Shopping for age and developmentally appropriate toys for children can be a daunting task. There are so many options to choose from and what might be of interest to you, may be of absolutely no interest to the child you are shopping for or vice versa. Sometimes I buy what seems like the perfect toy, but it’s not the perfect toy for my child. How many times have I given my kids what I thought would be the great toy, only to have them toss it aside immediately and play with the box instead?
So how does an adult shop for the “perfect” toy for a particular child?
Recently I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Dr. Jody Sherman LeVos, who happens to be a child development expert and I asked her the following questions…
- How exactly do you choose developmentally appropriate toys for children?
- Even if a toy is “labeled” as being in the appropriate age range for a child, if the child is getting frustrated with the toy, is that a sign that it is developmentally inappropriate?
- Why is it important to choose developmentally appropriate toys (i.e. what are the benefits)?
- How can you tell if a toy is over-stimulating your child?
- Does a toy have to be developmentally appropriate and educational to benefit a child?
I found her answers insightful and thought you might benefit from them as well…
When shopping for the children in your life remember that the perfect toy for them has nothing to do with price or popularity. You can spend a lot of money on the latest “it” toy that never gets used or spend very little on a toy that becomes a favorite, it just depends. The perfect toy varies from child to child, age to age, and stage to stage.
My children are 4 and almost 2 years old and soaking up so much knowledge through play, which is why I’m thrilled that my friends at LeapFrog are sending them a gift package of the following items…
- Touch Magic Learning Bus (MSRP $24.99): for ages 2+ years.
- Touch Magic Counting Train (MSRP $24.99): for ages 2-4.
- LeapsterGS Explorer in pink (MSRP $69.99): for ages 4-9.
- Phineas and Ferb game cartridge (MSRP $24.99): for ages 5-8.
- LeapSchool Math game cartridge (MSRP $24.99): for ages 4-7.
- TAG Reading System (MSRP $49.99): for ages 4-7.
- TAG Get Ready For Kindergarten Book (MSRP $13.99): for ages 4-6.
- TAG Interactive Human Body Discovery Pack (MSRP $19.99): for ages 4-8.
My kids are going to be stoked!!! But wait, there’s more!
The Giveaway:
LeapFrog is providing one very lucky reader of this blog the exact same aforementioned items. That is over a $250 value.
You could make one kid or a few kids very happy with these great toys. LeapFrog makes phenomenal educational toys. All you have to do for a chance to win is follow the instructions in the widget below.
Good luck and remember that playing is good for you no matter what age you are!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: I am a LeapFrog parent and am receiving the items listed in the post as a thank you gift for my participation. Prizing is also being provided for the giveaway winner. All statements and opinions are my own.
for my son
I’d like to win this for my daughter. 🙂 But would also share some with her cousin who is a year older than her.
Oh I would love to give this to my daughter! She would be absolutely thrilled!
livivua- my son and my nephew
Wow, those are great! My Christmas shopping would be nearly complete!
I know, right? I am really thrilled with the prizing they offered. We are already big fans of LeapFrog products.
I would love to win this for my daughters!!!
I would love this for both my children (5 & 9). Fingers crossed!
🙂
Traci
I’d love to get this for my youngest daughter!
for my daughter
I would LOVE to win this for my 4-year-old daughter! She has been asking for a LeapPad for so long and I absolutely love the Tag reader too! My hubby is Dyslexic, so we’re big on reading pens over here…lol. Anyway, thanks for the opportunity to enter, this is such a great giveaway! 🙂
I’d love to win this for both of my son’s
Nathansmommy619(At)aol(Dot)com
Both my son and daughter would really benefit from this giveaway. We love Leap Frog, though we didn’t know about the Human Body Discovery Pack. Perfect for us since we just started studying anatomy! Thanks, Mami!
Subscribed via rss google – stacey0711n(at)gmail(dot)com
Nathansmommy619(At)aol(Dot)com
I’d like to win this for my son
Of course we would love this. Great questions (and answers, too) in the video. Thank you!
I will be winning for my daughter and her best little friend. She now tackling starter sight words, so this would be an AWESOME start to her reading skills.
I would like this for my 2 kids
kellywcuATyahooDOTcom
I’d like to win this for my son and daughter to share.
love to win for oliver
I would like Tashia Gilbert to win this giveaway!
My grandson loves LeapFrog and I find it easy to teach him through it….sure can use more products to make my homeschooling easier for him.
id like to win for my 2 sons
My two youngest daughters
For my niece
I’d like to win this for my neice
I would love to win this for my grandsons!
I would like to win this for my son.
I would like to win this for my niece.
cjnedrow at gmail dot com
I would love to win this for my 3 year old daughter.
I would absolutely love to win this for my son! jj250@aol.com
I would like to win this for my son
I would love to win this for my grandson
I would like to win this for my 7 yr old gran daughter & her 5 yr old brother. They would love this!
I would like to win this for my daughter.
For my 5 kiddos
My foster son…we got rid of all the “young” toys!
Would love to win this for my grandsons, they are 4 and 6. Thanks!
I would love this for my great grandchildren.
My 2 1/2 year old daughter.
I would love this for my oldest daughter. 🙂
I would love to win this for my 4 year old! 🙂
If I won it would go to my 2 yearold son and 4 year old daughter 🙂
My son
I want it for my great great niece and nephew.
My Great Grandson.
I would love to win this for my 3 year old son!
My daughter would love these!
My little one!
My daughter.
For my two boys 🙂
My three grandkids live with me (5, 4 & 2) and this would be great to have for them. I’m really excited about this giveaway. This would be great for birthdays (1 in Dec and the other 2 in Jan) and christmas.
My 17 month old :]
i would love to win this for my two lil kiddies! weston and bailey
My daughters….
This is for my grandbabies.
For my little man he’d love this!!
I would love to be able to win this for my niece
I would love to win this for my grandson!
my grandson
I would love to win this for my son! He loves LeapFrog!
He’s still a bit young for it, but I’d love to win this for my son anyway!
my beautiful grandchildren!
I’m trying to win it for my niece
I’d love to win this for my little girls. (6yo & my twin toddlers)
I would like to win this for my son and daughter. He would love the games, and my daughter is just learning her alphabet and constantly trying to take my sons leapfrog explorer away from him. She would love to have one of her own, and the newer model looks even better. So much to help with education that is why we are a Leapfrog family.
I would like to win this for my daughter. She wouod love it.
I would love this for my son and for my niece.
I would love to win this for my daughter!
I’d like to win this for my daughter
this would be perfect for my grandson!!
ok i would split this between my girls and my niece and nephew!
I would like to win this for my 3 year old son, Seth.
my son
I would love to win this for my two sons!
I’d love to win this for my 3 little boys!
I’d love to win this for my 5yr old daughter.
I would like to win this for my Grandaughter
I would like to win this for my friend’s daughter
abfantom at yahoo dot com
I would split the prizes between my Daughter and my Nephews.
I want to win this for my daughter Maybelle and my son Ferrill, ages 2 and 5.
I would love to win this bundle for my daughter and to use with my students who I tutor!
I would like to win this for both of my kids. We love Leapfrog stuff.
For my grandsons age 4 and 2
daughter
I would like to win this for my 4 year old daughter who is staying home with me and always looking for things to do, this would keep her entertained as well as learning.
My grandson will soon be 4 and this would be so good for him! Thank you!
i would love to win this for my daughter who turns four just 4 days before christmas. this would make a great birthday/christmas gift. thanks for the chance to win!
I would like to win this for my daughter.
Mandinav(at)aol(dot)com
For my little grand children whom I tend regularly
This would be for my daughter, she would love it!
I would like to win this for my son.
It would be for my son and my nieces.
I’d like to win this for my daughter who is turning 4 this month.
I would love to win this for my son!
I would divide this among the younger grands
This would be for my son. And he would share with his younger sister.
I really wanted to get my son one of these for Christmas. He would absolutely LOVE to have this!! =D I’d be the best mom ever!!
I would love to win for my grandkids.
I would love to win this for my three children 🙂
It would be for my granddaughter Amiyah, who is 3.
for the 2 little boys i just got temporary custody of
My niece! She would love it.
Thanks for the chance.
mogrill12@gmail.com
I’d like to win this for my daughter!
This would be for my son.
kyonac1@gmail.com
For my son and daughter
I would love to win the giveaway for my son. Thanks:)
my daughters love leap frog
I would like to win this for my son.
for my sons, I have a 7 yr old and a toddler.
I would like to win this for my nephew.
I would love to win this for my grandson.
I would like to win this for my 4 year old daughter. She would be so happy to have this. 🙂
My grandson of course !
I’d like to win this for both my son and daughter. My son wants the Leapster GS and my daughter would enjoy the Magic Learning Bus.
Im hoping to win this for my daughter. I want to give her the best head start that I can, as a mom.
my granddaughter
I would love to win this for my two boys.
for my 3 & 6 yr old! thanks!
I would give some of it to my son for Christmas and give some away to my friends.
I would love to win this for my great nephew.
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
would love to win for my son
I’d love to win this for my three children to share!
My 3 yr old son
For my daughter who is 2 and a half going on 12
I would LOVE to win this for my daughter!
This would be perfect for my son!
my daughter
my nephew
I would like to win this for my 3 year old daughter 🙂
i would give this to my nephew
I’d like to win this for my 4 year old, who would then pass it down to his 2 younger siblings =)
I would love to win this for my 3 year old grandson
I would LOVE to win this for my 2 boys Issaiah 6 and Seth 5. They would be soooo HAPPY<3
I would love to win this for my niece…it is on her Xmas list 🙂
nice
I would love to win for my kids Xavier 6 and Marissa 4, money is tight and i always do handmedowns so it wold be great for them hes in kindergarden and shes in pre-k 2 for 1 AWESOME…:)
I would love to win this for my son. His birthday is coming up soon!
Oh I would love to win this for my grandson Carter!
love this
my daughter
kport207 at gmail dot com
very nice, thanks!
for the grand kids
For my two daughters & my son!
Thank you for the opportunity to win this. I would give this to my daughter-in-law for her great niece and nephew.
For my little girl 🙂
For a 3 year old boy and a 5 year old girl!
i want to win for my nephew!
I’d like to win this for my autistic grandson.
I would love to win this for my 3 boys 🙂
I would be absolutely thrilled to win this for my daughter. Leapfrog is a company I have loved and trusted for years. I love their educational toys with superb high quality.
I would love to win this for my daughter.
would win it for my nephew
for my niece and nephew PLEASEE
I would like to win this for my daughter. She is almost two and learning so quickly!
I would like to win this for my daughter. She is almost two and learning so quickly!
my 2 grand daughters
I would love to win this for my little 5 year old brother!
For my daughter!
My son would love this!!!!
for my child would be the ideal gift for Christmas!
Oh I would love this for my grandson!
My little dude!
I would LOVE to win this for my 3 1/2 year old son! Wow!!!
My 4 yr. old son would LOVE to have this!!
I would like for my little grandson, would be a nice gift for Christmas!
my daughter and my neices
I would love to win this for my twins!
My son in kindergarten
dominican757 at gmail dot com
for my kids
This would be for my four grandchildren aged 2 4 6 and 7.
My daughter!
My son would absolutely love this!!
for my daughters
Would love to win for all 4 of my kids…they must share! 😉
My kids they would love it!
This would be for my son 🙂
ktgonyea at gmail.com
I would love to win this for my nephew.
for my sons
I would love to win for my daughter!
I would win this for my son and sister, split between the two.
My daughter would love this. We would not be ale to give her I’ve of these on our own.
My grand kids would love it
vmkids3 at msn dot com
I would love to get this for my 2 kids!
for my boys!
I would love to win this for my little grandson.
My son who is Autistic has an Ipad. He is four, and this has become his biggest motivator in his ABA therapy, and as a result, he’s come farther than I could have imagined in such a short time. HOwever, I also have a 2 year old daughter, and a 10 month old son. My daughter sees my oldest on his Ipad constantly, and it travels with him througout his day, and I would LOVE to have a LeapPad for her to have as her “own” educational toy. I know she would love it too, because i can’t get her away from the display model at the store, and it doesn’t even DO anything! lol
Hmm, I just commented, and it didn’t show up, so trying again (and sorry if you end up seeing it twice!) My 4 year old son, who has autism, has an Ipad. It has become his biggest motivator in his ABA therapy, and as a result, he has made more progress than I could have ever imagined in such a short time. However, I also have a 2 year old daughter, and a 10 month old son. My daughter loves the Ipad, and sees my son glued to it quite often, and it also travels with him wherever we go. I would love to have a Leapster for her so that she has her own little educational toy. I know she would love it too, as I can barely tear her away from the display at the toy store, and it doesn’t even DO anything!
By the way, feel free to check out my blog (much newer than yours!) at http://reneebcser.blogspot.com/
Thanks for the opportunity to win! Cool prizes! 🙂
google plus link is not working
Thanks for letting me know.
Should be fixed now. Thanks.
For my kids!
I would love to win this for my son and daughter to share. LeapFrog makes such awesome toys.
I would love to win this for my daughter!!!
My daughters already have a selection of LeapFrog toys they love, so I’d like to win this for my nephew, who just emigrated to the US from Bolivia in August. This would be a great way for him to learn English!
My son would love this!
I would give it to my friends kid for Christmas.
I would like to win for both my children, but more so my daughter!
I would like to win this for my 4 year old daughter.
I would like to win this for my son. He just soaks up educational toys like nothing else!
my grandson would really love this! Hope I win
I’d like to win this for my daughters!
I would love to win this for my daughter and my niece!
I would like to win this for my (almost) 5 year old daughter
I would love to win this for my son Christopher. It would be a perfect Christmas present!
would love to have for our home
Perfect for my nephew and Niece
I’d like to win this for my son! He would love it! Thanks so much for the
fantastic giveaway!
Reneewalters3@yahoo.com
I would love to win this for my Godson! Thanks for the chance.
This would be perfect for my niece 🙂 Thanks for the chance 🙂
i would love to win this for my son
i would love this for my nephew
I would give most of these prizes to my daughter and a couple to my friend’s daughter! Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
For my Daughters =)
For my daughter!
caryn9802 at yahoo dot com
my niece.
I’d like to win this for my niece.
I’d love to win it for my 2 younger boys.
My daughter Amelia. Sh would be so thrilled.
my son
my niece would love it!
I would like to win this for our son.
I would like to win this for my son.
I would split it between my 2 boys for Christmas
My 6 year old daughter would LOVE this for an xmas gift 😉
for my oldest son!
This would be perfect for my daughter for Christmas.
I would like to win it for my own kids and for my niece and nephews
for my little girl
I would love to win this for my granddaughter.
My daughter
This would be for my daughter, she would absolutely love this!
for my children
I would love to win this for my daughter. She just started school and she would love this.
Thank you so much.. I hope we win because this is my grand daughters christmas gift.. love it
I have boy/girl twins who would love this.
I would love to win for my friend’s son
I would love to win this for my daughter!
my cousin
For my 3 boys aged 9, 6 and 2. There is enough for all of them!
I would love these for my son. I know he would enjoy this!!
I would love to win this for my niece. sweepmorey at gmail dot com
It would be for my youngest, but I’m sure all my kids would play with them!
for my daughter
This would be for my nieces!
I would love to share this with both of my kids!
I would love to win this for my best friend’s daughter.
My son would love this and could benefit greatly from it!!
I would love to win for my son
I WOULD LIKE TO WIN THIS FOR MY SON 🙂
shebebes@yahoo.com
I was planning on getting the leappad 2 for my youngest son anyway. It would be great to win it
I would like to win this for my 4 year old son and 2 year old daughter
for my grandaughter
My nephew. Thanks!
I would love this for my son.He is starting to learn his numbers and letters.
It would be for my niece for Christmas.
I’d love to win this for my Goddaughter! She’s wanted one forever!
I would love to win this for my daughter, thanks!
Hotsnotty2@hotmail.com
Would love to win this for my little girl. Thanks.
mygrandaughter
Grandson.
For my daughter!
for my niece
my son
for my niece
I would win this for my daughter Taiosha and my son nathaniel
This would be wonderful for my niece.
ericacarnes(at)gmail(dot)com
For my niece and nephew… thanks for the giveaway
i wanna win this for my grandchildren
My daughter and son.
I’d like to win this for my nephew 🙂
I’d like to win this for my little cousin.
my niece and nephew
my daughter would love this! 🙂
Holy cow!! What an awesome prize package, we love Leap Frog! My son has the majority of these items on his Christmas list already so this would be a dream come true!
for my toddler
My son would love this prize pack
I would love to win this for my little boy
I’m looking for products that can help my two sons that have Autism interact with others n give them enjoyment in their daily lives.
I have 6 grandchildren that would enjoy these toys.
I would like to win this for my daughter.
My niece.
For my niece.
My son would love this!! Thanks for such a fantastic giveaway!
I’d like to win this for my nephew!
chrissylea1979 (at)gmail(dot) com
My Bf’s daughter..
id love this for my niece
I’d like to win this for my kids
my granddaughters
jagar0047 at yahoo dot com
My kids
My son and daughter!
My daughter and my niece
I would like to win this for my niece.
My nephew!
I have two daughter, age 5 & 2, who would love this. 🙂
I want to win this for my daughter Ceci.
I would love to win this for my Goddaughter for Christmas=)
My niece is having a hard time and we are not financially able to help right now. I would love to win this for her 3 young children. Thank you (:
my children would be blessed to have this
I would like to win this for my little grandson.
I would love to win this for my three boys
For my daughter Macy.
I would love to win this for my daughter. This is a great set
I would love this for my three nieces.
my daughter
brittneydejajason at gmail dot com
My grandson!
jofo120 at yahoo dot com
This would be for my daughter.
I would like ot win this for my grandson.
I would actually like to donate the whole set to my sons’ school.
beckytag618 at gmail dot com
I would split this between my son and my nephews/nieces
want to win this for our kids!!!!
brich22 at earthlink dot net
My niece
I think my brother would absolutely love this! It’s going to rock someone’s Christmas, that’s for sure!
My twins.
this would be Christmas for my little girl she would just love it
This would be for my 4 year old son.
I think this would be great for my granddaughter, she just started first grade. Thanks!
😀 Would like to win for my baby cousin . The least i could do at my age since I dont have money
I’d love for my son and daughter to share this.