Buying toys for children can be a daunting experience, whether it's for your own children or for someone else's. Like it or not, you are faced with choosing something that can be valued for a long time, something that's ''cool" and something that provides safe and engaging play from many choices arduously promoted on television, in catalogues and in kids magazines, sometimes with questionable consequences.
Every parent has to do daily battle with the cry "I want." whenever products or items that are advertised on television or linked to the latest release movie craze, are seen in stores. These items are deliberately marketed towards children to “pester” parents to buy these items regardless of the play value they offer. After being pestered into buying the desired items, these toys are often cast into the toy box or rubbish bin within a remarkably short period of time.
So, how do you ensure your investment is wise? How can you make a quality choice? Start by searching for educational toys at Youngsters.com.au where you will find one of Australia’s most comprehensive range of educational toys. Youngsters specializes in a wide range of quality educational toys for children that are specifically designed to stimulate all areas of children’s development. Youngsters educational toy product range is used extensively in all early childhood settings to promote areas of development for children of all ages and interests.
What makes educational toys, quality toys?
Toys are the prop to promote children’s development. It's in the playing that determines just how favorable a certain toy can be for the child who is playing with it.
Educational toys quite simply don't teach cognitive skills. What they do is urge children to practice them by bringing children something to be creative and enterprising with. And that is the thing that makes educational toys and playthings essential.
From the youngest of ages, toys are what children learn from. It is in play where children learn many of the values we adults want them to carry forward into their future relationships. Play is what helps teach them that others have feelings, that sharing is a necessary social skill, that possession and ownership are rights and responsibilities. This is reflected through choices in educational toys.
Parents and other adults can get involved in playing with their children's toys too. These activities help babies exchange contact with others and builds their language skills. This helps in their development into play with their peers in pre-school, helping them understand rules of play and a sense of right and wrong.
In play, toys empower children, permitting them to control their environment temporarily and make decisions independently of adults.
How to choose the right toy?
There are a number of ways to make choices in educational toys for children. A first step might be to consider their development at playschool, pre-school or school, and make choices that help in that way.
Another consideration is to consider where the child's personal interest's lie and look in that interest area but it is also wise to keep a balance.
Building toys, construction models can foster basic physics and mathematical problems as well learning how to follow step by step instructions. They can also foster creative play and language skills if the children engage in imaginative play with blocks such as building houses roads etc. Thomas wooden railway, Knex, Baufix, Thistle bricks, Connetrix, wooden blocks, Lego, Duplo.
Imaginative play products such as dolls houses, castles, farm houses etc promote imaginative play and enables children to create stories in which they act out through the play scenes and in turn develops their understanding of how things fit into the community. Le toyvan Dolls houses, castles and farmyards. Shleich animals, Toy workshop and pirate ships.
Games promote social turn taking skills but many also develop stategic thinking in children depending on the type of game. They are also great for social interaction among fellow peers. Rush hour, Gamewright games, Blokus and Zingo.
Sand and water toys can foster an interest in mathematics through volumes and measures. Sand wheels, shovel and rake.
Books and board games that involve the use of cards can further an interest in reading and language. What’s gnu, Zingo, M is for Mouse.
Writing and art interests can be developed with phonics aids, writing products, colouring toys, model kits, craft kits and different craft mediums.
Environmental and science interests can be met with trivia games, maps and puzzles, science kits, telescopes and microscopes. Einoscience, Klutz battery science, Slime kit and Crystal growing kits.
Music choices encompass musical instruments and prerecorded music. Maracas, tambourine and instrument set.
Outdoor play with children can be encouraged with the choice of toy purchases. Many sporting activities evolve from toy purchases, and can include any number of ball games, basketball, teeball, golf sets, cricket sets, soccer, skipping ropes, kites etc.
Other toys that encourage outdoor activity might also include transport toys such as Trikes, bikes, scooters, Pedal cars and wagons, water toys and sand pit equipment. Basketball, teeball, golf set, cricket set, quoits and croquet.
Computer games
Clearly one of the most rapidly developing trends in toys, is that of computer and electronic gaming, which includes software purchases for desktop or laptop computers, Play station and X-Box gaming consoles and portable gaming products. These options provide a great many variables, with a huge number of titles available in each of the formats.
This type of play however can play against the idea of open sharing, as the computer gaming environment is often very private, and single-player oriented This can develop into sibling squabbles and selfish behaviour on the part of the game owner. If you are considering buying electronic games as a gift for a child who is not your own child, it would be wise to speak to parents first as the trend of many parents is leading away from these types of products.
Safety
Always remember safety. The most common consideration of toy safety includes strings or cords that could wrap around a young child's neck, sharp corners or protruding wires, small parts that could become loose and possibly be inhaled causing a choking risk or swallowed. Plastic bags that are large enough to be placed over a head also pose a choking risk. Battery compartments should be secured with a screw, providing a safely locked housing.
Summary
When choosing educational toys for children think about these few points first.
1. What does it do?
2. How will the child use it?
3. How many uses will it have (one use or many applications) open ended play.
4. What time frame will the child have the use of it? (1 week or 4 years)
5. Does it require a lot of adult guidance. (Age appropriateness)
6. What play value will the child gain from playing with it?
7. Is it durable?
8. Is it safe? |
