Do Educational Toys Really Educate? (Part II)

As parents and caregivers make their annual pilgrimage from toy store to toy store this holiday season looking for that one toy that according to their child, they must have, it is important for them to know that there is no greater gift for their child apart from themselves. The most successful toy is the one that engages parent – caregiver and child.

When considering which toy(s) to purchase, decide what you hope that toy will accomplish. Is it for entertainment only or is it to help stimulate your child’s educational development. If it is for educating, then there are basically two styles that parents/caregivers may want to take into consideration, curriculum base or cognitive base learning.

Curriculum base toys are directed towards a set of subjects, such as math, science, etc. with the objective of increasing knowledge in a specific area by presenting facts and understanding concepts. Cognitive base learning is associated with a broader variety of mental processing, such as, analyzing various sounds, images and information, comprehending information, recalling information from memory, organizing ideas and the development of various physical skills.

The objective behind early childhood education and development through the use of educational toys especially at this early age is for parents/caregivers to provide their child with a wide variety of experiences through play. In doing so the potential for them to learn and grow in areas of logic and analytic thinking as well as the development of physical skills are much more challenged and enhanced.

But no matter how good a toy may claim to be, keep in mind these two very important tips when purchasing toys this holiday season. The more informed a parent/caregiver is the more success they will have with their purchases and whatever toy you purchase, your child will benefit most with your loving, caring personal interaction with them

Do Educational Toys Educate?

With the digital age upon us it can become very easy for parents – caregivers to invest in the multitudes of CD’s and DVD’s that claim to be educational. Although they may not be harmful per se, research reveals that the majority of them are entertaining and not educational even when advertised as having an educational curriculum. Why is this? Because many of them are passive and do not require any interaction. It is experience through interaction that stimulates positive growth. With all the media that is available for children it is important that parents – caregivers take a closer look at what their children are exposed to.

Children from infancy – 6 years of age are by design curious. This leads them into a realm of exploration in all that they do. Parents and caregivers can capitalize on a child’s curiosity simply by introducing into their play time educational toys that will challenge them in any of the six major developmental areas; physical, social, emotional, language, creative and cognitive skills and development.

So it is important that parents – caregiver help their children early so that a firm foundation for learning is established. However, keep in mind that your child is growing and learning so when looking into educational toys during this holiday season check to be sure that the toys are neither beneath nor above your child’s ability to advance. Also what ever toy you may purchase, do not just put your child in a room by themselves to play,. The best toy purchased this holiday season is the toy that invokes interaction between parent – caregiver and child. It is during this type of interactive play that your child will benefit most no matter how good the manufacturers claims may be.

Are All Educational Toys Educational? (Part I)

Children from infancy to six years of age will experience some positive growth and development with almost any toy that they engage during playtime because their brain is being stimulated and is gathering information with every experience. This is why parents – caregivers should seek advice from a pediatrician or an educator who specializes in early childhood education and development as to what toys will be best suited for their child. In doing this parents – caregivers will discover that the best educational toy is not what a manufacturer may claim, but the one that works best at stimulating interaction with them and their child. Toys are not a substitute to keep children busy by themselves, but an avenue to support loving, caring interaction and relationship building.

Here a few ideas that may help you when looking for educational toys for your child…

• Look for age appropriate toys that will challenge their imagination. Problem solving helps prepare them for real life situations
• Look for toys with your child in mind. Like everything else, trends find their way in the toy market also and may not be suitable toy(s) for your child
• Do not fall prey to claims made by advertisers. Many educational toys have greatly improved in recent years, but some are more entertaining than educational. A little personal research on your part can reveal a lot.
• Safety first. Is the toy safe for your child? Remember 1 – 2 year olds like putting things in their mouth
• Stay away from any toy that promotes even the slightest hint of violence or negative social behavior
• When in doubt, seek the advice of a pediatrician or an early childhood education and development educator – specialist

With the 2009 holiday season quickly approaching many parents – caregivers will purchase toys for their children. However, while choosing toys that will aid in your child’s educational development, it is important for parents – caregivers to keep in mind, their personal interaction with their child is the best gift that they can give.

Loving Relationships Build Great Children

Relationships play a major role in early childhood education and development which will have lasting affects on the outcome of every child. They will strengthen and build up a child’s ability to learn and control their emotions or they will weaken and hinder their ability to learn and control their emotions.

The first three years of a child’s life are very critical years. In their first year, their brain doubles in size and by age three it is twice as active as a mature adult’s brain. This is important for parents and caregivers to know because it is during this time frame that brain development is most active which will have a great impact on a child’s future.

Researchers have discovered that children who have been exposed to neglect, prolong stress and or abusive relationships at an early age have more difficulty coping with life situations. Studies reveal that children raised in this type of environment tend to be antisocial and have behavioral problems. These are the result of deficits in critical areas of brain development.

Raising a child can be a difficult task at times and parents as well as caregivers will make mistakes, but there is never an excuse for neglect and abuse. Let’s face it, a child will scrape a knee, hear their parents or caregivers argue and experience the ups and downs of life, but it is all a process which helps their brain to mature. So be positive, loving and caring, introduce educational toys into their daily play time and you will be helping them achieve greatness.

Positive Mean Plus

Over 4 million children are born each year in the USA. From the moment that a child is born their brain begins to grow and develop to help them interact with the world around them. Although infants have a long way to go in both the physical and mental realm, their brain already has the capacity to let you know they have a need, it’s called crying.

Studies reveal that a parents/caregivers positive and quick response to meet an infant’s needs stimulates the brains neuronal connections and influences their behavior. Studies further indicate that the higher the quality of childcare, the greater a child’s educational and developmental skills will become and the fewer behavioral problems that occur in the future. Basically, children who have developed secure attachments with loving and caring parents and or caregivers early in life will be better students and be able to make positive social adjustments as adults.

Introducing educational toys to your child during crucial brain development periods gives your child's brain a "head start". Through educational play parents can connect on many developmental levels and allow their child to have many positive experiences while having fun. Investing in your child today will open the door for him or her to become a successful and productive adult tomorrow.

Your Child is Unique

No matter what environment or experiences that parents provide for their children, there remains a constant variable in the life of every child. Children are unique and the way they relate to the world around them reflects their individualism. Although parents desire to see their children become productive and successful, not one parent can predict the type of adult their child will become. However, it is still critical for parents to provide numerous, positive and loving experiences for their children.

Children are more dependent upon parents and or caregivers for a longer period of time than another species on earth. Every species on earth within the first year of life becomes independent and no longer turns to another of its species for nurturing. However, children are quite dependent and look to parents and or caregivers for assistance, reassurance and help for many years. They need to experience security and have trust built in their lives beginning at infancy. They need to have a sense that they are loved, protected and provided for. It is within this type of relationship that their development flourishes.

So parents keep this thought in mind, early intervention in your child’s educational and developmental growth provides the stimulation their brain needs now for future productivity and success. There is great power released for brain development through positive daily interaction with your child. Provide them with vigorous physical activities as well as social and emotional contact. Create opportunities that will challenge their imaginations and cause their creative juices to flow. Introducing educational toys into your child's daily play provides and avenue for positive growth and development. Although you may not be able to predict how your child will turn out, your early intervention can open the door to endless opportunities for your child.

Challenging Your Child's Brain Development

Your child began learning the moment he or she was born. Research reveals that a child’s brain develops up to 90% during the first six years of life but the first three years are the most important. In fact the first year of life a child’s brain more than doubles in size and by age three it is twice as active as an adult’s brain meaning that it has twice the amount of brain connections.

This is very important to grasp because parents, grandparents and or caregivers play an important role in early brain development which will have a great impact upon a child’s future. This applies to both positive and negative experiences that a child is exposed to. An environment for healthy brain development is created simply through daily play and personal interaction. Challenging a child’s sensory skills, seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, tasting, balancing, and body awareness, supplies the brain with information so that a child can explore and interact with the world around them. One way to accomplish this is to introduce educational toys into your child's daily play.

There are no special tricks or formulas for helping children to become successful, productive adults. Just keep these simple but powerful developmental tools in mind, keep on playing, talking, reading and interacting with your child because activity, experiences and stimulation have a great deal to do with how the brain is “Wired”. Parents, grandparents and or caregivers can make a significant difference in a child’s early development. Don’t think you can, know you can!

Cognition; What does Your Child Think?

Cognitive development begins at infancy and continues through adolescence to adulthood. However, the first six years of a child’s growth and development are the most critical. The first three years of a child’s life is a period of incredible growth in all developmental areas. By age three a child’s brain has produced billions of cells and has made trillions of connections between these cells called synapses, which allows the various areas of the brain to communicate and function together. Studies show that the development of a child’s brain takes years to complete, which gives parents a window of opportunity to help their child establish educational and developmental patterns that will stimulate a life filled with learning experiences.

Educational toys provide both parent and child an avenue of fun filled interaction. Research has found that educational toys specifically designed and constructed to encourage and challenge the development of educational skills of children, when introduced into a child’s daily play, can increase a child’s IQ up to 50 points. Many educational toys provide an array of activities to enhance a child’s physical development, social skill development, emotional development, language development, creative development and cognitive development.

It is the desire of most parents to have their child become the smartest kid on the block. For a child to grow in a proper manner both educationally and developmentally it is important that parents re-evaluate continuously how they can assist their children to become successful and productive adults. You don’t have to wait until tomorrow. Parents can begin today providing their children with the correct educational tools that can cause their child to become, “The smartest kid on the block”.

Releasing the Creativity in Your Child

Creativity is essential as it provides a means for children to develop ideas and solutions for problem solving. When problems occur they do not always have an easy answer meaning that a solution may work at one particular time and although the circumstances may seem the same a new solution must be applied. Problem solving involves a creativeness that is flexible with the ability to adapt and apply thoughts and ideas resulting in a successful outcome. So when it comes to problem solving, children need to be challenged to make observations from various perspectives and to apply an array of solutions that they have developed through creative thinking.

Playing is important and the most natural way for children to learn and grow. Researchers have suggested that creative adults were most likely involved in imaginative play as children. Educational toys are an invitation to fun creative learning. They are an avenue to stimulate imagination as well as providing situations requiring problem solving. They open the door of socialization with other children which provides opportunities of how others think and feel. They provide a means of developing self-confidence as your child masters various ways to accomplish tasks which also builds their self-esteem. They are also useful in helping children discover various emotions as their self-expression bubbles forth.

Although we may take for granted such things as an automobile, a telephone, lighting and computers, it was the creative expression of ordinary people who broke the mold of popular thinking an achieved what most thought the impossible. But isn’t that the desire of all parents, that their children become more successful and productive than themselves? So parents help your child’s creative juices flow.

Building Your Child's Language Skills

During the first six years of a child's life the brain is most affected as it grows and matures. It is during this age that Speech and language development are most critical. The Broca’s area and the Wernicke”s area are the two main areas within the brains complex structure that gives the ability to process words that are spoken and written.

Language development can be defined as, the expression and vocalization of symbols and sounds as perceived and interpreted by an individual through the growing and learning process. Early childhood language development has been studied for well over a century, and today still posses the question, “How are languages organized in the brain?” Although most parents are not seeking to find the answer to this question, they are actually the best candidate when it comes to developing their child's speech and language skills. Depending on your child's age, the object is to constantly make sounds, say words and speak in complete sentences to your child. A fun way to challenge your child in language development is to introduce educational toys into their daily play time.

Educational Toys are a way for parents to open the door to the wonderful world of communication to their child. The construction and design of educational toys for this age group have several attributes that parents will find helpful and fun that will stimulate your child to verbalize thoughts, ideas and even emotions. So parents spend plenty of time interacting with your children, getting them to talk-it-up and before you know it, your child will begin to impress you with their vocabulary.

The Emotional Development of You Child

The study of the emotional development of infants and children although relatively new questions the idea as to whether they are learned, predetermined or a combination of both in determining a child's emotional experiences, behavior and personality. Emotional development can be defined as the process of building self-esteem, self-awareness and self-confidence as well as recognizing and understanding various feelings and emotions.

A child's emotional development begins at infancy and grows through stages. Because children differ in growth and development there is no set formula that can be followed. However. parents can recognize their child's emotional development and respond through positive interaction. For instance, infants between six to twelve weeks typically smile and makes cooing sounds in response to a parents smile and joyful play.

A toddler has a sense of self-awareness, they begin to recognize that those around him or her have thoughts and feelings that differ from theirs which helps them in the development of empathy. As a toddlers language develops they will express empathy by using comforting words or through endearing physical contact, a hand on the shoulder, a pat on the back or a hug.

Preschoolers begin to regulate their emotional behavior as their emotional development continues to advance. They begin to adjust or alter their emotional expressions, attitude, tone of voice and facial expression as well as internalize various emotions.

By the time your child is ready for school they have developed a greater understanding of their emotions and the emotions of others. Through life experiences they begin understand the causes and consequences of emotions as well as develop their own theories of why or how others experience various emotions.

Studies show that educational toys can be a great asset to the emotional development of children. Their unique design will benefit your infant to six year old especially in the areas of relationship building, working through challenges and problem solving, which can build self-confidence and self-esteem.

Parents are the key to their child's emotional development. No matter if you have one child, six children or more, all children need a sense of comfort, safety, love, confidence and encouragement. Teach your children how to build strong positive relationships, help them to develop empathy, compassion as well as a sense of right and wrong. Show them how to solve problems and deal with challenges in a positive manner and most important, encourage, encourage, encourage.

Helping Your Child Develop Socially

Social skills are defined as, the ability to communicate and interact with other without conflict or disharmony. Social skill development begins at infancy and progresses through stages as a child grows. It consists of teaching children how to interact, share and co-operate with others, how to build strong relationships that will last as well as social etiquette and good manners. The proper development of social skills will lay a firm foundation for your child's future.

Playing is the most natural way that a child educational and developmental skills grow and flourish, so interaction between parent and child play a vital part. The parent/child relationship is the most natural for developing social skills because loving, sensitive parents are emotionally connected and are best at nurturing empathy, emotional self-control and communication skills in their children. However, this is all preparation for your child's interaction with others.

Educational toys provide many ways for children to sharpen their social skills. Researchers have determined that educational toys provide ways for children to work together, share, discuss ideas about how best to solve problems and promote healthy competition as they learn to enjoy the company of one another.

So parents spend daily time with your children and help them practice positive social skills. Remember to point out both positive and negative behavior. Patiently and lovingly discouraging the negative and rewarding the positive so your child will become successful, popular, be able to resolve conflict with others, do well in school and possibly be the one that others look to for help.

Your Child's Physical Development

The physical development of of children is divided into two main areas, Gross Motor Skills and Fine Motor Skills. Motor skills are actions that involve the deliberate and controlled movements of muscles in the body. Gross motor skills are the large body movements that involve legs, arms and the entire body, these activities include crawling, walking, running, jumping, climbing, etc. Fine motor skills involve more precise and smaller movements that involve hands, fingers, wrist, feet, toes and eyes, these activities include eye-hand coordination, grasping objects, stacking objects, writing, etc.

Although both areas of motor skill development is a continuous progression over time, educational toys can play a major role in the development of fine motor skills for children from infancy to 6 years of age. The various shapes, colors and design configurations stimulate and challenge eye-hand coordination, visual tracking, shape and color recognition, depth perception, language development as well as providing hours of fun filled learning.

Your Child the Creative Genius

Early childhood education is basically defined as children learning through play. It is important that parents begin educating their children from infancy to six yeas of age by developing them physically, socially, emotionally, intellectually, creatively and cognitively. This may sound as though parents need an advanced education in early childhood development but this is far from the truth. Certainly knowledge of this caliber would be a great asset, but children in this age group actually learn through play.

The main thing that parents can do is spend quality time interacting with their children and introduce into their play various things that promote the following crucial developmental areas...

Physical Development: Developing fine and gross motor skills. Basically movement is the key, crawling, walking, running, climbing, throwing, touching and eye-hand coordination.

Social Skills: Teaching children how to interact with others, how to share and co-operate with others, how to build strong relationship that will last as well as social etiquette and good manners.

Emotional Development: Building self-esteem, self-awareness, self-confidence, recognizing and understanding various feelings and emotions and how to use them positively.

Intellectual Development: Develop the ability for children to understand and relate to the world around them as well as to differentiate fantasy from reality.

Creativity: Developing unique and special abilities and talents

Cognitive Skills: Developing the ability to learn and solve problems.

Parents can accomplish these various educational and developmental skills simply by introducing educational toys into their child's play. So parents, keep interacting and develop your child, the creative Genius.

Kids can Sometimes be the Best Judges

Kids are fascinated and attracted to toys. Whether in a store, on television or through watching other children playing. Either way toys play a major part in a child's educational and developmental growth. However, a child's fascination for toy does not mean that all toys are good. How many times have you heard a child say while in a store or while watching television, "Can you get me that toy" or "I have always wanted that toy". Often times parents will purchase a toy for their child solely based on a fascination without finding out more information concerning the toy or not being able to discern between their child's fascination or true interest in a particular toy. The interesting thing is, it does not take long for a child to determine whether a toy is fun or boring, does it?

There are two things that parents can do that can help prevent them from purchasing toys that end up in the corner gathering dust. First, most toy manufactures as well as various news and consumer agencies use children to test toys. Parents can do a little research to find what toys are the most popular as well as age appropriate. However, parents must keep in mind that children have individual likes and dislikes, so this process will not always guarantee that their child will find a particular toy fun and entertaining.

The second way that parents can learn the difference between fascination and interest is simply by introducing educational toys into their child's lives at infancy. Research has shown that the brain develops at an incredible rate during infancy by increasing approximately 60% in size in the first year. So how does this give parents an advantage when it comes to purchasing toys that their children will enjoy?

Introducing educational toys to your child during this crucial period gives your child's brain a "head start". Nerve cells called neurons connect to each other to make circuits that enable the brain to think, do and experience more things. Overall, parents will come to know which toys will stimulate, challenge and entertain their children as they grow. In a sense, parents will learn from their children as they help them grow because, "Kids can sometimes be the best judges".

The Cortisol Connection

Cortisol is a hormone that is part of the adrenal gland usually referred to as the "Stress Hormone" and is involved with physical or emotional stress or trauma. When cortisol levels are high, brain cells can die which reduces the connections between the cells in certain areas of the brain. This can make it difficult for children to learn and think especially during stressful situations which can also have a negative affect in later years.

Research reveals that critical brain development occurs in children between infancy and 6 years of age. It is very important that parents utilize this time frame to develop healthy, positive relationships with their children. Consistent positive interaction between parent and child can help keep cortisol levels low which will provide their children with the tools to develop healthy relationships throughout their lives.

Educational toys have been proven by researchers to challenge, enhance and stimulate the educational and physical development of children. Through educational play parents can connect on many developmental levels in the lives of their children through fun positive play and know that they are assisting their children today to become successful and productive adults tomorrow.

Give Your Child the Advantage

Because children learn naturally through play it is important for parents to invest into their children's future during their early childhood years, infancy through 6 years of age. Parents play a major role in the educational and developmental training of their children because of the wonderful relationship that naturally exists between parent and child.

The human brain is a fascinating organ that grows and develops in an incredible rate during these early childhood years. Educational toys introduced into a child's play provide a great amount of valuable learning, social and physical skills while children have fun doing what they do best, playing.

Research has shown that educational toys permanently enhance the brain. Studies have shown that they challenge thinking, expand the imagination, help develop motor skills, increase curiosity, stimulate creativity, as well as strengthen relationship building and interaction with others. Many pediatricians recognize the benefits that educational toys provide children and have introduced them as a vital part that enhances their waiting room which provides children with a fun, learning experience while visiting the doctor.

As parents, we must evaluate how we allow our children to spend time and remember that the education and development of our children does not begin in the classroom but in a high chair, at a table or on the floor playing with our children.

Every Parent is a Professional

Many parents like yourself are genuinely concerned and are taking control of their children’s future. In an October 10, 2004, a 60 Minutes report revealed that a Census bureau statistics show a 15 percent increase in the number of stay-at-home moms in less than 10 years. But this is not limited to moms only. According to a 2002 report by the U.S. Census Bureau, "stay-at-home" dads numbered 189,000. Although this number does not compare to the approximate 11 million "stay-at-home moms" the trend of one parent staying at home and raising their children is on the increase. The 60 minute report also stated that many successful women are choosing to quit their jobs to stay at home and raise their children.

Parents do not need to quit their jobs nor do they need a formal education to have an impact in the training and education of their children. There is nothing that can replace the bond between parent and child especially children between infancy and 6 years of age. Parents can help in the educational and developmental skills of their children simply by introducing educational toys into their child's daily play. Educational toys are a great way for parents to interact with their children and have fun at the same time.

Money Does not Always Buy Success

The September 10, 2008 addition of the International Herald Tribune entitled, “Obama Stressing the Problems of Public Education in Campaign” states, “Senator Barack Obama learned how hard it can be to solve America's public education problems when he headed a philanthropic drive here a decade ago that spent $150 million on Chicago's troubled schools and barely made a dent”. One Hundred Fifty Million Dollars in one city, Chicago, and it barely made a dent. When I read this, I’ll tell you, it doesn’t take a degree in economics to realize that putting more money into a broken system is not going to fix illiteracy in public school children. Something is wrong and it needs to be fixed NOW. But no problem is too big that can’t be fixed. Because you’re infant – 6 year old child can become a problem solving, idea generating, creative genius and overcome the system.

Parents have the power to turn the public school crisis around. First, get involved with your local school district. Parents are the voice that moves the board of education to positive action. If parents do not speak up, then the system which has been left to a few out spoken voices stays broken. Next parents must take and active role in parenting their children, especially in children from infancy - 6 years of age. At this age parents can introduce educational toys into their child's play time that researchers have discovered will enhance their child's future success and productivity. So let us work together to combat illiteracy and show the public school system that "Money Does not Always Buy Success".

Taking Charge

Many parents like yourself are genuinely concerned and are taking control of their children’s future. In an October 10, 2004, a 60 Minutes report revealed that a Census bureau statistics show a 15 percent increase in the number of stay-at-home moms in less than 10 years. But this is not limited to moms only. According to a 2002 report by the U.S. Census Bureau, "stay-at-home" dads numbered 189,000. Although this number does not compare to the approximate 11 million "stay-at-home moms" the trend of one parent staying at home and raising their children is on the increase. The 60 minute report also stated that many successful women are choosing to quit their jobs to stay at home and raise their children.

Parents do not need to quit their jobs nor do they need a formal education to have an impact in the training and education of their children. There is nothing that can replace the bond between parent and child. It is not necessarily a matter of being a stay home parent as much as spending daily quality time interacting, bonding and training your children. It is the best and most natural way to prepare your infant – 6 year old child for success.

Research has determined that educational toys increase a child’s ability to learn by challenging their thinking, expanding their imagination, stimulating their creativity and developing their physical abilities while having fun, especially from infancy to 6 years of age. So why not begin preparing your child’s future now?

This is Child's Play

Playing is the most natural way of development in children from infancy – 6 years of age. A Stanford School of Medicine researcher reported that the brain regions that help children sense and interpret the world are dramatically affected by early childhood experiences and educational toys that stimulate young mind… The benefits of educational play during a child’s early years can provide the stimulation and experiences that create a foundation of learning and growing while having fun.

The Original Rollercoaster has been a classic for over twenty years and is now entertaining a new generation of children! It is a favorite of pediatricians, teachers, and parents, and has been acclaimed as the most fun educational toy in today's market. The Rollercoaster is a three-dimensional manipulative experience in the perceptual, motor, and language areas. Developmental and learning skills are "challenged" through fun play!

Welcome To Your New World

Whoever started the phrase "the terrible two's" did not know how to have fun with a two year old. A typical two year old can be challenging, but any child at any age can be challenging also. This is why it is so important for parents to understand the different stages of child development from infancy to six years of age. These are the most impressionable years, that are not terrible but quite enjoyable.

A two year old is very curious as they use their senses and motor skills to explore the world around them. They enjoy jumping, running, climbing, touching and especially pretend play. They are fascinated with shapes and colors and enjoy much interaction.

Educational Toys are a great way for parents to help their children grow in these early years. Educational Toys will challenge your child’s thinking, expand their imagination, enhance their motor skills, increase their curiosity, stimulate their creativity, and promote learning while having fun. So dad, mom, there are no terrible two, just a period of time where your child is exploring the "New World" around them. Enjoy them while you can.