The range of toys for both girls and boys (such as Schleich action figures) is now so vast that parents may be at a loss to know what to buy. The answer may be a mix of both traditional types of toys and some modern ones incorporating new designs and materials. This article provides some suggestions for boys' toys that can help their development as well as provide fun.

There are those who say that the only difference between boys and men is that men have more expensive toys. In this day and age it seems that even boys' toys have become more expensive and more sophisticated than ever before.Traditionally, boys' toys have been centred around the interests and pursuits of the adult male to a large extent, so toys like cars, boats, motor-bikes, gadgets, guns and so on would be popular. Another whole category of toys for boys includes the type that are geared towards making something, either from simple building bricks, or more complicated plastic pieces of various shapes that can lock together like Lego. These kits are remarkable in the range of different things that can be made from them, and the amount of creativity they can stimulate. For the older boy there are even kits of simple electronic gadgets and radios available now.Another are of play that most boys have enjoyed is to do with models, either of animals or people. Such models (such as from Schleich) can be built into sets or settings that mirror real life, and allow the child's imagination to take hold and create stories and scenarios. Favourites among boys, inevitably, are toy soldiers or other action figures that enable them to act out scenes of war. Schleich,for instance produces models of figures including the world of mediaeval knights, and the world of the American Indian. There are also sets of wild animals and of dinosaurs, with each model being very detailed and realistic, whilst at the same time being suitably robust. Any boys who have read about the Knights of the Round Table, or other stories of bravery and chivalry of the mediaeval knights, will be interested in the Schleich set of knights which includes many different colourful figures as well as a castle. Mention must be made of course of computer games which, once discovered by a boy, can be tremendously addictive, and can take hold at an early age. Such games are not to be perhaps, encouraged too much, since they are one-dimensional, usually of the shoot'em up variety. They may help develop a child's reaction times but do not do much to stimulate creative thinking. There are some very good mathematical games online for children, but alas, given the choice, they seem to prefer to shoot aliens.Train sets are of course one of the top favourite toys of boys of all ages. Model train sets have an enduring fascination for many boys, even from a very young age. Some boys will progress from a simple set of large scale trains to smaller, more detailed, and much more comprehensive sets over time. Given the requisite space, a well set up train set will give hours of fun for both father and son.A child's natural inclinations and interests will tend to guide the parent in choosing toys to buy, but in general it is the toys that have stood the test of time that are often the best. Such toys, such as Schleich action figures, are satisfying to play with, engage a child's mind, whilst perhaps also helping them develop physical or manual dexterity. Primarily, of course, boy's toys should be fun. After all, children are only young once, aren't they?