It is a fact that children love toys, but do toys influence child development? In addition to being a source of fun and play, toys can provide children with several learning opportunities. If you are looking for the best toys that money can buy, choose those that can engage the senses, encourage them to interact with other people and unleash their imagination.
How do toys affect children’s lives?
Young children and babies are naturally curious because they have so much to learn about the world they live in. Every encounter with a new sound, taste, texture, colour and shape is a learning experience. With this in mind, it would be logical to give them toys that stimulate their senses.
Infants
Musical toys and rattles are usually favourites among babies, as are toys with bright colours. As they grow, babies can learn object permanence and cause and effect from playing with their toys. At this stage, giving them toy cubes can help develop their eye-hand coordination and motor skills. A variety of different toys suitable for children under 1 year can be found here.
Toddlers
More variety can be added as they grow into toddlers. They can still enjoy the same toys as when they were babies, and there’s nothing wrong with that. As their knowledge and skills improve, you should also offer them toys that are age appropriate. For example, puzzles are great for their age. Using these toys, parents can guide their toddlers on how to match similar objects or shapes and learn about colors. A variety of different toys suitable for children between 1 and 3 years can be found here.
Preschooler and school aged
When preschool and school age are reached, parents can focus on teaching their children language skills, letters and numbers. Many toys, ranging from simple to high-tech, are designed to stimulate this kind of learning. For example, you can prepare your children for what they will learn at school by exposing them to fun and educational toys at home. Art easel sets are great for learning numbers and letters.
The counting and matching sets allow colour and number recognition, counting skills, stacking and sorting by shapes, all in one wooden toy. As soon as they start their primary education, toys will give children the opportunity to practice the things they have learned at school, reinforcing what they have learned, and increasing their interest in these things.
The fact is that children can learn a lot just from playing with toys. Playing with them is also a great opportunity to create a bonding moment, guide them through the learning process and most importantly – have fun! Making education enjoyable will create a positive attitude towards learning, a key skill that will benefit them when they become adults.
How do toys stimulate babies?
Many experts agree that play is a vital part of children’s development. It affects their linguistic, emotional, social and cognitive development. The type of toys they play with also influences their personality traits as some toys will encourage aggressive play while others will encourage solitary play, bystander play, parallel play, associative play or cooperative play. Just like adults, babies and toddlers are like scientists – they test different ideas, create hypotheses, evaluate results or even try to solve problems using their toys.
It is also important for parents to understand that in addition to giving their babies toys, the type of toy, how they use it and who they play with is also very important. According to many studies, it is often found that the more elementary the toy, the better it is for them. The toys that may seem the most interesting and coolest, like those with screens, sounds and lights, may actually be less useful to young children. Simple or basic toys with few open-ended play options can stimulate problem solving and creative thinking in children, and these are the features we want to see in them.
At what age do children begin to lose interest in toys?
Play is vital to building a child’s emotional development. Although each child has different play patterns, those aged 2 to 6 are usually drawn to it. Just like adults, children have different thinking patterns every day, but there are many similarities as to why children lose interest in playing with toys.
The toys are made with a specific design and a specific purpose. When your child gets bored of this goal, the toy will no longer be attractive to him. Once the purpose of the toy is exhausted, the child may not want to use it anymore or even use his imagination to play with it.
Children tend to get bored of their toys very quickly and there are many reasons for this. Don’t worry, because below are some solutions that will help make your kids’ playtime more enjoyable.
- Overstimulation. If your kids have too many toys, it can overwhelm them and cause them to leave some toys behind. Try stashing some of the toys and swapping them out from time to time.
- Child development is rapid. Children grow up at a rapid pace. Their brains also grow quickly. By the time they are between the ages of 1 and 3, their brains have reached 80% of adult volume. Because of this rapid growth, they may get bored of certain toys in just a few days, but try to look at this as a good sign. To keep them from losing interest in their toys, consider alternating them over time.
- The toys are inappropriate for their age. The age of your children is a major factor in how much they will enjoy playing with a toy. When buying toys, pay attention to the age group suggested by the manufacturer, the cognitive development of your children and whether they already have the necessary skills to play with them. For example, if your baby is still struggling with grasping objects, you may need to give him building blocks at a later age.
- Parental involvement. Parents are usually children’s first partners, but for children to learn, parents must learn to give them time and space. Many experts agree that it is very important to let your child play with a toy independently before helping him. This will encourage your children to communicate with you and help develop their problem solving skills and creativity.
So, do toys affect child development? Every child is unique, and it’s not surprising that they occasionally lose interest in some of their toys. Don’t worry. When buying toys, consider the factors we mentioned earlier to get a better idea of what toys they’ll go crazy for. If you’re looking for toys that are age-appropriate, unique, fun, safe and educational, there’s sure to be something you’ll love at Foxyni !