games, and simple matching games · Games and toys that require fine motor coordination · Matching and sorting toys · Shapes and colors toys · Numbers and letters toys · Complex pop-up books · Books with simple stories, but detailed illustrations |
King Egg Cubic Erasers and Lucky Egg Animal Erasers: puzzle/construction toys that require fine motor coordination, train matching and sorting skills, and feature various shapes and colors.
Eggs Time Puzzles: a game app that helps develop matching and sorting skills and recognition of shapes and colors.
Eggs Time Coloring Books: a game app that helps develop matching skills and recognition of shapes and colors.
All Eggs time animated stories: simple narratives with colorful, vivid illustrations. |
Learning toys for ages 6-8
During early school years kids develop small muscles by drawing, weaving, printing, cutting, and arranging puzzles. At this age, kids demonstrate an interest in reading, spelling, simple math, nature, and simple science. They begin to collect things and start having hobbies. This is when kids begin to show interest in magic tricks, and different times and places. Socially, kids of this age show interest in group activities, cooperative play, and dramatic role play.
| What CPSC Recommends | What We Offer |
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· Toys for sorting and classifying · Simple reading, writing, and arithmetic games · Simple mechanical toys · Collectible things · Toys that cross the line between fantasy and reality · Toys marking time and seasons · Simple strategy and rule games · Skill-developing toys like building models of bodies, space, the physical world · Books to develop individual reading preferences: classics, myths, legends, biographies, poetry, and books about children, magic, animals, nature, etc. |
King Egg Cubic Erasers: puzzle/construction toys that require fine motor coordination, train matching and sorting skills, develop building skills, and feature various geometric shapes.
Lucky Egg Animal Erasers: puzzle/construction toys that require fine motor coordination, train matching and sorting skills, develop building skills, introduce kids to various animals.
All MagiK Egg toys: figures that cross the line between fantasy and reality, teach the times/seasons of the year, and can be used for sorting and classifying.
Eggs Time Mazes: a game that prompts a player to lead a character out of a maze, training strategy skills.
All Eggs Time toys: figures that come in collections (collectible toys) and feature various shapes and colors for effortless learning.
All Eggs Time stories: narratives centered around different themes and topics so that kids can pick what they like best. We have stories about animals, nature, and everyday life, as well as fantasy stories. |
Learning toys for ages 9-12
Older school kids enjoy dexterity games; they can build complex constructions and make a variety of arts and crafts. In terms of cognitive development, kids in this age group are usually able to play and carry out activities on their own and demonstrate independent critical thinking (evaluate ideas and people). They develop hobbies, show individuality, increase their ability to arrange, classify, and generalize, and show interest in stories, gadgets, and inventions. Socially, kids of this age enjoy cooperating with others, increasing their interest in the larger world, playing complex games, and learning to lose gracefully. By this age, kids tend to have certain interests developed, and it is important to address their interests when choosing toys for them.
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What We Offer |
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· Games that require speed, dexterity, competition, and extended concentration · Science kits and building models (human and animal bodies, space, the physical world) · Collecting toys · Books that pertain to individual interests |
King Egg Cubic Erasers: puzzle/construction toys that require fine motor coordination and promote skills for building geometric models.
Lucky Egg Animal Erasers: puzzle/construction toys that require fine motor coordination and allow for building animal models.
All Eggs Time toys: collectibles that improve finger and hand dexterity.
All Eggs Time stories: narratives centered around different themes and topics so that kids can pick what they like best. We have stories about animals, nature, and everyday life, as well as fantasy stories. |