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"With their hectic work schedule, it is easy for today's parents to go the 'easy route' when buying toys for their kids. Some buy kids toys online without bothering to really check and research the items because it's more convenient. Others, to avoid discussions, simply choose to follow what their kids ask them to purchase, so they buy mp4 players, violent video games and all the other toys and gadgets their kids say are 'cool' and 'fun'.

What some parents forget is that toys play a crucial role in the development of their child. They can help your kids improve their spatial reasoning skills, encourage their creativity, help them learn how to interact with other children, improve their memory and even encourage them to be more physically active. For these reasons, it is important for parents to take a more active role in choosing what toys their kids should play with.

So what should you look for when buying toys for your kids? What are the attributes 'good toys' possess?

First, a toy should be appropriate for the age of your kids. Toys for infants should help them develop their abilities to recognize sound, shapes and color. For preschoolers, it's better to choose toys that stimulate their imagination and develop their social-interaction skills, while toys for older kids should be able to relay more complicated concepts.

When choosing toys for your kids, another thing that you should remember is that 'high-tech' does not always equate to greater benefits. Don't be easily awed by their intricate mechanisms and blinking lights. Simple toys can be as beneficial (some experts say they are actually more beneficial) as their more modern counterparts. Building blocks and modeling clay for example, can help your kids learn how to determine shapes and colors and enable them to develop their creativity. Marbles and jackstones on the other hand help them improve their spatial reasoning skills.

Instead of the usual video games, pick toys that encourage physical activities. Buy them a basketball, a trampoline, a bicycle'anything that will make them want to get off the couch and go out to the yard (no gangsters). This will not only keep your kids occupied with fun, wholesome activities, it would also promote better health.

In picking a toy, always try to find the right balance of 'educational' and 'fun'. Choose a toy that focuses too much on the 'fun' aspect and you deprive your kids of the benefits of a very useful educational tool; pick a tool that is very 'educational' and your kids would view them as additional homework.

Safety too, is a consideration when you buy toys from your kids. When you're buying for younger children do not purchase anything with small, removable parts and sharp edges as these puts your kid in danger of choking or obtaining injuries.

Toys play an important role in the development of kids. Unlike when we purchase from online wristwatch sales where it's okay to just pick the item that would look good most on us, buying toys for kids should involve serious thought. Use these tips and reminders to ensure that you only buy the best kinds of toys for your kids.