The Benefits and Effects of Toys and Playing in a Child’s Development
Playtime activities are important to children because it is the way they are able to practice growing up, developing their social interaction and interpersonal relations. Children’s tools for playing are toys that come in various colors, shapes and usage, and these toys can be bought readily online and in actual toy stores. Toys are great tools for children when they are playing, bringing a lot of benefits and positive effects in their growth and development, enhancing their skills and learning.
Depending on a child’s age and development, toys can be divided into different categories. For infants and babies, sensory toys are best recommended to stimulate the different senses such as sight, sound, touch and smell, and these include stuff toys, water toys, musical boxes and musical instruments such as rattles and squeak toys, crib mobiles, pushed-pull toys, and stacking toys. Experts highly recommend toys that develops the physical strength and muscles of toddlers and preschoolers such as bikes, wagons, blocks, puzzles, brooms and shovels. Toys for make-believe and toys that develops the social skills are dress-up clothes, dolls, cars, trucks, books and games, which are best recommended for preschoolers and school-age children. Toys such as clay, crayons, paper, paints, scissors and books are the toys recommended for school-age children for their creative and intellectual development. Toys may fit into other categories and each child needs some certain types of toys from more than one category. Not all children are suited for a specific category, because children have different levels of learning and development levels.
For infants, buy toys that are bright-colored with many textures, and these toys should be non-breakable, without any sharp edge, and it should be washable as well. The toys should be large enough, without attached pieces that might be swallowed causing choking, because babies put everything into their mouths as a part of their world exploration. Toddlers are very active, and thus they enjoy running, climbing and jumping, and so they need toys that meet these needs. Preschool is the age of creativity and educational toys best works for them, and children on these age become more social beings, having a cooperative play, so they enjoy cutting, sewing, drawing and painting. The formation of hobbies happens in school-age, and children start collecting stuff they really love, as well as they start asserting their own independence and enhances their writing, reading and speaking skills.
Parents should be responsible to make sure their children have the best toys that are best suited for their age and developmental needs, as well as prioritizing their health and safety. Reading product reviews helps you in determining best toys for your children, thus providing you real analysis from actual consumer experiences.