Learning Toys For Toddlers

Sometimes knowing what your child wants may differ from what you think your child actually needs. The good news is a little research can narrow this gap until it is an excellent compromise for both parent and child. Educational toys are in high demand simply because buying toys for kids is no longer a low-profile decision, and the links between cognitive and motor development and playing are very much understood by parents.

This article will attempt to inform parents about a child's various and convoluted path towards primary school, and how best to serve both their needs and their desires, while promoting a healthy stimulus to both creativity and motor development.

4 Months - 1 Year Of Age

Although cognitive and motor functions begin at birth, I'm going to skip to about the fourth month mark, where these functions become voluntary. Before this point, reflexes are automatic. Children between the 4 and 8 month mark begin to interact with objects and therefore will benefit from toys and objects that will help develop their senses. It is a bit early for fully-fledged cognitive learning toys, however.

My suggestion would be the inclusion of hypoallergenic (kids will chew and possibly ingest material) plush toys. The reason for this is twofold. On the one hand it is simply a question of overarching safety. Plush toys are too big to swallow, are not made of small parts (therefore they do not pose a choking hazard) and can safely be roughed up. Secondly, plush toys offer fantastic stimulation for toddlers. They stimulate all senses (some -- like the giraffe to the right -- even include calming sounds that stimulate hearing) and will endurance pounding and tearing very well.

Children during this period will need toys that compliment their huge motor function revolution. Toys that stimulate pushing, walking and more forceful action are a huge help to the babies' motor learning process. But this period is not simply a moment of physical needs. Toddlers will also begin to understand object relationships and will begin to develop spatial intelligence. On top of all this of course, is the development of language (with personalized jargon) and consequently being social and taking pleasure and meaning from human interaction.

My suggestion here is balance. Motor and cognitive functions must both be aided and stimulated. Obviously toys that help toddlers to walk and push are highly desirable, but so are toys that begin to help the toddler recognize shapes, aid language and begin to understand their spatial surroundings.

At 3 years of age is very activate and has developed a solid sense of balance. On top of new found motor function confidence toddlers are now able to simulate and find pleasing, terror or comfort in bed time stories or simple story books.

Spatial intelligence is improved drastically and interaction with objects becomes multi-purpose and specialized (prior to this, there was only one real way for babies to interact with objects, and that was with their whole hand in a pincer grip. Now children can use other stylized forms of interaction such as the tripod grip). Language has some additional depth and children are able to understand and communicate complex questions such as, "What is this?".

My suggestion for 3 year old is a general one. There are so many facets of a three year old's development that are expanding it is difficult to pin one down. Large, generalized tool kits and playthings are excellent in alleviating boredom and creating fun while stimulating the senses. There must also be an element of creativity and self-reliance in order to the child to exploit their character building traits that are beginning to emerge in a tour-de-force.

Children now begin to understand routines and love reveling in the complexity and endless fun that is language. Their newfound ability to understand communication is met with the understanding that emotions and feelings are, in fact, communicable. The result? Rapid mood changes, the rather humorous and distressing beginnings to complex lies and distortions. Because they are at the pinnacle of their manic sociability, imaginary friends are not uncommon.

Given all this, it is easy to see how a child will begin to exploit their ability to influence others. Taunting, boasting and pleading are daily occurrences, and in the main, a 4 year old is both an incredibly endearing period and daily source of nightmare.

My suggestion are educational toys that help develop a child's sense of wordplay, while also encouraging team play or social games. Children at this age will benefit from a creative stimulus as well as the chance to stimulate their communication.