Importance of Educational Toys in Early Childhood

Children from the time they are born are sponges when it comes to their ability to constantly learn through interaction and play when using an educational toy as foundation. These toys help promote a child to develop all of their senses, they will start to understand that there are colors, objects have different textures and shapes, and even help them start the process of learning the alphabet and numbers. By exposing your child starting from the time they are infants will ensure that they learn early and pique their curiosity to learn more the older they get and the more advanced toys they are exposed to.

Children from an early age are encouraged to have playtime, research has proven playtime to be vital when it comes to a child’s development at home. Children play in many different ways and toys allow them to become engaged with what they are playing with and in the end learn a new set of skills and logic through the toy.

When considering educational toys for kids the most important factor is to realize that there are many different types. Consideration must be made with regard to the fact that they are uniquely made depending on the child’s age and the pace at which they learn. This is especially important since children starting as infants learn in a sequence and attempting to provide them with a toy way beyond their means of actually grasping the education benefit will provide no use.

Infants, for example, are not as developed as toddlers and need an educational toy that will stimulate their touch, hearing and sight. Most toys made for infants are very colorful, bright and full of an assortment of shapes and textures. These types of toys introduce infants to a world they are not used to and build a foundation for their development. A toddler on the other hand is more likely to engage in pretend play attempting to mimic the grown up actions you do so providing them with toys that allow them to interact with your activities are most beneficial.

Whether your child is an infant or a toddler using a toy for education purposed is one of the most important things a parent can do, your child’s education is very important and every parent wants to give their child the knowledge and assets to excel now and in the future.

Educational Children’s Games

One of the most fun ways a child can develop and grow is through playing board games that have educational value. This engages the child; they are both having a good time with family and friends and learning about various things, depending on the game which they are playing.

One of the best and most enjoyable examples of an educational children’s game is Apples to Apples Junior. This game uses wild card comparisons which are fantastic at improving a child's creative thinking skills and vocabulary. 

Essentially, there is a category each round, and the child must simply pick the card out of their stack that they think best represents the category. This game is not only easy to play but is fast paced and will keep everyone on their toes.

Another award winning game that is also a favorite with the kids is Cranium Cadoo. With this game, kids either work on their own or within a group doing all sorts of various outrageous and fun filled activities. The kids draw, sculpt, and solve puzzles, and act, all the while using a "secret decoder mask" to discover hidden answers. The first kid to get four answers in a row wins.

Another game with educational value for preschool aged children is Boggle Jr. This game will help teach children both reading and spelling in a fun, affective way. It also teaches word recognition, grouping, sorting, and even sharing with friends.

There are also the more classic adult thinking games that have now been converted into children’s games, such as Pictionary Jr. and Scrabble Jr. Pictionary Jr. teaches children to think on their feet. It also strongly teaches communication skills and teamwork. Scrabble Jr. has the ability to greatly expand your child's vocabulary. With Scrabble Jr. your child will be forming long words while competing and having fun doing it.

One newer children’s game that has come out has to do with trivia. It is called Beat the Parents and is great for not only parent child bonding, but learning about pop culture and other historical events from a different age. Essentially, the children quiz parents about things in their day and time and vice versa for the parents. The game has had great reviews from both parents and kids.  

Educational Children’s Games are important for making learning fun and engaging for all kids.

Educational Toys: Making Learning Fun for Children

Making learning fun has been a topic of discussion within the educational field for many years. Children seem to be less focused on learning tasks, leading to case studies for learning disabilities, as well as showing more interest in video games and sources that provide very little in the way of educational purposes. However, learning centers are a teaching method that has found a way to make learning fun for children by using educational toys .

Learning centers vary based upon grade level, student needs, teaching styles and other factors. It is very likely that no two centers look the same, but will typically focus on similar goals. Centers are designed to reinforce prior learning in the classroom, challenge students with new ideas or skills and to allow student interaction and fun. Learning centers take a holistic approach to teaching.

Teachers likely take varying approached to implementing learning centers in their classroom, but they will typically include a few key elements. There should be 3 to 4 centers throughout the classroom, students will work in groups at each center, at least one center should include educational toys and students should be working on prior and new skill sets. How these centers will look more specifically, depends on how the teacher evaluates their students.

Educational toys are a great resource for making learning fun. They work great for classroom settings, as well as continuing learning at home. Because there are educational toys that really are fun, children will enjoy playing with them on a regular basis. 

Baby-conscious Retrofits Hit Home For New Parents

Most parents fear too much TV will harm their children. But they couldn't have predicted how the idiot box is injuring offspring all over the country. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, a federal regulatory board, children climbing on shelves and tables seriously injure themselves 8,000 to 10,000 times per year. And one specific type of injury—TV collapses—is on the rise. Kids furniture is often small and bottom-heavy so toddlers can't do much damage. But modern televisions are completely front-heavy—tough, heavy screens mounted to flimsy plastic stands—and very easy to tip.

Hidden dangers and accidents keep parents up at night and, thankfully, are easily preventable. Parenting publications have examined certain simple retrofits that can help protect the modern home. These are not your old plastic socket covers and sink-cabinet pull-latches. A few DIY additions can give you peace of mind that, no matter what your baby gets into, they get out of it ok.

Tie Back The TV: Most modern TVs can be mounted or fastened to keep it from tipping. Others can be placed in an entertainment center, behind closed doors. One thing parents should never do is place their new flat screen on a low, free-standing table that a toddler can climb onto.

Think Like A 2-Year-Old: Babies are very tactile in their explorations. They want to touch everything. And no room in the house has more soft things than the bedrooms. According to the owners of Safe And Sound Babyproofing, a Calgary-based retrofit service, most parents buy expensive baby furniture, shake it a bit to find its stability and think it is ok. But if you think like a 2-year-old, the best way to reach high places is to stand on the bottom drawer of any dresser. Most dressers, when put up against this test, will tip over. Checking your baby furniture before you buy against these safety concerns will save you many headaches in the future.

Mind The Blinds: A surprising number of children are strangled each year by mini-blinds, Safe and Sound reports. Children play with them, get them wrapped around their necks and choke. One simple fix is to install a cable wrapping hook that lets you tie back your blind cables when they are in use. This 50-cent piece of plastic can save you tons of worry down the line.

Buying a Play Kitchen May Help Your Child's Development

If your child comes home with an imaginary friend or wants to pretend he's in a fantasy world, it's probably not a good idea to discourage it. Children have had pretend friends and played kitchen for a long time and this may help their growth. According to numerous studies, imaginative and pretend play aid in the cognitive development of children. These children are more adept at functioning in a social setting and conceptualizing complex ideas. There are multiple reasons for this.

Pretend play allows children to play with one another and act out in a role. This encourages children to engage in social interaction and learn how to act with others. It creates empathy within the children because these children who are playing pretend are acting like someone else. They are putting themselves in someone else's shoes, which may help them accept differences in others. One WSJ article chronicling a few studies on early childhood development stated how those with autism don't usually pretend play and were less able to function in a social setting. Researchers are figuring whether there is a connection here.

Moreover, educational toys like a play kitchen help your children make sense of reality. It's hard for children to understand how things work. A play kitchen allows the child to become an active participant. He or she can run wild with his or her imagination and pretend it's a real life kitchen with ingredients and cooking pans. Once the child uses his pretend kitchen enough, he will be able to apply what he experienced to what he sees in a real kitchen. Toys that support pretend play and imagination are beneficial tools to foster this growth.

The Importance of Reading to Children

Reading to your children is a primary element in helping their development, in forming a close bond with them and directing them towards personal and academic growth. Reading to your children is a healthy habit that you are able to form from the time they are born; studies have shown that infants are soothed by the sound of their parent's voice. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) "strongly recommends reading to children every day, starting after they are first born," because "reading stimulates the development of the brain, language and a closer emotional relationship with a child." As children develop, the reading process will become more interactive as they can follow along and begin asking questions for understanding.

Unfortunately many educators today are experiencing that children from various backgrounds are coming to school having never been read to before. It's not just children from lower income homes, but children from privileged homes as well who are spending more time in front of the television set, not interacting with their parents and siblings on a regular basis. Parents play a significant role in either encouraging or hindering child development.

Research has shown that children who are read to on a consistent basis are more likely to succeed academically. Children who are read to are able to form abstract concepts, they develop their imagination (rather than having the television do so for them), and build a broader vocabulary. So why is it then that many studies are showing that parents are spending less time reading to their children?

There can be a vast number of legitimate reasons why reading to your child can be difficult, primarily because finding the time together is hard. A few ideas might be to find a few stories on tape or CD and listen to them together while driving, to read while putting your child to bed- it's often helpful to read stories that you enjoy as well because you'll enjoy reading, or look into educational toys and interactive books. You might need to get creative to find time or ideas to read to your child with, but the benefits of doing so will last a lifetime.

The Importance of Educational Toys That Promote Arts and Creativity

Children who are introduced to the rich experiences in learning through interacting with artistic elements typically develop a number of skill sets important for lifelong learning. However, the No Child Left Behind Act has put more emphasis on students learning math and language, than to focus on specialty classes such as art and music. Still, 91% of schools in the country are teaching the arts, though all don’t receive the same funding for their programs.

The reality is that all schools aren’t created equal. It’s important that parents help to facilitate learning within their homes. Many educational toys promote arts and creativity, which can help your child round out the learning skills they might not be while in school.

There are a number of skills and abilities that are proven to be more developed in children who are involved in the arts. Some of which are: visual-spatial abilities, self-criticism, reflection, critical thinking and the ability to apply what they’ve learned from mistakes. These are skills that are important for lifelong learning and development, yet are ignored to certain degrees because of teaching to the test practices in the classroom.

Providing your child with educational toys that encourage arts and creativity gives them the opportunity to build upon these skills and areas. There are a number of studies that even show children who take part in the arts usually test with high marks on standardized testing. Allowing your child to create and further develop crucial learning skills will only benefit their learning abilities. It is important that your child has the ability to interact with educational toys which promote the arts and creativity.