As the saying goes, ‘Play is the highest form of research. – Albert Einstein.‘ They learn and explore a lot while playing. Careful and cautious selection of toys is very important if we want our kids to learn and actually enjoy their playing time. Today’s guest post is from a Mom who wants to share her thoughts about how to pick toys for your little one. Meet Melissa Stevens, a healthy lifestyle and environmentally friendly living enthusiast. She is interested in practical solutions for simpler and more convenient life, and she likes sharing them with others. Mother of one cute boy, proud pet owner, vegetarian for years, and in her spare time she is engaged in crafting, housekeeping, organizing family life and travel.
From the very moment of their birth, your children are learning something new every moment of every day. Their little minds act like sponges, soaking up the knowledge and skills from their environment. While babies find interesting everything they can touch, feel, or taste, toddlers, on the other hand, are learning faster if they are playing. As a parent, you need to be extremely careful with the way you teach them things about the world. You don’t want your children lagging behind their peers, but you don’t want to push them too hard either. Good news is there are lots of educational toys can help your children develop more quickly while both of you are having fun.
For children under six months
In the very early age babies learn primarily through observation. Therefore, you can read them from interactive baby books which have a lot of colors and maybe some interesting toys attached, for instance. They will learn how to focus on different things and pay attention to your voice later on. Perhaps you might think that, at this age, babies are too young to play, but it isn’t the case. As they love to grab things, you can buy them textured toys in different colors or one of those interactive quiet books. This way, they will learn the difference between red, blue or yellow, and smooth and rough surfaces as well. These toys are also important for building the muscle tissue properly, and developing motor skills. However, be very careful not to leave them alone with smaller items which they could easily swallow. Sucking toys are completely safe for using and they will help your baby to strengthen the jaw for the upcoming diet changes.
From six to twelve months
At this age things are starting to get very interesting and parents face many changes and challenges as well. Since babies are able to crawl (soon they will be walking too), they just love to explore the world around them, and so make sure you protect all the sharp edges and don’t let them near stairs. They will love everything that rings, sings, squeaks, rattles – pretty much anything that makes noise. Be prepared for some audio changes in your home, and be assured that it will become much louder place than it used to be. Cause-effect toys are perfect for this age, or toys which allow them to solve simple problems or create something. For instance, a little wooden pull along wagon with blocks which have letters printed on would be a great choice if you want your child to start recognizing shapes and memorizing them. This toy along with wooden bricks, ABC blocks, Abacus and other educational toys will improve your child’s memory and cognitive skills.
Older than twelve months
As your children are grown and become more observant, they will start to ask more and more questions. Their toys should offer them simple answers which are easy to understand. While dolls, puppets or stuffed animals are perfect for encouraging children`s imagination, blocks are good for developing creativity and finding new connections and building solutions. They will also learn that creating new things is more valuable than ruining them. Nesting and memory games are excellent for them because they will learn about size differences, problem solving, and logical thinking the easier way and will have fun.
Lastly, remember…
Toys alone are not enough to help your children become good people. Don’t forget to talk to them, share your life experiences and to show them how much you love them and care for their health. Every day is another chance to teach your children something new, but it is also an opportunity to remind yourself (learning again from your children`s behavior) how to appreciate life and enjoy in every moment of happiness.
