If you are looking for last-minute toys for children this holiday season, you might be tempted to go for high-tech toys.
But if you are looking for things that will improve language and learning, the American Speech Language and Hearing Association recommends considering non-tech options.
They put out a list of toys, ranging in three age groups.
Ages 0–5
- Books (touch-and-feel, lift-the-flap, and simple picture books for the youngest kids)
- Shape sorters, ring stackers, and nesting cups
- Blocks and balls
- Chunky wooden and knob puzzles
- Animal and family sets
- Toy farms and barns
- Toy vehicles, garages, ramps/tunnels, and train sets
- Wind-up, pop-up, and pounding toys
- Pretend tools and workbenches
- Toy musical instruments
- Bubbles
- Activity cubes
- Pretend money and cash registers
- Simple craft kits and art supplies such as crayons and Play-Doh
- Figurines, dinosaurs, dolls, and puppets
- Costumes and dress-up supplies
- Pretend doctor/veterinarian sets
- Toy food, grocery carts, and kitchen sets
- Building toys (e.g., Lincoln Logs, Magnatiles, and Legos)
Ages 5–8
- Books, graphic novels, and magazine subscriptions (e.g., Highlights, National Geographic Kids)
- Board and card games
- Arts-and-crafts supplies and kits (drawing, beads/jewelry)
- Science kits and books of science experiments
- Slime, Play-Doh, and play sand/foam
- Modeling clay and silly putty
- Dolls and action figures
- Building toys (e.g., Lincoln Logs, Magnatiles, and Legos)
- Trading cards
- Cooking supplies (child-friendly cookbooks, kid-safe knives/utensils)
- Subscription boxes (cooking, STEM)
- Costumes and dress-up supplies
- Magic sets
- Jump ropes and hula hoops
- Sports and outdoor games for group play
- Bikes, scooters, and roller skates/blades
Ages 8 and up
- Chapter books and magazine subscriptions (e.g., Sports Illustrated Kids, Cricket)
- Journals/diaries and scrapbooks, fun writing pens/stickers
- Board and card games (silly, trivia, conversation-based)
- Trading cards
- Arts-and-crafts project sets
- Science kits, instruments (telescope, microscope)
- Subscription boxes (cooking, STEM)
- Advanced building sets (e.g., Legos, snap circuits)
- 3D/jigsaw puzzles
- Crossword puzzles, Sudoku, and chess sets
- Camping supplies
- Sports equipment
- Fitness, outdoor/yard, and obstacle course games
- Age-appropriate tools or gardening supplies
- Décor for personalizing bedroom
Jeannette Reiff with the American Speech Language and Hearing Association said not only do these toys typically cost less than high-tech toys, but they also help build skills children will need later in life.
Toys like board games or sports equipment lead to social interaction and cooperation among children. They encourage communication, turn-taking and sharing and foster essential social skills.
Reiff said these toys also promote longer attention spans and reduce reliance on screens.
If you want to learn more about developmental milestones, go to ASHA.org.