During playtime, children develop learning strategies, critical thinking skills and a foundation for life-long competencies and interests. Watching your kids at play clearly reveals that learning is a developmental process. At six months or six years, children's days are well spent, hard at work - at play.
As a parent, it is your responsibility to search for the most educational and developmentally appropriate toys for your children, in a wide range of categories. The job may be easier by looking at toys from several perspectives. From the vantage point of your children, they need to match their interests and ages. From your end, factors to consider are your values, principles - and the family budget.
When making a purchase, consider if the toy has star potentials. Take into account consistency of play value and whether the toy offers an extension of your child's creative and imaginative bent. A good toy encourages a child to experiment and explore without limit!
When looking for appropriate kids toys, it helps to keep the following things in mind:
o It is important to remember that boys and girls do differ in toy preferences and yet they can enjoy many of the same products. Playthings need to fit developing mental skills. They should foster awareness, appreciation and involvement in creative processes.
o Toys can help children better understand their neighbors. They can help understand and respect similarities and differences in today's world.
o A toy's quality and staying power is determined by its ability to withstand active use. Remember to choose toys with broad appeal and are not only worth the investment, but your child plays with them again and again.
o A company that guarantees a product's safety establishes important consumer credibility. Labeling needs to be easily understood and should include age grading and valuable information. Kids toys should be technically well produced.
o There are toys that can help children understand new concept or develop new skills. Your child's understanding of wildlife, science or the environment can be enriched. Toys which encourage and support physical activity and development contribute to a child's health and growth. Consider if the toy is innovative and original. If the toy does something familiar, but in a different way, or whether it offers something never seen before, then it is interesting.
With the variety of choices that kids have today, they have more exposure to really learn a lot and grow. You as a parent should keep your children invested in worthwhile toys. There is a lot to be gained by participating in play, imagination - and talk.
Opportunities during which your children can lead, cooperate and feel successful now become powerful vehicles for socialization. The play abilities children have formed will become the social and emotional underpinnings of school readiness, as well as contribute to behavior management and self-control. Kids toys must not only enhance a child's play experiences, but be fun, too! It is a tall order, but these tangible, yet elusive qualities are essential in all children's playthings.
