How a child views their world starts from the arms of their caretakers. Their views are closely guarded with what you put in front of them. From the time they are in your womb until the end of their teens, they act like a sponge — absorbing everything around them and creating impressions that suit their mind.
This thing can be a boon and a bane in differing situations. However, if you do build the foundations strong, you would be able to inculcate the good values of being human into your child.
Nurturing them into a healthy and responsible adult is what all parents and caretakers want. If you identify yourself with this role, then read on to know how you can use toys as an important child development tool to pave a better way for them in the future.
Let’s explore how toys and child development are related:
Children learn more by playing than studying
This is why most of the playschools adopt a mix of play and learn to teach kids and it works!
Children who enjoy what they are doing learn more out of their activities rather than handing them a book and expecting them to absorb it all.
Visuals triumph over text
Yes, you might find that your child likes to read but they would enjoy something more visual. Be it pictures, videos or any brightly colored toy, they interact with visuals more.
This is why most of the toys aimed at kids are brightly colored. It helps them identify colors and things.
Toys enhance motor skills
When they play with something that would make them get up and play, they develop healthy motor skills. This would help them be active which is what their growing body needs. The more they play, the more enhanced their hand-to-eye coordination will become.
So, get them balls and doll prams that will get them moving. Find them at BabyUniqueCorn.
Toys enhance cognitive skills
Toy puzzles help children in their cognitive skills. The very challenge of figuring it out themselves enables them to become critical thinkers. Rather than throwing a book on them now, give them interesting and fun toy puzzles.
They help them understand relations
Children understand relations through role-playing. They look around their home environment and enact the same with their toys. They role-play with their toys and playmates to imitate what they observe.
Make sure you leave a good impression on them so that they understand the essence of relationships. Play with them sometimes to also guide them.
They help them understand the society
When you get them toys that represent a profession, they would be able to understand society little by little. With role-playing, they would understand the process, decorum, and manners that go with it.
Toys are instrumental in developing that attitude and learning curve. Make sure you have adequate toys that would develop their mental health.
It helps them express themselves
Toys, especially the ones they identify with, become instrumental in helping them to express themselves. Talking to themselves or personifying toys is a healthy way on how they express and understand themselves.
These internal monologues, which they express overtly, are a sign of healthy self-expression. Give them the toys, some colors, and a sketching pad and see their thoughts on canvas.
They generate stereotypes
Society and media mirror each other so much that sometimes it is difficult to tell them apart. Some toy manufacturers infamously generate negative body image or impose gender roles on the impressionable minds of the children.
Therefore, try to avoid toys that heavily stereotype people into specific roles. Instead, give them neutral toys that would help them understand that they are not defined by their gender but by their ability.
One study found that feminine toys enhance nurturing and caring personas through role-playing. The same study also found that such toys reinforce unnecessary obsession with external standards of beauty and lowers logical and mathematical skills.
In contrast, masculine toys or toys endorsed for boys promote aggression and violence but enhance spatial skills and logical skills.
So, the only way to break away from it would be to identify such toys and make sure you never purchase them. Get your children both types of toys. Expose them to empathy and balance in emotions and skills. Promote kindness and talent with the right toys!
Toys teach them about possession, maintenance, and sharing
When you gift your child with some toys, you are teaching him how to value them. In the process, he learns about possession and maintenance. It teaches your kid that if he fails to take care of his toys, he’ll lose or break them.
Apart from that, it teaches kids how to share and encourage their friends to care for their toys, too.
The toys you give your kids make a difference in the way they develop. Make sure you supervise what comes into your house and how your child interacts with it.
See Also: Connecting With Your Child: 5 Things You Can Do To Stay Close Despite Your Work
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Author: Carol J Lewis
Carol J Lewis is blogger at BabyUniqueCorn. BabyUniqueCorn offers an exclusive collection of high-quality Wooden Children toys. She has 5+ years of experience in content writing for various niches. Don't forget to follow BabyUniqueCorn on Facebook.
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