Parents are becoming more and more conscious of the huge benefits to be found in classic, educational toys. This has been led in part by the findings of Government advisors which have created a set of guiding principles called the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).
These principles emphasise the critical importance of play in developing the mental and emotional characteristics in our children. Through play children learn from their environment, gather and process information, learn how to express themselves and develop relationships with adults and children.
Children's brains and bodies are developing all the time, even before birth. They are thirsty for knowledge and seek to learn from their environment. Virtually every experience a child has in its early years could be classed as educational. As they experience things for the first time they are learning how things feel, smell, taste and respond to touch. Every new parent actively encourages this learning process by seeking out toys that encourage children to explore and develop their skills.
To encourage this inquisitiveness in children parents need to find toys that make use of all these skills whilst making the learning aspect as fun and stimulating as possible. Toys that encourage children to explore the world such as push and pull along vehicles, building blocks, baby walkers, activity centres and rattles will help to develop many skills and keep the child entertained in the process. Children will gain confidence by using their senses to fully explore each and every toy, and will also learn how it interacts with the environment and 'what happens if I do this?'
As the progression into toddler commences, so will their desire to interact more with people and their surroundings. It is about this age that children will begin to love building things, and become fascinated with knocking them over. Toddlers will become enthralled by dressing up and role play. What little boy doesn't like dressing up as a fireman or a doctor? This activity sees them begin to use their imagination as they start to act out scenes they have copied from the world around them. Toys that support this process such as fire engine play sets or a medical kit will bring their imagination on in leaps and bounds.
Slightly older toddlers become intrigued by problem solving. This is where puzzles and building toys like Mega Blocks or Lego come into their own. They will also become more interested in make and do, especially messy make and do. Crayons, colouring pens, paint and play dough will be a regular feature on the dining room table and most probably the carpet.
The onset of the school years brings a more physical development in children. Outdoor play is actively encouraged and trips to the park will become a regular feature. Toys that encourage this development are a sure-fire hit with children, such as bikes, scooters, roller skates and skate boards. They will also require greater mental stimulation and this can be provided by the many brilliant science and nature kits that are available.
Nowadays many toy advertisers want the customer to think their toy is the best educational toy out there, simply because it has the most bells and whistles and requires the most amounts of batteries. However the majority of these toys have little educational value as the lights, sounds and bells and whistles act as a distraction and prevent the child using their own imagination to interact with the toy.
More and more parents are turning their backs on these 'all singing all dancing' toys and are discovering that traditional toys help develop their children in ways that plastic toys cannot.
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