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Open-Ended Toys That Will Make Your Child Put Down the Tablet

3 min read
Open-Ended Toys That Will Make Your Child Put Down the TabletOpen-Ended Toys That Will Make Your Child Put Down the Tablet

Open-ended toys turn playtime into learning. They can use their endless imagination to create and narrate their own little world.

How much is too much screen time for children? Well, there’s no one right answer, especially during this ongoing pandemic. You may still want to set limits to the amount of time they spend on their tablets or computers, but they don’t need to be too rigid. You can mix up your child’s screen time routine with other offline options. Open-ended toys are great alternatives, and they are every bit as exciting as the tablet. 

What are open-ended toys?

open-ended toys

Open-ended toys are toys that can be played in many different ways. They don’t dictate how the child should play.

The same toy could be given to five different children, and each would play with the toy in a different way depending on their imagination, developmental ability and personal interests.

For example, pretend food, wooden building blocks and action figurines. And the same toy can be played with by children of different ages, whether it’s a toddler, a preschooler or beyond.  

Benefits of open-ended toys

Open-ended toys are amazing for children’s development. They benefit children in a number of ways, namely:

  • Creativity and imagination

Since open-ended toys don’t come with a fix set of rules on how to play with them, children are allowed to fully unleash their creativity to its fullest. They are free to express their imaginations and make their own decisions on how they play.

  •  Social-emotional development

Open-ended toys create fantastic opportunities for children to learn courteous social behaviour and how to consider their friends’ emotions during playtime. For instance, children learn how to work with others to create a make-believe scenario with their dolls.  

  •  Become open to learn new concepts

Playing with open-ended toys can help children become inquisitive learners. If, for example, they bring their animal figurines to play at the park, it might stimulate their interest to learn about the birds that fly past or the types of flowers they see there.   

Types of open-ended toys for all ages

Here are some great open-ended toys and resources to choose from (sorted into different categories of play):

1. Sensory play

open-ended toys
open-ended toys

- Pop fidget

- Kinetic sand

- Cloud dough

- Playdough

- Slime

- Dish soap

- Fabric (e.g. felt, silk, muslin)

- Pantry items (e.g. rice, pasta, beans, food dye)

2. Construction play

open-ended toys
open-ended toys
open-ended toys
open-ended toys

- Lego

- Duplo

- Magnetic tiles

- Mobilo

- Wooden blocks

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- Jenga blocks

- Trainset

- GRIMM’s blocks

- Gluckskafer slats

- Bristle blocks

- Rainbow blocks

3. Pretend play

Open-Ended Toys That Will Make Your Child Put Down the Tablet
Open-Ended Toys That Will Make Your Child Put Down the Tablet

- Costumes

- Fabrics

- Dolls

- Doll house

- Puppets

- Cardboard

- Pretend food and dinnerware

- Toy cash register

4. Fine motor play

Open-Ended Toys That Will Make Your Child Put Down the Tablet
Open-Ended Toys That Will Make Your Child Put Down the Tablet

- Scoops and spoons

- Playdough

- Tweezers

- Threading activities

- Gardening

- Getting dressed with buttons and zippers

- Perler beads

5. Small world play

Open-Ended Toys That Will Make Your Child Put Down the Tablet
Open-Ended Toys That Will Make Your Child Put Down the Tablet

- Toy vehicles

- Animal figurines

- Dolls

- Miniature furniture

- Felt playmats

- Natural objects (e.g. shells, pebbles)

6. Cognitive play

Open-Ended Toys That Will Make Your Child Put Down the Tablet
Open-Ended Toys That Will Make Your Child Put Down the Tablet
Open-Ended Toys That Will Make Your Child Put Down the Tablet

- Puzzles

- Matching games

- Logic games (e.g. Chocolate Fix, Kanoodle, ColorKu)

- MathLink cubes

- Dominoes

- Rainbow Pebbles (a sorting and classifying activity set)

- Magnetic counting chips

This article has been republished with permission from Kiddy123.

Disclaimer: You are not allowed to share this article on any other website or on Facebook without providing proper credit and the original article link on theAsianparent Malaysia website.

Read more: How to choose the right toys

Read more: 7 Things to remember before buying toys for your children

Read more: Engage Your Kids With Child Brain Development Activities. Here's How.

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

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