Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Choose Toys That Will Stimulate A Child'S Mind

Children learn through play. Play is essential for children to grow and learn. They concentrate as they figure out how things work, pick up new words and ideas, build strong muscles they can control, use their imagination, solve problems, and learn to cooperate with others. Children's play changes as their mind changes. This article will discuss choose toys that will stimulate your child's mind and will grow with your children.








Instructions


1. Match toys to the child. Every child is different, yet children are similar in many ways. Product labels are no substitute for what you know about your child. Consider your child's abilities when choosing a toy. Go beyond a label and actually look at the toy to decide if it will match your child's abilities.








2. Spend wisely on toys. Children need good toys, just as we need good tools to do our work. Good toys are not necessarily expensive and children do not need very many. In fact, many favorite activities involve what seem not to be toys at all. For example: interacting with magazine pictures, mirrors, plastic cups, yarn, water, cardboard boxes, or singing songs.Some good toys, such as blocks and books, are fairly expensive. But these generally appeal to children and last many generations. Remember, library books are free.Other toys which may be more expensive and get used up quickly might be a good investment such as art supplies, markers, crayons and watercolors.


3. Select various types of toys. Toys affect what children learn and how they feel about themselves and others. When children play with baby dolls, they are practicing what it is like to be a parent. Select different types of toys to help your child become a well-rounded person. Then, let your child decide what toys to use and play with them.


4. Choose some hands-on toys such as rattles, squeeze toys, balls, puzzles, and board or card games. These types of toys help to build eye-hand coordination, encourage ideas about how things work, and foster cooperation and problem solving.


5. Choose some books and recordings to build on a child's interests. Infants enjoy bright pictures and can soon turn the pages of board books. Look for stories and poems for older children. Your choices help children appreciate words, literature, and music. Children who are read to in their early years, usually become better readers.


6. Consider construction items such as building sets, experimental materials such as sand and clay, and active play equipment to build strong muscles and bones. Also, pretend play objects such as dolls, stuffed animals and dress up clothes help to build imagination.

Tags: your child, types toys, build strong, build strong muscles, child abilities, Choose some