Children’s toys have become a widely-conceived notion as being useless or strictly for “play time.” Toys in reality are well thought out gadgets that are actually very beneficial to the development of children. Toy manufacturers have actually carefully thought out the use of each game. Note, that all toys have this power; yes, some are pretty useless. When done correctly they foster the desire to learn. The ability to get use to one’s senses and make proper use of them and learn how to communicate with others are just a couple of benefits. Let’s take a look at different aged kids and see how their cognition is benefited by toys. Toys get a bad reputation, but in reality, in the right doses they foster bonding between teachers and parents and also create excitement when learning.
Babies
- Babies are like sponges at this point in their lives. They are very new to the world so, things like color, sound, shape, taste, texture, and feeling they get is a brand-new experience. Their brains are built with all the necessary senses, but their brain almost has cobwebs in those areas, which can be easily awoken. Object permanence is a very crucial term in the psychology world. By touching, interacting, and engaging in objects, babies will develop it. This is the phenomenon in which we realize that objects are still in space even if we do not directly see, smell, or feel them. For example, we know that even if we are in our homes, that there is a white house in Washington D.C. This seemingly simple skill is crucial to a baby’s development.
Toddlers
- Toddlers are at a much more advanced level than babies and show signs of a stronger rate in cognitive development. Some useful toys are shape sorters and building blocks. These provide real world concepts. Toddlers will be able to remember the world and translate it in a leggo set of a house, park, or car. This shows they make meaningful experiences. They also start to develop finer motor skills, so using paper and crayons is a great exercise.
Pre-School
- Pre-school is the basis of all learning. Here kids will be introduced to language. This is an ability that they will carry through the rest of their lives. Here, talking toys that require the child to coherently understand actions shows they understand how to interact with others. Practicing their alphabet orally and on paper not only helps with language but also with their motor skills.