We all know kids love toys and one can never have too many toys, right? But is it true that toys are important for children’s development? Or is it just a marketing strategy used by these toy companies to sell their products? Well, the answer is true and it is not some ploy used by toy companies. Toys do play an important role in children’s development. How? Keep reading!
Even in early development, a child’s mind is expanding just by looking around their environment and taking in their surroundings. Ever heard the saying “children are like sponges”? They are fast learners and absorb everything so quickly, hence why we adults must always be careful with what we are saying/doing when we are with them!
The use of educational toys as early as one month old can help children learn a variety of different skills that will help them later in life! Educational toys can help them develop problem-solving skills, teach about conflict resolution, and how cause and effect work. They also teach children about sharing, developing their fine and gross motor skills, and nurtures their creativity and imagination.
Here are the benefits of age-appropriate toys give to a child.
1-12 months old: At an early stage, sensory play helps to stimulate your child’s senses. Sensory toys involving textures, sounds and bright, contrasting colours are great developmental choices for babies. As your child continues to grow and develop hand-eye coordination, you can start introducing toys that encourage more interaction. And as your little one becomes more and more active, problem-solving toys can be introduced. These toys will encourage them to learn through conflicts and become familiar with the cause and effect of how things work that will get them to think, “Oh, if I do this, then that will happen!”. Other great toys that can be introduced when your child is able to sit, push to stand independently and start to crawl are toys that promote movements.
12-24 months old: As your child reaches their 1-year mark, they will become very mobile. Introducing the right toy will help to teach them balance and coordination. This newly acquired ability to walk will also expand their curiosity as they now can get from point A to point B on their own! To make your child be familiar with numbers (even they could not really understand at this age!) is to incorporate learning numbers by counting their steps as they begin to learn to walk. Themed playsets are great educational toys to help develop your child’s recognition skills which can be introduced between the ages of 12-18 months. For instance, if you have an animal-themed playset, practice what sound does each animal makes. This will also help in language development!
2 years and above: When your child is a bit older and become more active, you can now introduce toys that promote the physical play. When introducing a scooter or tricycle, always ensure that they are aware of the safety measures such as wearing a helmet. This is also the perfect age to introduce to your child toys that encourage cognitive skill-building. There are a lot of toys that can help your child to practice writing – whether drawing or even writing their own names! A lot of games and books can also help them developing name recognition and literacy skills. Reading books that have bright, colourful pictures and a few words on the page will get your child to begin to familiarize themselves with how words they hear look on the pages!
Other than toys, technology can definitely assist with your child’s development. However, you need to have a healthy balance of learning through technology and creative play. Parents need to limit screen time and let their child’s imaginations wander creatively through playing with toys! Through playing, it also helps both parents and child to bond over a quality playing time. It will be so much fun and full of surprises as we watch them play!
