As responsible adults in a child’s life, we must not underestimate the importance of toys. As children manipulate toys, they learn about themselves, their relationships and the world that they live in. Children’s most important teaching aids are their toys.
They learn various concepts through the toys that they use in their daily lives and get hands-on experiences for becoming lifelong learners.
Toys cater to the different needs of children and facilitate development in the five domains – social, emotional, cognitive, language and physical
However, with the vast variety of toys available today, it sometimes gets tricky to decide which toy is the best, at what age and why?
It is important to observe children, to understand the skills they have developed and the skills they need assistance with and then choose the toy; this usually helps in choosing the right one.
Toys that give an opportunity to children for pretend play (doctor’s kit, gardener’s kit, soft toys, etc.) help them learn about the world they live in and to develop social and emotional skills.
Playing with toys such as blocks, puzzles, shape sorters and more help develop creativity and cognitive development as children learn to solve problems, concentrate and create their own structures.
Language and physical development take place in children as they are guided by adults and as they learn to hold, grab and use toys effectively.
Most importantly, allow your children to explore and learn to manipulate their toys; rather than showing them how to use the toys.
