All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy could also mean choosing the right toy for your child. Choosing just any toy that catches your child’s fancy without considering its educational benefits could spell the difference between good and bad start of your kid’s learning process. Since play is an integral part of your child learning process, you have to make sure that the toys you buy do not spoil the fun and disrupt your child’s learning and development.
If you are planning to give your child or someone else’s kid a toy, the following criteria will help you choose the appropriate toy.
1. Choose toys that encourage strategic use of their imagination.
2. Select toys that pose a positive challenge for them. This type of toy gives a sense of accomplishment after successfully completing the task.
3. Choose toys that will give children an enjoyable experience and love what they are learning.
Every child is inherently curious, they are natural learners. How often has your child asked you with a barrage of questions on just about anything with the assertiveness of a lawyer? How often did you feel like a witness under cross examination? As a parent, you should make the most out of those moments when your child’s curiosity is at work.
Satisfy your child’s curiosity by giving sincere answers to his questions about nature, animals, and characters in fairy tales. Your responses and explanations provide them with basic understanding of the world around us. Educational toys enforces understanding as it allows your child to experience first hand what you have explained to him.
Children are natural learners, however, this does not necessarily mean that their needs are the same. Their speed of development varies making it incumbent on parents to be a little more careful in choosing toys that corresponds to their child’s individual development. Children’s needs change with their age and with their differing abilities.
For babies and infants, toys that will stimulate their sight, touch and hearing is advised. Babies need toys which they can easily grip and must have strong contrasting colors to help them distinguish between patterns and objects. On the other hand, toddlers will find educational toys that develops their hand to eye coordination. Puzzles and building blocks will be appreciated since toddlers like to manipulate objects.
By the time a child is 2 or 3 years old, creative play or role playing will prove helpful in developing his imagination, language skills and emotional behavior. At this stage, girls love dressing up. At 4 or 5 years old, a child shifts to cognitive play which involves his decision making and problem solving skills. Upon reaching school age, games with rules take the place of cognitive and creative play.
Start laying the groundwork for your child’s scientific, mathematical, language and physical skills by providing him with carefully chosen toys. Start learning and playing with toys not because you are still a kid at heart but because you have a child dear to your heart.
About the Author:
For more tips and information about
educational toys
, check out
http://www.thekidstoystore.com/science-kits.html
.
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Educational Toys Not Too Late For Parents to Toy With Developmental Toys
| | Wooden Shape Sorter and Colour Matching Game. Made from Sustainable Rubber Wood. Environmental and Educational Wooden Toys for Boys or Girls. Ideal for Toddlers. £17.79 Shape sorting with a difference! This wooden shape sorter has six colourful and different shape puzzles on a natural wooden base board. This is a puzzle of two halves – literally, as the corresponding halves of each shape is matched together and then the right hole needs to be found to fit them into. Great for differentiating colors, shapes and forms.Parents can guide children to recognise the dif… |
| | Pintoy Wooden Square Table £56.66 Ideal addition to your child’s bedroom or nursery furniture. A totally unique piece of child furniture that will provide your kids with hours of fun watching their favourite TV programmes. This wonderful 4 wooden farmyard animal chairs and table set is attractive and features brightly painted and very cute animals on the backrest. The chairs are ideal for seated play activity and is bound to enh… |
| | Pintoy Tiger Chair £23.96 60.05908 This beautiful animal chair is made from replenishable rubber wood (which means it’s eco friendly) with incredible detailing; this chair would fit perfectly in any room, nursery or school. Features: -Durable wood. -Incredible detail. -Comes in tiger face. -Perfectly in any room, nursery or school. -Ages: 3 years and up. -Assembly required…. |
| | Babyboomboom CD French £9.89 Babyboomboom multi-lingual musical CD in French and English. Babyboomboom CDs are designed to familiarise little ones with the sounds of a second language whilst having fun! Each CD features well-known songs and nursery rhymes with a verse sung in English, followed by a verse in a French. Currently there are 5 languages in the range – French, Spanish, Italian, German and Polish – as well as Ban… |
| | Babyboomboom CD Spanish £9.69 Babyboomboom multi-lingual musical CD in Spanish and English. Babyboomboom CDs are designed to familiarise little ones with the sounds of a second language whilst having fun! Each CD features well-known songs and nursery rhymes with a verse sung in English, followed by a verse in a second language. Currently there’s 5 languages in the range – French, Spanish, Italian, German and Polish – as well a… |
| | Babyboomboom CD Polish £9.89 Babyboomboom multi-lingual musical CD in German and Polish. Babyboomboom CDs are designed to familiarise little ones with the sounds of a second language whilst having fun! Each CD features well-known songs and nursery rhymes with a verse sung in English, followed by a verse in Polish. Currently there are 5 languages in the range – French, Spanish, Italian, German and Polish – as well as Band Bag… |
| | Educational Wooden Toys : Number flat puzzle 12months + £0.29 A number lift out puzzle designed from 1 years onwards. Each number has an attached picture to aid learning of numbers and values. Approximate size 30cm x 21.5cm… |
| | Tool Carrycase £1.25 … |
| | Shopping List £4.91 … |
| | Kids Handheld Touchscreen Leapster Learning Game System … |
| | Boogaloo Carlo Cow Booga-Bud Stuffed Animal Educational Toy $11.84 Give your kids a fun and friendly way to learn about their face with this Carlo Cow Booga-Bud stuffed animal. This educational toy from Boogaloo will name parts of his face as you place his hand over them. |
| | Boogaloo Sharon Sheep Booga-Bud Stuffed Animal Educational Toy $11.84 Sharon Sheep will teach you about the body features in her own funny way. This fun educational toy teaches you the names of your body parts by saying them when you move her hand in front of them. |
| | Melissa & Doug Stack and Sort Butterfly $21.99 Explore shape, color and sequence with the world’s most patient butterfly! Your toddler will experience great fun and satisfaction when sorting and stacking these colorful wooden shapes. |
| | Boogaloo Chelsea Chick Booga-Bud Educational Stuffed Animal Toy $11.84 Chelsea Chick is a cuddly doll that emits light for those dark intimidating nights. She will help your baby through those tough times while cuddled up with her by lighting up when pressed. |
| | PS2 – Konami Kids Playground: Toy Pals Fun with Numbers $9.89 Part of a series of games designed for the pre-K market, Konami Kids Playground offers toddlers a fun way to learn important basics like numbers and letters, colors and shapes while also promoting a healthy, active lifestyle. One game mat works with al… |
| | The 10 Color Book (Board) $10.74 It`s a book. It`s a toy. It`s a book to play with. It`s an education. (It`s a perfect gift.) Kids love colorful, tactile objects they can hold and play with. And they love matching puzzle shapes together. Combine these elements in an ingeniously design… |
| | Felted Animal Puppets (Nepal) $24.49 Cheppu Himal helps support education in Nepal. These adorable, hand-felted wool puppets are perfect for children of all ages. |
| | Making Toys for Infants and Toddlers $14.36 What do you get when you combine a large appliance box, a garbage bag, tape, a craft knife, and markers? A mini car wash for toddlers, of course! This series is a teacher`s dream! You`ll find more creative ways to use a tube sock, milk carton, and othe… |
