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Select toys and games to create a balanced diet for play at every age and stage of development. Review your Parenting Guide Map to see.
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5-8 School Years
As your child grows into the school years, the nature of play changes and matures. Your child will still engage in lots of dramatic and creative play, but it will be more complex and elaborate than before. You’ll want to offer your child a play space to encourage more elaborate imaginary story crafting. As your child’s world widens to include school and the neighborhood, her dramatic play will broaden to include play involving recreation and relaxation, similar to your adult play. That’s why you’ll want your toy choices to include sports equipment and family games that involve physical skills and that encourage social interaction.
Parenting your 5-8 year-old child Eventually your child’s dramatic play gives way to a desire for thinking toys and activities such as puzzles, math games, logic games, board games, card games, books, and music that help children imagine and visualize (paint mental pictures). As your child begins to master simple academic skills - reading, writing, computation, telling time, and measurement skills - she’ll apply these skills and concepts to the games you play together - giving you the ideal opportunity to applaud her growing knowledge base. Try interacting with your child through crafts, games and construction activities that have a clear beginning, middle and ending. That way, your child can learn planning and execution skills that build self-confidence for a lifetime of playful learning.  
Look for these products in our shopping cart! L-R: One Odd Old Owl and Play to Be Safe.
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