Early Learning Tips: Why Multipurpose Toys Are Best
Do you know why multipurpose toys are the best to promote the cognitive development of the little ones? You will know which specific toys to choose after reading this article. Brain development in younger children is best fostered by unstructured vs. creative playtime. rote learning and memorization.
I recently came across an interesting article, “Rethinking Children’s Play” in the National PTA’s Our Children magazine. The article explains how children learn through play, then traces the changes in playtime and toys from the second half of the 20th century to the present, significantly noting that media-linked toys can be traced directly back to the FCC deregulation in 1984. Now TV shows and movies can be explicitly marketed to children.
Think of the typical action or video game toys and figures tied to TV shows or movies. The biggest problem, according to the PTA, is that many of these toys simply tell children how to play and use them to mimic what they see on the screen.
So which toys are the best?
You can get many of the best kinds of cognitive development and learning educational toys that facilitate your child’s intellectual, social, and emotional development from websites that specialize in expertly selected developmental toys. Still, the best toys are those that can be used in a variety of ways, some of which your child will come up with himself.
Examples of unstructured multipurpose toys include clay, blocks, balls, and pretend toys such as wagons, generic toy figures, stuffed animals, and dolls; All of these encourage play that children can control and shape to suit their individual needs over time. The best part is that some of these toys are also the cheapest or free (like stackable plastic bins and boxes around the house)!
It’s good to have educational game interactions with your little one, but also let them have regular, uninterrupted playtime (away from the TV or DVD player) and let them know play is important by encouraging it every day.
Whatever you do, make thoughtful decisions about the toys and media you present to your child; focus on the ones that promote true playtime, allowing them the fullest range of freedom and creativity.