Preschool children spend more than 20% of their waking hours in play. Boys play with vehicles and girls with dolls. These are examples of domestic role play and dressing up. These are some revelations derived from survey samples of play behavior of preschool boys and girls.

Children learn from play; thus toys are tools of learning. What kind of play materials have you provided your children? How are your children using them? Are the toys safe, and appropriate for the development level of your child? The answers to these questions are important. For instance, if you give a toddler toys that have small plastic pieces, he/ she is likely to swallow the pieces.

Child experts are unanimous that the growth and development of a child hinges on play. In particular, a child's creativity and imagination can be developed by construction toys. Hand-eye coordination and logical thinking are developed, too. For instance, a child who plays with racing cars is likely to experiment to find out which car moves faster, when pushed.

Some of the popular construction toys in the market include multi-color flexible foam tubes, Magnaball connectors, clips, bases, panels, and large and small storage bags that are safe and sturdy.

Kids can construct a castle or fort, build a boat, or put together a playhouse with nearly 100 pieces. Anything you can imagine comes to life. And cleaning up is easy.

Construction toys come in a range of variants, and prices. Some of them come with a limited warranty of 30 days.

When you give your child a toy, avoid older toys, and even hand-me-downs from friends and family, as these may not meet current safety standards. Also, they may be so worn from play that they can break and prove to be hazardous.

Never assume that a child who seems to be advanced in intelligence, compared to his/ her peers, should play with toys meant for older children. You need to factor the safety aspect first, when you decide whether or not a particular toy is good for your child to play with. Maturity or intelligence has little to do with this decision.

Your child's temperament, habits, and behavior are also important considerations when you buy a new toy. Playing with your kids teaches them how to play safely while having fun.