Child health advocate pitches for age-appropriate toys this Christmas

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Amid the Christmas rush, the EcoWaste Coalition echoed a child health advocate’s timely reminder to parents and godparents to pick non-toxic, age-appropriate toys, as well as to consider experiences as gifts.

Speaking at CURA, Dr. Angel Belle Dy, a child development specialist, explained the importance of choosing age-appropriate toys that support healthy development.

As a clinician with the Growing Brain PH Medical Clinic and a faculty member at the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health (ASMPH), Dr. Dy is dedicated to advancing child development practices and policies. CURA, or the Conversation on Care, Health and Healing, is a radio program of the ASMPH aired on Radyo Katipunan.

The episode last December 1, hosted by Dr. Geminn Louis Apostol and Dr. Tippy Sumpaico-Tanchanco, had Dr. Dy and Manny Calonzo of the EcoWaste Coalition as guests.

Toys are definitely more than entertainment, Dr. Dy said.

“Toys matter because they’re supposed to be tools of learning.  It’s important to know how children play and who they play it with. Through play, children build thinking skills, language, motor coordination, and emotional regulation.  The right toys at the right time support this development and invite curiosity and connection. The wrong toys can frustrate children or even have risks for development.”

Dr. Dy urged parents to be mindful of age labels, which are guides and are based on safety and developmental readiness.

Parents should be aware of “what is my child doing now and what will stretch learning,” noting “matching toys to development keeps children safe and supports learning.”

For example:
a. Infants explore with their mouths and need soft, large, non-toxic toys.
b. Toddlers are active and curious – they need sturdy toys with no small parts.
c. Preschoolers are imaginative and refining fine-motor skills.
d. School-age kids can manage more complexity.

Choking hazard risk changes with age, Dr. Dy said.

“Children under three are at highest risk for choking because they lack molars to grind food or objects, and they’re still mouthing objects.  Any toy or part smaller than a toilet paper roll – roughly 3 cm or 1 inch in diameter – is a choking hazard for this age.  Even ‘safe’ foods like grapes can choke young children.  Toys with small parts, coins, balloons, marbles – these are extremely dangerous.”

“Toys that are too advanced frustrate children and can affect their confidence.  A 2-year old given a 36-piece puzzle meant for a 5-year old even if it’s their favorite character, will just scatter it.  On the other hand, toys that are too simple will make older children get bored,” Dr. Dy said.

“Electronic toys that do everything – sing, light up, move – don’t require child participation, which limits learning,” she said. “The best toys are ‘open-ended’ – blocks, art supplies, dolls, balls, – where the child’s imagination drives the play.”

For gifts intended for a 1-year old child, Dr. Dy told parents to avoid toys with small parts, hard edges, and electronics.

“Keep it simple,” she emphasized.

The following toys are ideal for 1-year olds: sensory toys (different textures, sounds, colors like soft blocks, crinkle books, rattles); stacking and nesting toys (cups, rings, blocks that develop hand-eye coordination; push and pull toys (as they start walking); simple musical instruments (shakers, drums), board books (never too early to read together), and balls (soft, large balls for rolling and throwing).

With Christmas just around the corner, Dr. Dy urged parents and other gift-givers to think P.L.A.Y. for developmentally-appropriate toys:

P  for person. Match the toy to the child. Not the trend.  Not just the age, but what are your child’s current interests and developmental stage?  Choose accordingly.

L  for less is more.  Fewer, but high quality toys, less overwhelming for a child, more learning.

A  for active.  Keep a child actively moving or thinking.  Choose open-ended toys.  Blocks, art, dolls, balls, dress-up toys – toys that work in many ways as a child grows.

Y  for you.  Consider your part in the play.  Pick toys that encourage connection.  The best toys will invite interactions – talking about it, taking turns, imagining together.  Playing with people builds brains more than just the toy’s features.

Finally, Dr. Dy encouraged parents to consider experiences such as reading books, outdoor play time, museum visits, music classes or even a ‘date’ with a parent or lola as gifts.

“These experiences support language bonding and emotional development,” she said.

The EcoWaste Coalition encouraged parents – and other gift-givers – to keep Dr. Dy’s advice to heart and to only pick non-toxic age-appropriate toys, and to also consider experiences as gifts for children this Christmas and beyond.