The best toys for 9, 10, 11 and 12-year-old boys and girls
What are the best toys for 9, 10, 11 and 12-year-old boys and girls?
Children during this period continue to develop their skills at many of the sports, games, and activities from their early elementary years, however, some games become predictable and boring. Therefore, they are looking for a new range of activities to challenge their more advanced motor skills and thinking.
Instead of finished products, they often prefer raw materials for creating their own unique products. These children enjoy a variety of activities at a more complex, exacting level of performance, such as woodworking, manipulating marionettes, making pottery, staging plays, advanced science projects, and generating computer graphics. They are beginning a stage where they seek to clarify and express more complex concepts, moving from the concrete to the abstract and applying general principles to the particular.
Children in this age group like to emulate popular teen characters, sports stars, and musicians by using licensed products in which they are featured. The decisions they make are much more subject to media and peer influences than was previously the case.
I remember when I was a tween. My friend across the street and I used to play football in the schoolyard close to our home. We were always running and playing. My mother would call me for dinner but I wanted to keep playing rather than come home to eat.
My friend and I even invented our own game which we called Advance. The idea was to bounce a ball on the sidewalk and get it past the opponent while keeping the ball bouncing. I suppose it was a take on basketball except with a smaller ball.
Of course, nowadays I play on the computer not on the playing field!
Hi PJ,
Well at least you didn’t get yourself electrified and didn’t make a blackout in the entire block. the neighbors were pissed off but they didn’t know I was the reason anyway I was 3 and hopefully I wont do it again 😀
Thanks for sharing your experience with us. Hope you enjoy playing on computer as well.
Cheers
Jagulba,
Activity items are big for this age group. My son is 10 and we are doing more things outside. Keeping him off of the games is what I am trying to keep up with. He helps when I work on the car and wood projects. He has done some of the items on your list already-woodworking, marionettes, staging plays and creating power point presentations on the computer for the holidays. I like to play sports with him in the warm months. We also rides bikes together, basketball, baseball, soccer, and various yard games.
John
Hi John,
I love it when people share their personal experience, It is priceless for me. You sounds like a great dad, and I’m happy he has done all of these activity. It is important for kids to know they can create things using their hands and minds. I will be happy to see you around John.
Cheers
What great ideas! I don’t have kids of my own, but I was looking to get Christmas gifts for my nieces and my nephews and at first, I had no clue as to what to buy for them that they would actually enjoy…but now I do!
I like the pottery idea and there’s a store that’s popular in the town I live in that’s called “Purple Glaze” and I was thinking about getting them gift cards (or certificates) to this store for the holidays. Have you ever heard of this store and if so, do you believe it would be super fun for them at all?
All The Best,
Jeremy David Wilson
Hi Jeremy,
I didn’t know about it but now that I looked it seems to be a fun event. It would be even more amazing if you could take them there and also join them in painting. This would be an ultimate gift as you give them your presence. But still even you don’t go they will love to see what they can create. Great Idea Jeremy,
Cheers
I love how all your ideas are beneficial for the development of the kids. most kids just play video games. this is not as healthy as the game developers led you to believe. While some games do have a benefit.
like brain challenges most lead to an a array of other issues. when i was 12 i played outside and did video games. but really all i have to show for games is a wasted time.
Hey Joe,
Oh absolutely. Many excellent video games are ideally designed to help our children to develop skills they need to survive in life. I agree that those kids need to play outside in 3D world with their friends but playing video games are also can beneficial. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.
Cheers
How did you become so versed in children? you seem like you must have a big family. I am about to have a baby and am very excited. I am a little nervous however because it seems like so much information . and I’m scared I might do something wrong. What do you think? is it normal to feel this way?
Hi Sarra,
I have helped to raise four kids, and I have studied about the psychology of infant and how their brain develops. I now focus more on how they develop the skills they need in their life.
Congratulations on your first one, Sarra. Being nervous is completely normal, and every single one of us will go through this (remember Ross in friends). The best way is to ask a mom (relative or friend) about it. It can be your mother, your aunt or your sisters. They know you, and they care about you. They are the best source to make you feel calm and relax when you don’t know what to expect.
But let me tell you something, when you are worried that you don’t know much about your kids development, that means you care about your little one. To me, this is the whole thing, and you are going to be a great mom. You will search for the information you don’t know, and you will learn it by heart. Congratulations again Sarra.
Cheers