Toys That Make Learning Child’s Play
What You Should Know:
- The child’s current interests.
- The 4 developmental domains: Physical, Language, Cognitive, Social-Emotional.
- Toys that help children grow in one or more of these domains.
- How to select toys for different ages-click on the age group links on the right. >
- Why playing is an important part of early childhood development.
Children’s Educational Toys and Developmental Domains
Did you know that children can play and learn at the same time? It’s true! Children learn while they play, and toys are some of the tools they learn with. This is the reason it is important to know how to select high-quality toys. Here at How to Choose Educational Toys for Children, we recommend toys based on scientific research done in the field of Early Childhood Development. Generally, Early Childhood Educators recognize four areas where learning occurs; these areas are called Developmental Domains. Although these domains are discussed separately, they are in many ways interdependent because children’s development in one domain is influenced by and influences their development in the other domains. The four Developmental Domains are:
- Physical-Gross Motor Skills, Fine Motor Skills
- Language-Oral and Written
- Cognitive-Reasoning, Logical Thinking
- Socio-Emotional-Managing Emotions and Interacting with Others
When selecting toys for children, you need to consider whether the toy will help improve the child’s skill level in one or more of the developmental domains.
Here’s the Deal With the Physical Domain
The physical domain involves the development of physical skills that give children the ability to make purposeful movements in their environments. This domain is divided into gross motor skills and fine motor skills. The first category, gross motor skills, involves the use of the muscles in the arms, legs, and torso. Some examples of toys that promote the development of gross motor skills are pushing, pulling and riding toys, jungle gyms, and balls. The second category, fine motor skills, involves the use of the muscles in the fingers and hands. Some examples of toys that promote these skills are stringing beads, lacing cards, scissors, crayons, building with blocks and Legos.
Then There’s the Language Domain
The language domain refers to the children’s ability to understand and communicate both verbally and nonverbally. For example, infants express themselves nonverbally through facial expressions, crying and cooing. Children’s language skills improve when caregivers communicate by making eye-to-eye contact, using facial expressions, and using words. By two years of age, most children can express themselves verbally using simple sentences. Encouraging older children to reenact the events that take place in a story also aids in improving their language skills. Some toys that promote the development of language skills are listening to nursery rhymes and songs, magnetic alphabet letters, phonics games, and listening to stories from books. Older children should have paper, crayons, markers, and pencils available to encourage the development of written language skills.
Next, There’s the Cognitive Domain
The cognitive domain refers to the children’s ability to think, reason, mentally process and understand what is happening. This ability includes integrating and evaluating information, as well as problem solving. For example, sorting, classifying, and counting involve using cognitive skills. Toys that encourage observing patterns, and problem solving help children improve their cognitive skills. Examples of these toys include building blocks, Legos, Duplos, geoboards, geometric pattern blocks, geometric magnets, abacuses, calculators, puzzles, and memory games.
Last, But Not Least, There’s the Social-Emotional Domain
The social-emotional domain refers to the children’s ability to regulate their emotions and to understand the social cues of others. This involves eventually being able to cooperate and empathize with others as well as following simple rules. Toys that promote social-emotional development include pacifiers, plush hugging toys, puppets and dolls. Also, older children are able to improve their social-emotional skills when they play together in the imaginary play center.
That’s Not All: Multiple Learning Domains
While many toys primarily strengthen children’s skills in one specific learning domain, they can also strengthen children’s development in other domains. For example, when children are playing together with Legos they are mainly developing their cognitive skills. However, they are also improving their physical, language, and social-emotional skills. Children playing in the imaginary play center is another example of the learning domains overlapping. Here, children are primarily developing their social-emotional skills, but they are also developing their language skills as well.
The Truth is, “Play is the Work of the Child” Maria Montessori
As parents and educators, we must always remember the importance of play for healthy child development. According to The Journal of The American Academy of Pediatrics, “Play is essential to development because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children and youth.” Also, “Play is so important to optimal child development that it has been recognized by the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights as a right of every child.” It is important to remember this when selecting children’s educational toys.
Play allows children to create and explore in a world they can control. This helps children develop new skills that build their confidence. Also, play offers children the opportunity to develop language, leadership, and social skills. Play also helps children manage anxiety and stress. This contributes towards good mental health. In addition, by observing and playing with their children, parents can see the world through their children’s eyes. This helps parents to communicate better with their children. Engagement and improved communication facilitates a strong parent and child relationship. https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/119/1/182
More on the Importance of Play
As The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) points out, “Children learn through their play.” Play helps children reinforce the skills they have learned. This leads to success and positive self-esteem. https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/10-things-every-parent-play
The neat thing about this is that most children naturally like to play. According to Play Works, a charity funded by the Welsh government, in the UK, “The impulse to play is innate. Play is a biological, psychological, and social necessity, and is fundamental to the healthy development of individuals and communities.” https://play.wales/playwork/the-playwork-principles/ As I pointed out earlier, children are born with an innate drive to learn, and they do this by playing.
Watch This Fascinating Video on the Importance of Play!
More Information
It is crucial for parents and teachers to recognize the importance of play for healthy child development. For more information on this topic, as well as toy safety, please visit the website for The National Association for the Education of Young Children, also known as NAEYC by using the following link. https://www.naeyc.org/resources/topics/play/toys