When you’re putting together a playroom there are three types of toys you want to make sure are present for every stage of your child’s development.

Open-Ended Toys | What is an open-ended toy?

An open ended toy is a passive object that kids of all ages can use. They are not bound to one form of play, and instead can be played with in many different ways. For example, a set of blocks. One day a set of blocks can be a castle, and another day, they can be used to aid in a counting activity. The possibilities are endless! That’s what makes them such a great addition to a playroom. You’ll find that open-ended toys tend to be a bit of an investment. Don’t worry, you don’t have to have all of them in your playroom immediately. Instead, think about adding these over time until you have a collection that you and your kids are happy with.

Close-Ended Toys | What is a close-ended toy?

Close-ended toys, on the other hand, are toys that are made for only one purpose. They’re fun, but once your child is done with the activity they will move on to the next thing, and they can’t use the toys for anything besides what they are meant to do. A good example is a video game. But, not all close-ended toys are created equal, and you should definitely make room for some of these your playroom. Think about a few toys that are age appropriate and can help you child develop a specific skill. Puzzles, shape sorters, and marble runs are good examples of close-ended toys. At the right age or when their interest is peaked, these can be a perfect addition to your playroom.

People, Animals, and Vehicles 

Children enjoy playing with things they are interested in and recognize in real life. A nice collection of people, animals, and vehicles will foster hours of pretend play.