It’s true. Toys are extremely important for a kid’s overall development. Let the kids play. They need it.
Toys are not only made for the fun factor. They help in a child’s overall development. To a kid, a toy is all about fun and frolic. However, he/she unconsciously adopts different skills that help him become mature later. Thus, it is not good for parents to keep their kids away from their play stuffs and games. Moreover, internet has become the life for many kids. That’s wrong. Kids need to go out and play. The more they play, more they grow, their bodies grow. Games keep them healthy and hearty. Their minds remain fresh and they become better in whatever they do.
Now we explain why toys help in a kid’s overall development. Many a times you notice that your kids have picked up certain skills even when you have not taught them those. It is because while interacting with toys, they learn them. Those skills that are latent, are expressed when kids spend time with toys. For example, a kid will only know how to catch a ball if he has a ball and plays with it. Likewise the hand-eye coordination develops as kids play with building blocks. Lego and Duplo are the best examples of toy makers who make toys for child’s development.
Then there are certain toys that require combined effort. Such games teach the kids the benefits of working as a team. Board games teach kids that losing is only natural as winning and there’s nothing to worry about. Once they lose in a game they work harder to win the next time. Such things are important for your child. The skills that they learn from the games, they use it in other situations and that’s how they learn. There are toy cars that even make the kids learn how to drive along with traffic rules.
It is mandatory for kids to play with a ball as that encourages them to crawl, walk, run and so on. Most parents are unfortunately only worried about their kid’s academics. The ability to perform is developed when kids spend ample time playing with toys. Games that spark their imagination are amazing ways to bring out their creativity and at times even frustration. Strategizing to win, planning for future, all this is included in many toys that kids play with. These are important. No amount of academics can teach them these. Let children be children. Let them play happily.
Related articles
- Child Development Milestones | Information Center | Education.com (education.com)
- How On Earth Did I Raise Kids With Such Divergent Personalities? (themotherofnine9.wordpress.com)
Calling all childminders and nannies! Here’s an important date for your diaries – National Childminding Week, 11–17 June 2012. Organised by the National Childminding Association (NCMA), this year’s theme is Out and About.
With its emphasis on the outdoors, the theme gives NCMA members a perfect opportunity to explore the world outside, learn about different cultures and let children’s imaginations run riot!
Check out the great resources that your toy library can offer you!
Find out more and share your ideas on activities, events and resources: at the NCMA site
We’re all individuals
Young babies are fascinated by faces from a very early age, for example, focusing their attention on the simplest drawings resembling faces, as well as on the real faces they see in their daily lives. They also soon become intrigued by seeing reflections of themselves in mirrors and enjoy playing simple peep-bo games with their carers. However, some may also become anxious or apprehensive when coming across something ‘new’, such as someone wearing glasses or with a beard. It’s therefore clear that, from a very early stage, children start to develop a sense of their own individual identity, and start to become aware of some of the similarities and differences between themselves and others.
For children to have a positive sense of themselves, and to develop strong relationships with others, it’s crucial that they are able to recognise what makes them unique, and to value the similarities and differences they have with other people. Valuing the diversity of each individual, and the families and communities which they come from is therefore really important in helping to support each child’s personal, social and emotional development. In turn, this contributes to all other aspects of their learning and development.
Children are learning all the time through their environment and their experiences. Play is therefore be very important in helping them to develop positive attitudes to diversity between individuals, and between different cultures and communities. For example, a variety of toys, books and play materials can help them to recognise and respect:
- people with a range of hairstyles, skin tones, clothing and homes reflecting different ethnic groups and communities. These include books such as ‘Handa’s Surprise’, matching games such as ‘Never forget a face’ or a variety of dolls’ clothes such as a sari or shalwar kameez. These help children begin to understand the similarities and differences which make us all individuals.
- different kinds of music, musical instruments, foods, and celebrations which reflect different cultures, lifestyles and beliefs. For example, using a wok set or playing ‘bakers’ with a selection of different breads can help children to begin to understand some of the different ways in which we cook and eat; song books and recordings from around the world enable children to enjoy different rhythms and sounds and begin to recognise aspects of different celebrations.
- that both males and females do a range of jobs in the home, e.g books and puzzles showing ‘dads’ preparing food or caring for children and ‘mums’ mending the car or gardening. Encouraging both girls’ and boys’ interest in pretend play with items such as tool benches, vacuum cleaners, dolls and push chairs, helps them to begin to ‘act out’ a range of roles, including dealing with ‘technology’ , taking responsibility for their surroundings and caring for other people. All of these are essential for their future learning and personal development.
- that both women and men have a variety of jobs in the community, such as police officers, fire fighters or medical staff. For example, dressing up clothes such as tabards, helmets and medical kits encourage both boys and girls to ‘act out’ different roles and help to avoid stereotypical attitudes, e.g that firefighters are male and nurses are female.
- elderly people taking an active role family and community life, e.g. when using small figures representing different age groups in dolls house play children and adults with different abilities working, being with their families and playing. Such play materials might include dolls house figures with a wheelchairs or mobility aids, or books and pretend play ‘props’ helping children understand that many people benefit from ‘aids’ such as glasses
Through their play, and through shared use of books and stories, children are able to build on their own previous experiences at home and in their own familiar community. In addition, books and play materials all provide opportunities to extend children’s ideas by introducing things that they might not see elsewhere, such as images of people living on narrow boats, or wearing unfamiliar styles of clothing. Incorporating these things positively and naturally helps children to be confident of their own identity, respectful of other peoples, and aware of everybody’s potential to make a positive contribution to the world around them.
Mar
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shepshed-Toy-Library/254865121704
Nov
