GROUPON GUIDE
Recommended Age Guidelines for Toys
BY: Editorial Staff | Jun 24, 2016
These age recommendations are approximate guidelines only. Check the specific packaging for manufacturer age recommendations.
| Age Range | What to Shop For | What to Stay Away From |
|---|---|---|
| 1-6 months | Toys designed for sensory development: colorful, textured rattles, mobiles and teethers; unbreakable mirrors | Sharp-edged toys; small objects and toys with small parts that kids can swallow; stuffed animals with loosely sewn parts |
| 7-12 months | Toys that encourage standing, crawling, and cruising; action/reaction toys; stacking, sorting, and building toys | Sharp-edged toys; small objects and toys with small parts that kids can swallow; stuffed animals with loosely sewn parts |
| 1-2 years | Easy-to-follow board books and songs; pretend toys: phones, dolls, and doll accessories; toys that encourage muscle use: large-piece puzzles, balls, and toys with knobs and levers | Sharp-edged toys; small objects and toys with small parts that kids can swallow; stuffed animals with loosely sewn parts |
| 2-3 years | Toys that encourage creative thinking and pretend play: battery-powered ride-on toys, dollhouses and accessories, and themed play sets; toys designed for physical play that help with coordination and balance | Sharp-edged toys; small objects and toys with small parts that kids can swallow; stuffed animals with loosely sewn parts |
| 3-6 years | Toys that encourage creative and imaginative play: play sets and action figures, dollhouses and accessories, battery-powered ride-on toys, cars and other remote-controlled toys; Learning toys that teach basic skills and encourage a love of learning | Sharp-edged objects like scissors, electrical toys, and remote-control toys operated without adult supervision |
| Toy Category | Age Range | |
|---|---|---|
| Dolls and Action Figures | ||
| Dollhouses and large doll furniture | 3+ years | |
| Dolls and action figures | 3/4+ years | |
| Toy trucks | 5+ years | |
| Plush dolls | 1+ years | |
| Arts and Crafts | ||
| Play sand and Play-Doh | 3+ years | |
| Easels | 3+ years | |
| Crayons, coloring books, and kids' paint | 2+ years | |
| Educational | ||
| Interactive toy tablets and smartphones | 2+ years | |
| Teaching tablets/electronics | 6+ years | |
| Kids' digital cameras | 3+ years | |
| Games and Puzzles | ||
| 4D puzzles | 5+ years | |
| Building Sets and Blocks | ||
| Oversized blocks | 3+ years | |
| Small blocks and complicated building sets/models | 6+ years | |
| Train and car tracks/sets (non-electric) | 3+ years | |
| Pretend Play | ||
| Kitchens and other household-themed play sets | 3+ years | |
| Food | 3+ years | |
| Tools and workbenches | 3+ years | |
| Money | 3+ years | |
| Cookware and cleaning products | 3+ years | |
| Dress-up clothes | 3-4 years | |
| Toddler and Baby | ||
| Rattles and teethers | 3+ months | |
| Crib and floor gyms | 0-6 months | |
| Mobiles and safety mirrors | 0-6 months | |
| Nesting and stacking toys | 6 months-1 year | |
| Push/pull and walking toys | 9 months-1+ years | |
| Blocks and pop-up toys | 1-3 years | |
| Bikes and Ride-Ons | ||
| Ride-ons and motorbikes | 3-7 years | |
| Wagons | 3+ years | |
| Wide-platform or three-wheeled scooters | 2-3 years | |
| Scooters | 5+ years | |
| Rockers | 2+ years | |
| Feet-propelled ride-ons | 1-2 years | |
| Electronics | ||
| Remote-controlled cars, drones, and planes | 8+ years | |
| Interactive and remote-controlled animals | 6+ years | |
| Outdoor | ||
| Toy guns/blasters/crossbows | 6+ years | |
| Tunnels and tents | 3+ years | |
Guide to Kids' Reading LevelsLearn about how kids read as they grow, and what types of books to look for as their reading level progresses.
