Play is
a natural activity for every young child. Play provides many opportunities for
children to learn and grow—physically, mentally and socially. If play is the
child’s work then toys are the child’s tools, and appropriate toys can help
children do their work well.
The main reason why toys are so popular is that they
are fun to play with. Still, their contribution to a child’s development is
noteworthy.When a child pushes a toy cart, he strengthens his motor skills.
When he skips rope, he improves his coordination. When he stands on one foot to
kick a ball or when he rides a bicycle, he learns balance. And when he builds
with blocks or paints pictures, he learns to control his movements in a precise
way.
What about the child’s intellect? Language skills are
developed when a child’s play includes singing and rhyming, perhaps doing so
while jumping rope or playing a game of tag. When a child builds a block
structure, follows the directions to a game, matches the pieces in a puzzle,
acts out stories, or plays with dress-up clothes, his thinking and creative
abilities are also stimulated. The same happens when he plays musical
instruments or works with art and craft materials.
Children also use toys to imitate what they see adults
doing. Many of the activities of daily life are imitated and thus learned in
children’s games. We can easily picture a little girl rocking her doll to
sleep, just as she may do much later with a real baby. Or perhaps she may
prepare make-believe dishes for a meal with her little friends. Similarly, boys
move their “automobiles” around, even reproducing the sound of the motor,
practicing for real driving. However, there are factors that
should be taken into account when selecting toys for your children.
A good toy is . . .
● Suitable and safe for the child’s age, abilities,
and physical capabilities
● Well constructed and durable (children tend to take
things apart)
● Attractive and interesting enough to engage the
child’s attention
● Stimulating to the child’s creativity and
imagination
● Affordable
● Nontoxic
To Avoid Toy-Related Risks . . .
● Keep toys for older children out of the reach of the
young
● Read all security labels and instructions carefully,
with your child if possible
● Teach the child and his playmates how to use and
store toys properly
● Avoid noise-making toys that could reach harmful
noise levels
● Check toys periodically. In many cases a damaged toy
should be repaired or thrown away immediately
● Potentially hazardous toys such as target toys,
sharp-edged tools, and electrical toys should be used only by older children
under adult supervision
● Toys with parts small enough to be swallowed should
be kept away from small children
