toys-children-play-86.html
0417 APRIL
87 / 104
share the joy of these old-fashioned
toys
with your entire family! start a family game night and
play
monopoly, pikup stiks, or a round of old maid. whichever you choose, your
child
ren will be using their imagination and getting hands-on with fun away from those pesky screens. this month, we will be giving away one of these old-fashioned
toys
every week. to win, visit us online and click on contests. game on! toy giveaway others and for parents to become active participants in their
child
ren?s
play
time. by giving your
child
toys
that you will both enjoy, you are bonding and fostering social skills?things just not possible with digital
toys
and programs. however, dr. sanches says that not all electronic screen time is equal. ?i don?t think all screen time can be lumped into one basket. ?ere are many educational, nature, and history-orient- ed programs. a parent sitting and going over letters or numbers while watch- ing an educational video or game is less concerning. using a video chatting soft- ware to interact with distant relatives provides less concerns to me than a constant stream of intense action.? when considering entertainment for your
child
, a good rule to consider is: your
child
should bring more to the
play
time than the toy does. ?at means, you don?t want a toy or game that gives your
child
all the answers. you want the toy to give a very basic idea and let the
child
?s imagination and creativity take it from there. imagine a simple wooden truck. with no paint, your
child
can imagine it to be any color they want. with no driver, they can picture mom or dad or even themselves behind the wheel. ?e simpler the toy, the more varied their options become. with all the bells and whistles absent, your
child
will be more creative. ?ey can build castles out of blocks, imagining an entire world of stories to go along with it. dolls and books provide the same kind of stimulation. ?e best
toys
by age babies will benefit from simple
toys
they can bang, drop, stack, open, and close. nursery mobiles, mirrors, ring stacks, and pull
toys
all keep baby stimulated and curious. ?e right kind of toy can encourage self-discovery and even develop their attention span. plus, it?s just downright cute to see those chubby little hands gripping
toys
and
play
ing. toddlers are learning about their world and trying to understand how everything works. ?ey will start to learn colors and shapes, so bright and colorful
toys
are a must. bouncy balls, shape-sorting
toys
, anything with buttons or levers, kitchen sets, doctor?s kits, and stuffed animals will all benefit your toddler. from hand-eye coordination to aiding in emotional development, these
toys
play
a big role in the growth of your toddler. preschoolers are the masters of imagination. fantasy
play
will be big during this time and you?ll be demanded to ?watch this? more than a few times as they perform a new trick. ?e best
toys
to engage preschoolers are arts and crafts, construction sets, puzzles, costumes, and
play
tools. ?is is the magical age of pretend, so dive in and help slay that dragon or operate on mr. teddy bear. big kids have mastered
play
and can now focus on developing friends and relationships. ?ey can enjoy simple games like jacks and pik-up stiks, hopscotch, checkers, musical instruments, and bicycles. card games and board games develop social skills and teach them strategy, rules, and fair
play
. family game nights can be an easy way to keep everyone
play
ing together. keep it simple ?e object here is to keep it simple. we?re not saying that there isn?t any benefit to electronic
toys
and educational games
play
ed on a tablet or laptop. however, mixing in simpler
toys
will give your
child
a more well-rounded
play
experience. in local toy store, victoria?s toy station, you can spot a larger focus on
play
than technology. from toy kitchen sets to go fish card games, it?s refreshing to see that these things are readily available to us on a local level. dee-dee culotta, the store?s owner says, ?
play
is so important for
child
hood. it helps a
child
?s imagination and allows her to learn more about herself. we really push
play
ing dress-up because it completely takes them away, and that is so important today. as parents, we have to be vigilant because these
child
ren are our precious future.? next time your
child
is complaining because they?re bored, or you?re just looking for an activity to keep them entertained, think back to your
child
hood and the
toys
that stand out most in your memories. let the only noise be your
child
?s ?beep, beep? while pushing a car around your floor and the only glow to be in their eyes as they strategize a way to beat you at cards. ? april 2017 | brparents.com 87
2017-april-com-88.html
