Positive Relationships: A parent's guide to ... choosing toys for children aged three to five

The bad news is that it is not over yet. Your child is likely to need different toys as they outgrow the toddler stage. So, what next, and how can you choose toys that will both entertain your child but also help them to learn?

A good starting point is to recognise that you will probably need a variety of toys and materials that do different things. This is because your child is developing a range of skills, and one type of toy cannot do everything. One way to approach the buying is to select toys from different categories.

IMAGINATIVE PLAY

You may have spotted that your child already loves pretending and dressing up. This type of play helps your child's imagination and also develops language skills. Look out for a few real props that you can put aside, as these work as well as the toy equivalents. You may also find that your child will enjoy playing with small-world toys. These are miniature replicas such as dinosaurs, farm animals, toy cars and play people. Don't worry if you cannot afford the big items that go with them, such as castles and doll's houses, as many parents find that after having spent a fortune on them, the children only play with the actual figures.