Interactive toys have been must-have gifts for toddlers for years. Their benefits on developing brains have been well established: improving cognitive function, helping to facilitate social and language skills, and even supporting imagination and fine motor skills.
But interactive toys have many of the same benefits for older kids, too - even when they think they’re only playing a video game or with a soft toy, they’re actively developing their skills and emotional capacity for the future.
The Range has a wide variety of interactive toys for all age groups, from toddlers to children and teens, and here are just a few of our favourites!
Everyone learns best when well-rested, and this is no different for toddlers. A nightlight can help young children to develop a soothing bedtime routine that will benefit both you and them! Whilst they drift off, consider playing them lullabies or relaxing sounds to aid in your baby’s sensory development.
Similarly, music has a fascinating effect on babies and toddlers. Frequent exposure to classical music fires up the same part of the brain responsible for mathematic ability, helping improve their maths skills in the future – commonly known as the Mozart Effect. Give your toddler musical instruments to help them explore different sounds and cause and effect whilst nurturing their growing early learning skills. Giving a toddler an instrument might not sound appealing, but the benefits could outweigh the noise later in life!
Children have now moved into the second half of their main development stage and could, without even realising, be choosing toys with more social and emotional development capabilities.
Interactive animal toys could promote empathy and compassion for real animals as they play. As these toys interact and respond to your child’s commands or actions, your child may feel a sense of responsibility that could carry on into adulthood.
Remote controlled vehicles promote social play with friends and family and encourage the final stage of the development of fine motor skills, leaving them with better language, social, and spatial understanding.
Teenagers and tweens quickly grow out of their favourite toys, so it can be challenging to know what to get for them that’s beneficial to their learning and sufficiently entertaining. They have already mastered their social, cognitive, and motor skills, so what’s next?
Most teens are having a growing interest in video games, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Video gaming is great for adapting children’s problem-solving skills, helping them to become more analytical, and can even nurture their mathematic and literacy skills.
If your teen is a serious gamer, then investing and providing them with a gaming chair such as the Triton LED is a great way to encourage their continuing interest and development whilst supporting their ongoing physical growth. Continuous bad posture at an early age can cause further problems in the future with back pain, so any child with a deep interest in video games must have the correct lumbar and neck support.
If you’re unsure about the world of gaming accessories, then check out our article on What’s So Great about Gaming Chairs and Desks for a better understanding.
Remote Control Vehicles are still a fantastic toy for teens, but you can choose a more grown-up version of them such as a drone. Able to do more stunts than typical RC vehicles, drones are great for those with improved and fully-developed motor skills and can even heighten your child’s interest in photography and videography.
