Children are truly our bundles of joy. There is certainly nothing more joyful in seeing them when they first open their eyes to the world, when they have their first spoonful of solid food, when they take their first faltering step, on to the blowing of their first birthday candle, and now when they start to point out toys that interest them. Then a dilemma occurs---we start to worry if such toys are suitable for, say, our three-year-old. What kind of toys then should you provide your growing child? Here are some following tips that may be able to help you decide.



Developing hand coordination. Children at about two to three years old develop their hand coordination at this stage. Puzzles, putting together big beads, make-believe crocheting, or scribbling are activities that can help develop the child this. Creativity toys like origami and kirigami play sets may also help develop the child's imagination and creativity.

Understanding your child's temperament. Children at this stage are developing an awareness of themselves and of others. They start to take interest in other children and enjoy being near them (although they tend to be self-centered) and so they would enjoy taking part of activities with other children. One such play is make-believe. Toys like kitchen sets and dollhouses, such that Kidkraft have, would be most enjoyed by children of this age. Boys may be interested with play garages, construction, and play laptops as they are more interested with cars and anything mobile.

Unleashing your child's creativity. Did you know that a child once was able to develop his imagination and creativity when his mother let him use their kitchen in making his first film? Of course, the kitchen became quite a mess what with all the ketchup and blobs on the countertop, but that made the child certainly famous as a director. His name: Steven Spielberg. We are not saying however that you should do the same for your child although it is certainly up to you to do so. Art centers and painting (never mind the mess, you will enjoy bathing your child anyway) should be just as able to develop your child's potentials. Who knows, you just might have another Renoir in the making!

Helping you child develop language. Three-year-olds tend to talk and sing more at this age. Playing musical instruments are just as good as drawing and painting. Do not limit your child to anything, but most importantly, do not also force the child if it is apparent that something does not interest him at all. Expose him or her to new different experiences.

Helping your child's independence. Although three-year-olds tend to be self-centered, as mentioned previously, they also start to gain more independence at this stage. At times, one may notice that children insist on dressing up by themselves. It would be interesting to note that dress-ups can also be a fun and enjoyable experience for children as well.

It is also worth taking note that children seem to grow up faster, so one should take all the time to enjoy one's growing-up child as much as you can.