Toys Are a Normal Part of Childhood

It seems that a home with children is a home full of toys. Parents want children to have happy, healthy childhoods. Toys are a big part of growing up. But, with stores filled with toys and games many parents begin to question which of these toys are appropriate and which toys will help their children develop normally? These are good questions.

There is no doubt that toys are a normal part of childhood. Kids have played with toys of some kind for as long as there have been children. It is also quite true that toys play a significant role in the development of the child. The types of toys with which a child plays often have a strong influence on the child’s adult interests and behavior.

WHICH TOYS ARE SUITABLE FOR INFANTS IN COGNITIVE

The plastic mobile dangling above the crib is an important aid in helping the infant learn to first focus its vision and then to distinguish between shapes and colors. The rattle helps the baby learn to identify and determine the source of sounds. Shaking the rattle develops coordinated movement. Both the mobile and the rattle are educational toys. The mobile is a cognitive development toy and the rattle is a skill-based toy.

Examples of other cognitive development toys include jigsaw puzzles, word puzzles, flash cards, drawing sets, painting sets, modeling clay, chemistry and science lab sets, telescopes, microscopes, educational software, some computer games, some video games and children’s books. These toys are labeled with the age range of the child for which they are designed. These are the toys that teach children to identify, make choices and reason. Smart parents will make sure their child or children are given toys appropriate for their age range.

Skill-based toys include building blocks, tricycles, bicycles, bats, balls, sports equipment, Legos, erector sets, Lincoln logs, stuffed animals, dolls, crayons and finger paints. These toys teach children the relationships between different sizes and shapes and how to assemble, color and paint. All of these activities are important for developing fine motor skills and increasing physical abilities.