by Kessie Carroll

Created on: May 26, 2009   Last Updated: May 29, 2009

How do you know if your child is gifted? Here are a few signs to look for:

Does your child constantly get into everything? Does he make large messes? Does he get tired of his toys easily?

All of these are signs of a busy, intelligent mind that craves new stimulation to help it develop. What sorts of toys will stimulate your toddler without boring him?

The simplest toys are the best. Any child will play with light-up electronic toys for a few minutes, then tire of them. The trouble with electronic toys is that their use is limited. You can't turn them into something else or change the music that they play. This is why things like blocks and play dough are so great. They change every time you play with them, and you can continually change their form and function.

Toddlers are tactile learners: they must touch, smell and taste everything in order to learn about it. Play dough is great in this regard, especially the edible kind. The child can squish it, smash it, mold it, and cut shapes out of it, then roll it all up and start over. The edible play dough insures a child won't get sick if he tastes some of it.

Balloons are another fun toy. A child can throw them across the room and bat them in the air without running the risk of breaking the furniture. Playing with a balloon, especially with a parent, builds hand-eye coordination, and teaches them how to catch and throw.

Colored pencils or crayons are another great toy. Teach your toddler to color on loose sheets of paper and never anywhere else, such as in books and on walls. Even the most active of children will have their quiet moments, when they are content to sit and unleash their budding creativity. It is important to introduce a child to art supplies from an early age, as it trains them in the correct way to hold a pencil, and teaches color recognition.

The lowly cardboard box is another fine toy. Any box large enough for the child to sit in will do. The box immediately becomes a secret fort, a car, a turtle shell, and endless other things. Make sure to check the box for sharp staples, however.

Lego bricks and alphabet blocks are also great for toddlers. Lego has the Duplo line, which are over sized bricks that are easy for small children to grasp and stick together. Alphabet blocks are fun to stack and build things with, and also familiarize the child with the shapes of the letters. It also gives Mom or Dad a great way to teach them the alphabet and the sounds each letter makes.

Last but not least are books. Research shows that reading to your child from a young age builds vocabulary and comprehension, not to mention enables them to talk at an earlier age. Nursery rhymes and books with rhymes, like Dr. Seuss books, are especially noted for this. It may take a few tries to build your child's attention span up to completing a whole book, but in the end it pays off. Your child will be able to sit and follow a story all the way through, a valuable ability later on in school.

So don't despair as you look at all the flashy, expensive toys in the stores. Your child will tire of those anyway. Invest in toys that your child will really enjoy: the simple, reusable toys that children have enjoyed for generations.

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