Educational toys: how to choose and buy at a good price
Start with age and skill, not the name of the toy
An educational toy is useful only when it matches what your child can do now. A busy board with locks and latches is interesting for a two-year-old, but may only annoy an eighteen-month-old. For babies under one year, large bright objects that are safe to put in the mouth work well, while older preschoolers enjoy mazes, puzzles and counting sets.
So first decide what you are training: fine motor skills, speech, logic, colours or counting. That decides the type of toy: a sorter, a mat, a busy board, an activity centre or an interactive Montessori-style toy.
What to put in your request
- type of toy — busy board, sorter, play mat, activity centre;
- your child's age — in months or years, for example 1.5 years;
- what it develops — fine motor skills, speech, logic, counting;
- material — wood, plastic or fabric;
- size — important for busy boards and mats, in centimetres, for example 50×60 cm;
- features — sound, light, batteries, language of the voice;
- brand, for example Fisher-Price, if you have a favourite;
- condition, budget and delivery city.
Example: “I need a wooden busy board for a 1.5-year-old to practise fine motor skills. Roughly 50×60 cm, with no small parts that unscrew. New, budget up to ₹2,000, delivery to Hyderabad.”
What to look at when choosing
Wood is usually sturdier and nicer to touch, but heavier. Plastic is lighter and washable, but cheap models smell and have sharp seams. Ask for close-up photos, and ask what the surface is coated with and whether there is a safety certificate for the age you gave.
For toys with sound, ask about the volume and whether it can be switched off: parents often regret not asking. If you need a voice in a particular language, say so plainly.
New or used
Children quickly outgrow educational toys, so there are plenty of used ones in good condition. Before buying, ask for photos of all the parts: in a sorter set it is easy to lose one shape, and then it loses its point. Ask for plastic and fabric to be disinfected or washed before dispatch.
How it works on BlaBlaPrice
You describe what you are looking for once, and sellers reply in the chat: what they offer, the price, how they will send it. On BlaBlaPrice the offer with the best value is shown first, and reviews of the seller are visible next to each one. Contacts are hidden and are opened only to the one you choose. Details are on the “How it works” page.
For a different age or format, also look at construction sets, arts & crafts kits or soft toys.
