Did you know that a 12 year old brain has stopped growing in size! That doesn’t mean it’s stop developing. In fact, it’s FAR from finished doing that.
By age 12, young ones can pick up on the tone of a conversation and are able to join in with more adult things like sarcasm, slang, and idioms. But they are still likely to struggle with impulse control and getting themselves organised as this part of the brain is still maturing.
There is so much going on physically too, but we don’t think you need us to go into that. Lets just say, it’s A LOT! We’ll leave it there.
But what about what we are good at, the right toys, puzzles, and games for the right person. We do have a lot to say here.
For a Twelve year old, family time is still very important. Having a loving environment that maintains routines help maintain a feeling of stability. The Toy Wagon team really believe that family time which includes play is vital to keep healthy relationships.
If your Tween is struggling with some moody behaviour, we find sharing time over a puzzle can give a bit of calm to a potentially stormy time. Even if the puzzle is done in silence.
Of course, any 12 year old will need to get outside and get physical activity, but it’s likely they’ll be looking to do that with their peers. So for a more raucous family activity, believe it or not, family game night should not be overlooked. From talking with a number of the families who shop at The Toy Wagon, we know that a number of you out there make your own “Family Rules” for different games. Maybe it’s time your 12 year old got to set some of those too. You might be surprised with the unique rules they create.
We also strongly recommend supporting increased interests in hobbies. Activities that can be engrossing and provide quite moments that give a busy mind some time off. Craft kits and activity books make a fantastic gift.
