Educational Toys Are Good… But Don't My Children Need Some Toys Just For Fun?

Okay, so this opinion might not be the most popular. But please, don't crucify me. I'm a good dad. I got my kids all the toys my wife found to help the kids’ "development." You know, educational toys. The kind you have to drive twenty miles out of your way to tiny store in a strip mall in West Nowhere to find, or order from some obscure catalog or website based in Canada.


And believe me, I'm glad my kids have things like mini computers that teach spelling and math, crystal-growing science project kits, memory games, puzzle cubes and problem-solving computer CD-ROMs. But I sometimes wonder, when I see those toys strewn all over the living room floor, abandoned and neglected while Katie and little Mitch are sticking balls of Silly Putty in their ears, maybe kids should have some toys just for fun and nothing else?


After all, when I was a kid we didn't have all this stuff. We had little red wagons and toy cowboy pistols. We had Lincoln Logs, Matchbox cars, building blocks and our imaginations. I can remember a summer when I was 6 when my only new toy was a stick my dad helped me turn into a fishing pole. And that kept me busy seven days a week!


I'll tell you this much. I would rather see my kids play with a toy that they enjoy, that inspires them to run around and have fun and explore the world than some "educational" toy that they're going to sit around playing with for a few hours until they tire of it and never touch it again.


Heck, I'd even rather see them chase each other around the back yard with toy guns than sit inside with some pseudo-egghead puzzle or game that's supposed to make me feel better about spending fifty bucks!


You can’t open a newspaper or turn on a TV news program without somebody saying that today’s children are obese and inactive. And I see it all the time. My kids’ friends come over to play and I can’t help but notice that a lot of them are pretty chubby. And they come from good families, not the kind where the parents are feeding them Twinkies and plopping them in front of the TV for hours at a time. But a lot of these kids are coming over and playing with our “educational” computer math games, and just sitting on their butts!


This is what I’d like to see. I’d like people to let go of this idea that a toy has to be clearly “educational” for it to be worthwhile. I’d like people to consider other factors, like if the toy will get our kids moving around and playing actively, or if it will turn them into little couch potatoes. I’d like people to think about whether their kids will actually enjoy the toy, or whether it will sit untouched.


Let’s put away all these silly ideas about what’s right for our kids and just them be kids and have fun the old-fashioned way.


Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=208347&ca=Education

Children Toys Allow Play That Encourages Learning Through Bodily Sensations And Movement

Toys of this category help children learn through activities that challenge their hand-eye coordination and improve both their gross and fine motor skills. Children that learn best through physical play are often athletic and enjoy sports, so the optimal toys for this developmental benefit of play focus on manipulating objects, building, dancing, and role-playing or other forms of make believe that involve motion, action, and the working of big and small muscles. These kids are on the move, and they need toys that will keep up with them!

All children are natural learners; constantly absorbing new experiences in their everyday lives. Therefore the toys they play with play an integral part in this learning process.

All children develop at different rates, while some may be walking at 10 months others are still toddling and falling at 15 months. Some children have strong abilities in one field while others are adept at another field. Therefore developmental guidelines should be used as a general rule of thumb.

You can build all kinds of educational toys with everyday household items. Remember for younger children, the toys need to be safe. Use the same guidelines you would for buying toys off the shelf. If your child is under 3, be careful of small parts. Don’t use plastic bags in toys designed for this age. For all children, be aware of sharp objects.

Quality education and teaching is very important to the mental health and growth of children. The brain of a child is very much like a sponge that can absorb enormous quantities of information. The more it absorbs, the more the brain expands as they grow. It is because of this, that day care toys are so important at an early age for purposes of teaching.

Children often learn to identify items, colours and people on their own. However, a formal introduction i.e.: “This is a chair. This is the colour blue. Etc”, will always help them identify objects and the uses for which they exist. The children will grasp fundamental skills faster.

Some people think that baby products are frivolous objects created by man to occupy a child’s attention while mom or dad has something else to do. This is a misconception. Playing does help a child develop crucial skills; toys are the tools for them to learn and develop those skills.

Marilyn Segal, Ph.D., dean emeritus and director of the professional development program at Mailman Segal Institute for Early Childhood Studies at Nova South Eastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, says that playing is how kids learn about the world. It is through playing that their social, emotional, intellectual, and problem-solving skills are enhanced.

Dr. Linda Lindsay, professor of sociology at Maryville University, believes it is nurture that triumphs nature. When children are very young, she says, they are given stuffed animals. As they get older, girls continue to receive stuffed toys, but boys begin to be teased or chided, especially if he plays with the toy in front of others.

For children to get the most out of toys they must be safe and the right toy for the child’s age and ability. Some toys such as bicycles and skateboards are not easy to manage and children need some help before they can use them safely. Other toys may not be safe because they are for older children, or because they are not well made. Here are some ideas about what to look for.

It is normal for young children to explore, touch and move whatever they see. You cannot teach a young child to play safely. Child safety depends on you. Put away things that they should not touch. Watch what they do. Stop them if what they do is unsafe.

High-tech toys, which entertain with microchip-powered songs, sounds, flashing lights and vibrations, can stimulate toddlers, but researchers say there’s no credible supporting evidence showing that they enhance cognitive development or creativity or have any long term effects.

Children will get far more meaningful stimulation from the sounds of the people, animals, and objects around them, notes Jane M. Healy, Ph.D., an educational psychologist in Vail, CO, and author of Your Child’s Growing Mind: Brain Development and Learning from Birth to Adolescence. So play with your baby often. You are your baby’s favourite toy and best learning tool. Babies crave one-on-one social interaction and need the security it provides. There’s also a role for quiet time, when the brain consolidates what it has learned. “If there’s nothing that’s entertaining, it gives the brain time and space to learn to manage itself,” Healy says.

Author : Andrew Bailey

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com -

Transformer and Toys

For transformer I give the movie the best in the world this time. If ever the first view, would entail a number one with both pictures and sound filming techniques. The body is not going to be bored. Particularly striking scene has hit draft of a vehicle and find a good puppet do not criticize. More than imagination. Done perfectly. See who's never let the first request to view , possible purchase of a DVD be stored to carry home to their children nephew of view .I have to keep more than 100 percent since the movie of course.

- This movie is the use of the graphics very much from just 15 terabytes increased to 140 terabytes, or nearly as many as 10 of the sector. Most pictures are on the CG and the CG most extravagant version is I Max. ?? solution because the projection area and much higher than normal.

For charactor in Transformer 2

AUTOBOTS

• OPTIMUS PRIME
• IRONHIDE
• BUMBLEBEE
• SIDESWIPE
• ARCEE
• JETFIRE
• JOLT
• SKIDS&MUOFLAP [THE TWINS]

DECEPTICONS

• MEGATRON
• STARSCREAM
• SIDEWAYS
• THE FALLEN
• SCORPONOK
• SOUNDWAVE
• RAVAGE
• THE DOCTOR
• WHEELIE
• DEMOLISHOR
• DEVASTATOR = SCAVENGER+SCRAPPER+HIGHTOWER+LONGHAUL+RAMPAGE

+OVERLOAD+MIXMASTER

Transformers are too cool! These popular toys have inspired a TV show and two movies. The first movie was released in 2008, and now a second movie, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, is set to hit the big screen on June 24, 2009. So, this is going to be a fun and popular party theme again this year!

Transformers is all about the Autobots (the good guys!) v. the Decepticons (the bad guys!), with humans somewhere in the middle. I have to admit; I grew up with these toys and played with them for hours with my little brother. The coolest one, of course, was Optimus Prime (the big eighteen-wheeler truck). He was a good guy, but we just wanted to play and didn’t care which side he was on!

Author: natty

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Transformer and Toys

Children Toys – Bring Smile on Child's Face

The market is replete with all kinds of products. You name any product and it will be available in the market. Markets cater to people of all age groups. It also caters to children. What do children like most? It is toys that they like most. Markets are flooded with all types of children toys. Shopping for children toys can really be an exciting experience. Toys bring wide smile on a child's face. As a father or a mother, it is a great experience shopping for your children. But when you are shopping for your kids, you need to consider some facts and accordingly purchase toys.

Do not make a reckless purchase. Always buy children toys depending on your child's need. What your child requires may be different from other children's needs. One thing that you must consider is the age of your child if you want to make a right choice. The second but an important factor is the budget. You cannot boy toys if you do not have the required financial resources.

Children toys not only make children happy and help them have leisure time, but they also help children grow. Children toys help kids grow mentally and develop their thinking and other motor skills. They learn how to socialize. When buying children toys, make sure that they do not contain any chemicals. They may harm your child because children are in the habit of putting toys in their mouth, thus posing themselves to greater risks.

There can be no better sight than a smiling face of your child. Kids like to receive gifts, so you should not waste time pondering over what to gift your child. Just follow the above mentioned instructions and find a suitable gift for your child. Now, the Internet has made shopping a lot easier than before. There are various websites that offer children toys. You can visit any of them and make an informed purchase.

Author: Matthew Watson

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Children Toys – Bring Smile on Child's Face

Wooden Childrens Toys

Wooden Childrens Toys - Types Of Toys Available, Part 1

While many of the toys of today have become high tech and many are made of plastic, there are still a variety of wooden children’s toys that are made. Wooden toys have been around for many years, and they are still quite popular today in spite of other toys that have been developed with today’s technology. Many times, wooden toys have proven to be much safer and cheaper as well. There are many different kinds of wooden toys that your children may enjoy playing with, and there is a good chance that mom and dad might enjoy playing with some of these toys as well.

Wooden Puzzles
Wooden puzzles are wooden toys that are made for children of a variety of ages. Some of these puzzles have pieces that are quite large and are suitable for young children, while other wooden puzzles have smaller pieces that are meant for older children. These puzzles are extremely fun to put together and teach children hand-eye coordination and how to solve problems on their own. These types of puzzles also look great when they are completed, and some people even choose to mount and frame them when they are completed.

Wooden Cars
Wooden cars are another favorite among wooden children’s toys. Cars made of wood have been around for years and were created long before Hot Wheels ever became popular. With wooden cars there is usually no need to worry about little parts falling off and being a choking hazard. Many older people enjoy wooden cars as well and have a variety of them as a part of a car collection. Other types of vehicles are made of wood as well such as trucks, airplanes, and helicopters.

Wooden Dollhouses
One type of wooden toys that little girls often enjoy playing with are wooden dollhouses. Whether you build the dollhouse yourself or purchase it already made, they are great fun. Children can also get dolls and furniture to go along with these houses, which makes for a great playing experience. Wooden dollhouses have been around for years, and now they have even more exciting options than ever before with some dollhouses coming with Jacuzzi’s and swimming pools to make them more modern.

By Gabriel Adams
Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=133328&ca=Parenting