Are You Listening?

Research has discovered that “Attention Deficit Disorder” (ADD) affects approximately 20% of Americans and is generally discovered in 8 – 10 year old children. College instructors report their frustration with college students who exhibit limited concentration, usually about 15 minutes due to what is being called “Commercial Gap Syndrome”, a modern term for Attention Deficit Disorder, derived from extensive TV time where commercials interupt programing every 10 - 15 minutes.

Knowing this information, one of the first things that a parent can do is to purposely spend more time "playing" and interacting with their children and less time sitting in front of a television. Researchers say that educational toys are a great tool for parents and caregivers to use during a child's daily play time rather than television. There are numerous resources that parents can use which promote educational play as well as various developmental activities.

As parents devote their time in the education and development of their children by introducing educational toys into their daily activities and play time, they and their children will reap the benefits for years to come. Parents must remember that their child's educational and developmental future lies in their hand. So why not make an investment as early as possible in your child's life helping them to unleash their potential to become as successful as they can possible be.

Times are Changing for the Good

It has been said, “Children are a heritage”. Heritage is defined as; something transmitted by or acquired from a predecessor. (Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary) By definition it is easy to understand why there are so many struggling children in our educational system today. However, there is good news in all of this. There is a new generation of women who are choosing to be homemakers. Many are choosing to quit their jobs, even influential and high salary jobs, to stay at home and raised their children. Census bureau statistics show that there has been a 15 percent increase in the number of stay-at-home moms in the last 10 years.

There is also an upward trend among parents of introducing educational toys into their children daily play time that are specifically designed to foster cognitive and social skills as well as provide a foundation for sound physical and mental health. Although virtually any toy that a child engages will aid in their developmental training, educational toys by design, challenge critical thinking, expand imagination, enhance motor skills and promote learning while having fun. 

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. As more parents grasp the idea of educational play as well as increased personal interaction with their children, we will all enjoy the benefits. It is much wiser and cost effective to invest into a child’s life today than to address the problems that could have possibly been avoided later in life.  

Taking Care of Business

U.S. Census Bureau statistics show that the number of stay-at-home moms is increasing each year. However, stay-at-home moms aren’t the only ones concerned. 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. Many parents like yourself are genuinely concerned and are taking control of their children’s future.

Because there is nothing that can replace the bond between parent and child, parents need to know that a child’s brain development is most affected from infancy – 6 years of age. It is also the ages in which parents will learn and understand their child’s individual abilities and capacity for learning. By introducing educational toys into daily play time, not only will parents be making crucial investments of quality bonding time with their children, they will also be preparing their children for what lies ahead.

Research shows that educational toys are a great resourse for the development of a child's educational and developmental success. Advances of any society depends upon a parent's desire and ability to foster the health and well-being of their children, the next generation. In other words, parents have a responsibility to their children to prepare them for what lies ahead. So spend much time with your children, introduce educational toys during interactive play and you may have the Nobel Prize winner.

Food for Thought

One of the greatest mishaps that have happened in the United States especially among the “boomer” generation is the thought that more money makes for good family life. Their certainly is nothing wrong with parents pursuing a better life for themselves and their children, but money will never take the place of a parent devoting daily time interacting with their children. It is never too late to shut down the excessive television viewing or turn off the excessive video gaming and spend time interacting one on one with your children. One great way to build in loving relationship building is for parents and or caregivers to introduce educational toys into their child's play time and also not allow their child excessive television time.

According to an October 1 2007, CBS News report, researchers found that children who watched more than two hours of television per day from age 2 1/2 until age 5 1/2 were more likely to develop sleep attention, have fewer social skills and develop aggressive behavior problems than those who watched less. The report also reveals that parents need to monitor their children's television use, especially during the early childhood years. There are ways that parents can help their children become successful adults, but they must start from the time their children are born.

Educational toys act like food for the brain. Nerve cells called neurons connect to each other to make circuits that enable the brain to think, do, and experience more things. The more that a child's five senses are stimulated the more these connections in the brain are established. With the exception of tasting and smelling, educational toy are designed to provide multi-sensory stimulation through hearing, seeing and touching. So grab the educational toys and starting feed your child's brain.

The Wonderful World of the Brain

Brainstorming is defined as; a technique of solving specific problems, amassing information, stimulating creative thinking, developing new ideas, etc.

Studies indicate that the brain region that helps children sense and interpret the world around them is dramatically affected by early childhood experiences. Most researchers agree that the early years of a child’s development are the most critical and it is during these early years that educational and developmental skills prepare children for their future.

The truth be known, any toy that a child engages during playtime as well as every experience they have does affect and develop the brain. However, educational toys because of there interactive nature, when introduced into a child’s playtime contribute to their cognitive skills.

Even babies, although they do not play very much, still need to be introduced to the world around them because their gross motor skills begin to develop as well as their senses. But toddlers are in an entirely different world. Toddlers begin to quickly learn about the world around them. Their curiosity causes their imaginations to grow, eye hand coordination develops, verbal skills increase, logic helps them with problem solving, they learn to socialize with others and accomplish individual achievement. So hand out the educational toys and let your child's brain grow!

Educational Toys do Have a Lasting Effect

From the time a child is born, parents enthusiastically wait for the day that they witness the "Developmental Milestones" of their child. The joy that parents experience the first time that their child rolls over, crawls and then begins to walk will most likely be shared with everyone they know. These milestones are all signs of a child's physical development as well as the maturation of their brain. 

A CBS News Report entitled "Baby Toys Have Lasting Effects" reveals that a Stanford University School of Medicine researchers study indicate, "the brain regions that help children sense and interpret the world are dramatically affected by early childhood experiences, and educational toys that stimulate young minds and encourage them to explore the world in a new way may help build their brain for future tasks".

With that said, we now see that 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 as well as language development, all while having fun.

How the Years go by

Parents using daycare facilities for there children while they work is certainly an asset in many cases. In years gone by, my wife and I on many occasions would help a single mom by having a child stay with us, some times over a weekend. Today these children have children of their own and interestingly enough after 30 years we occasionally receive comments of the impact my wife and I have had in their lives. But even relationships like these can never take the place of the unique bond between parent and child. One of the things that we did that seemed to have a lasting effect was to provide each child with the various educational toys that our children used during some of their playtime.


The benefits of introducing educational toys into a child's the playtime during their early developmental years can provide the stimulation and experiences that create a foundation of learning and growing. As more parents grasp the idea of educational play as well as increased personal interaction with their children, we will all enjoy the benefits. It is much wiser and cost effective to invest into a child’s life today than to address the problems that could have possibly been avoided later in life.  

Brainstorming

Research reveals that a child’s brain development is most affected from infancy – 6 years of age. It is also the ages in which parents will learn and understand their child’s individual abilities and capacity for learning. To be more specific, 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 concluded that educational toys help to provide various experiences that stimulate young minds. 


By 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. The more that a child’s five senses are stimulated the more these connections in the brain are established. With the exception of tasting and smelling, educational toys are designed to provide multisensory stimulation through hearing, seeing and touching. So let's get started with interactive educational play and watch how educational toys will help your child begin to "brainstorm" at an early age.

Getting a Head Start

With all the pressures that school districts place on teachers who then try to motivate students to do better it seems the more stress that students tend to have. Recently I had the privilege of address high school students with their thoughts concerning the High School experience. Unfortunately the majority said that it is a stressful environment where as middle school things seemed less stressful and they were able to produce higher academic scores.

Interestingly enough when addressing childhood activities the majority of students have had very little interaction with adults on an educational level. Most spend time in front of a television watching kids programs (not that they are bad) or play video games (not that they are bad). The thing that parents should try to grasp is that from infancy to six years of age a child's brain is like a sponge taking in information which will actually prepare them for their future. This is the age group where educational toys should be introduced into a child's daily play, not to play by themselves but to have adult interaction.

Adult interaction provides a means to challenge a child to explore the world around them as adults provide comments and questions that motivate a child's thinking process. Educational toys with adult interaction can provide a venue for learning while having fun. So parents, grandparents and caregivers start your children as early as possible with continuous interactive play experiences and they will be getting a head start with their future.