This is a guest post by writer and designer, Andrea Gibbs, a blog contributor at Baby Steps Preschool where she writes story-time themes, parenting tips, and seasonal activities to entertain children. Enjoy!
As parents, we want to witness our children become the best they can be. We want them to have opportunities to explore and see the world in so many ways. However, in order to be ready for the world outside, a child must improve the essential skills needed to succeed in school. As a parent, we obviously want to encourage our children to be good readers, gain the knowledge they need to succeed in the future, and lastly, we want them to become faithful in the process.
This article will discuss various fun educational toys that can help a child become a better learner. The toys will aid the child’s learning by providing them with enrichment activities that promote their cognitive abilities. The toys are made with interdisciplinary studies in mind and teach lessons through play.
What are Educational Toys?
Educational toys are those that have been developed with the purpose of helping children learn and enhance their development. They may be toys specifically designed to help a child develop certain skill sets, or they may be your normal traditional toys that have been modified slightly to provide more learning opportunities. Some toys have been specifically built to stimulate the senses and help get kids excited about learning. This is an important part of early child development. Some educational toys teach reading, writing, listening, and math skills. A lot of educational toys are available, and the most popular ones have been developed with the help of parents with children in consideration.
Fun and Educational Toys For Your Little Ones:
There are many toys out there that can help your children learn in an entertaining way. You have probably seen some toys at the local toy store, but there are even more online that you can buy for your little ones. We must try to be as interactive as possible when teaching our kids something new. Putting some sort of teaching material in front of a child and expecting them to learn while playing is a very ineffective way of getting them to learn something. If you want your kids to learn something, sit down with them and play with them as they use the educational toy.
The following are some fun and educational toys for your children.
1. LeapFrog Fridge Phonics Magnetic Letter Set
It is an excellent first phonics toy for your little one, who is learning to determine uppercase letters and their corresponding sounds. Phonics Magnetic Letter Set is portable and includes a magnetic backing to be placed on the front of the refrigerator or a magnetic whiteboard. Kids choose a letter, utilize their small hands to maneuver it into place just like a puzzle, then push it to hear the letter and letter sound through a song.
2. Board Books
Board books are excellent for little hands and are a simple way to teach your children the basics of reading. Most of the best sellers out there have been published in board book format, so even if you want to give your little ones a taste of what reading good books is all about, you can always buy them one. There are various types of board books out there, including phonics, counting, and color recognition books.
3. Watercolor Paints
Watercolor paints are very good for young children because they have the opportunity to use their imagination and creativity to just doodle and paint anything they want. It is a great way to develop their sense of color recognition and increase their fine motor skills as they try to use watercolor paints with small brushes. You can set up some easel or table and let them go at it.
4. Alphabet Marks The Spot Floor Mat
This mat is a good addition to any child’s play area. This mat is great for play but also is a learning tool. Children will love running towards the letter or letter sound you mention. You can begin with playing by letter names and if children get comfortable playing it, then progress to letter sounds.
5. Dominoes
While it is essential to enhance your child’s muscle strength to perform tasks, it is also important that you provide them with educational toys to improve their memory. This is where you can use dominoes. These dominoes will help advance your child’s memory and counting skills. You can also end up teaching them the concept of one-to-one correspondence with letters through the use of this toy.
6. The Sound Box
This box is an ideal first toy to help your child develop a good sense of hearing. And the great thing is you don’t need to spend an amount to buy this toy. You can make this at home with your child if you want to. You may use your old small containers like the old camera canisters, then collect items that make a distinctive sound like shells, pennies, sugar, rice, and bells. Your child will truly love this toy.
7. Bicycle
A bicycle is one of the most common toys used by children. It is a fun way to get exercise while at the same time helping them learn to ride a bike. Children will get more than just exercise when riding a bicycle; it will help them improve gross motor skills by working on endurance, strengthening, and coordination. Additionally, bike riding helps with full-body sensory awareness along with visual stimulation.
8. Alphabet Tracing Board
For toddlers who are just learning their letters, the tracing board is a great toy that can help them understand each letter’s formation. It is a good way for them to develop hand-eye coordination and dexterity as they try to hold their pointer and place it in the correct spot on the board. It is a great learning toy and will help enhance your children’s fine motor skills.
9. Magnetic Tiles Building Blocks Set
Critical thinking is an essential skill for preschoolers as well. It involves the ability to problem solve and try to figure out a solution for the problems that they come across. Using magnetic tiles is a great way to develop their mental development. Children will be able to form any structures of their own or make any vehicles that they want. They will spend hours building and trying to get the perfect structure. Kids can build in any direction, so they never run out of things to do with this toy.
Final Thoughts
These educational toys should not be simply set out for children to play with; adults should engage in play with these toys as well. As a parent, it is important to engage with them during their play time as you have the opportunity to increase their vocabulary, improve conversation skills and learn how they think. You can do this by adding additional questions or challenges while they are playing.
These toys are not only educational but will also help give your children confidence and encourage them to explore their full potential. If you want to know more about toys for children, it is best for parents to consult their pediatricians and ask for recommendations on what educational toy would be best for their kids.
Author Bio:
Andrea Gibbs is currently the head of content management at SpringHive Web Design Company, a digital agency that provides creative web design, social media marketing, email marketing, and search engine optimization services to small businesses and entrepreneurs. She is also a blog contributor at Baby Steps Preschool where she writes storytime themes, parenting tips, and seasonal activities to entertain children.
