Toys That Promote Learning

Post by Yvonne Chavez-Lombardi, Education Programs Manager at Kidspace Children's Museum

A child benefits in all areas of development through the right kind of play and toys. While play is an important part to a child’s development it doesn’t take expensive toys, high tech gadgetry or trend setting manipulatives to keep your little one happy. Child-development and play experts focus on the areas below for healthy play with children:

Balls, jump ropes, and all outdoor games…
promote Physical Development. Physical and gross motor skills are developed as a child learns to reach, grasp, crawl, run, climb, and balance. Fine motor skills are developed as children handle small toys. Dexterity develops as the child holds toys or other items.

Science kits, cars, sink & float toys…
promote Cognitive Development. Children learn to solve problems (cause and effect), through play. Children also learn colors, numbers, size, and shapes. They have the ability to enhance their memory skills as well as their attention span. Just pulling a simple wagon, your child is learning about the relationship between force and velocity.

Blocks, plush animal, books, picture flash cards…..
promote Language & Sensory Development. Language develops as a child plays and interacts with others. This begins with babies playing cooing games and advances to useful language skills such as story telling. Sensory cues are taken from the manipulation of textures, smells, colors and sounds through toys.

Puppets, Costumes, Puzzles…
promotes Social Development. These skills include daily interaction skills such as sharing, taking turns, and allowing others to talk without interrupting. Social skills grow as the child plays. Board games, dolls and puzzles are some toys that can help your child’s social development.