Children are learning even before they are born. Every event or experience they have is educational, so it is important that they have access to play facilities and toys that will positively contribute to their continued learning.
Play activities contribute to the educational development of a child in many ways, including:
- Development of psychomotor skills: hand-eye coordination, dexterity
- Language development
- Communication skills
- Cognitive skills: (concentration, perception, memory and logical thinking)
- Creative thinking and problem solving.
- personality development
modern toys
Today’s toy stores are full of the latest electronic toys. Many are advertised as educational, but in reality are little more than attention-grabbing, noise-making devices. Tests have shown that humans are predisposed to pay attention to rapidly changing events and to loud or unusual sounds. Many modern toys exploit these predispositions with flashing toys that grab the attention of any child. While toys like these can be fun, many actually provide limited educational value.
The right educational toys will be stimulating and fun to play with rather than just another form of entertainment. And the right educational toy for a baby is obviously very different from the educational toy that will stimulate a 10-year-old.
Babies and Infants
Babies and toddlers need things to look at, touch, shake, taste, rattle, and roll. Assorted colors, assorted textures, assorted sounds and assorted behaviors will provide immense enjoyment and stimulation to a baby and they will learn while having fun.
Young children in the 1-2 year age range are becoming familiar with language and associations with the physical world. They like to stack things up, build things up, and then tear them down again. They will often find the packaging more interesting than the item it was packed in!
The walker is a well-known traditional toy loved by young children as it helps them take their first wobbly steps. Equipped with a load of assorted bricks that allow the child to stack and build and knock down encouraging their creativity.
As they grow older, young children begin to copy and emulate the adults and older children around them. They will enjoy dress up, role playing and imaginative make-believe play that will see them adopt characters such as a fireman, postman, nurse or doctor. They will also enjoy problem solving, puzzle games, construction kits, and creative craft work.
The toy castle is another traditional toy that many of us will remember from our own childhood. Building the castle encourages the development of all kinds of skills, including manual dexterity, language skills and creativity, as the child imagines his castle occupied by knights and princesses, fighting dragons and invaders.
creative play
From a very young age, children will enjoy creating things by drawing, painting, gluing and coloring. As they get older, their drive to create becomes more and more sophisticated. They’ll want to try all kinds of creative play, from painting pictures to pottery. Fortunately, there are plenty of creative toys out there, from simple crayon sets and coloring books to beaded jewelry and flower gardens.
Don’t be deceived by the hype and advertising of supposedly educational modern toys. Many have limited educational value and are actually entertainment devices that provide little stimulation or learning opportunities. There are many traditional toys that make ideal gifts and will provide a valuable educational experience for a growing child.
