Toddler toys Preschool toys and Baby toys. Visit our resource guide for topics on child growth. Toys for baby, toddlers & preschoolers.
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Educational Toys for Baby Toddler Preschool
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Choosing the right toy for your child
During the childhood years play is significant to healthy development and learning. Children use play to actively
build knowledge, meet social/emotional needs, and gain living skills. Educational toys enhance natural abilities in
children by engaging imaginative, meaningful play, expressing ideas and inspiring problem solving skills.
Educational toys are the utensils of play, and encourage the child to play.
Parents promote children’s creative and productive play by making informed choices about toys, and by working
with others at home, school, and in the community to support positive play.
Educational toys enhance a disabled child's skills in sensory, motor, and cognitive development. All disabled
children can benefit greatly from toys for their therapeutic, educational, and entertainment values. Toys for
disabled children should be action-oriented, attracting the child to focus their attention on it.
Physical Disabilities
It's important for children with disabilities to frequently play, because physical disabilities can have a major
impact on the motor systems of an infant or toddler, limiting a child's ability to reach, sit, stand, or even move at
all. When toy shopping for a child with a physical disability, make sure the product is simple to use and provides
a clear cause-effect relationship that the child can see. It should have large buttons or other easy-to-use parts.
Hearing Impaired
Depending on whether they are totally deaf or hard of hearing, children with hearing impairments must be
challenged to absorb environmental information to fully enjoy their toys. So in picking toys for these children,
make sure the volume can be amplified if it's a product with a voice or generates noise. Both bright colors and
lights increase sight and other sensory stimulation. Textured toys are great for children with hearing loss because
the feel of the toy can heighten their appreciation.
Visual Impaired
Children with visual impairments enjoy toys that are simple to operate, produce familiar sounds, and have large,
raised parts or other tactile textures and shapes. Also great: toys that give off distinctive scents or provide
auditory directions, vibrations, and noises. Bright, bold colors are important for children who are partially
sighted. Visually impaired children enjoy playing cards with large numbers and letters.
Mentally Challenged
Mentally challenged children often enjoy activities involving sorting, counting, identifying, and planning. So toys
that challenge them to engage and think are ideal. Some toys to consider for cognitively challenged children are
clay and Play Dough, bubbles (to improve a child's visual pathway), finger-painting supplies, jumping games, ball
games, cards, and play-fishing games.
When buying toys
Choose toys with care. Keep in mind the child’s age, interests and skill level. Look for quality design and
construction in all toys for all ages. Make sure that all directions or instructions are clear—to you and, when
appropriate, to the child. Plastic wrappings on toys should be discarded before they become dangerous
playthings.
Be a label reader
Look for and regard age recommendations, such as “Not recommended for children under three.” Look for other
safety labels including: “Flame resistant” on fabric products and “Washable/hygienic materials” on stuffed toys
and dolls.