Some parents can fall into the trap of believing that education time and toy time are two separate departments that should not mix.

This misconception could not be further from the truth as many of these items can be classified as learning toys.

From toddlers just learning to speak to move to others that are about to be enrolled in pre-school, there are many items and games that can be leveraged to help them later in life.

Before taking a stance on learning toys, it is worthwhile knowing more about the process and how a son or daughter can benefit from such an exercise.

Here we will take stock of the advantages of exposing kids to these types of materials to boost their own education development.

 

Making Learning Fun!

educational toys

When education is stale and one dimensional, it is harder for the teacher to actually make progress with their students. For babies, toddlers and pre-school aged children, the capacity to use learning toys helps to breakdown those barriers and provides them with a tangible means of learning in real time. Kids at this early stage will respond differently according to their age, from under 12 months to 2-3 and 4-5 years of age, but if the toys are colourful, easy to use and provide a connection with the little boys and girls, it will help to expedite their development on a range of measures.

 

Cognitive and Motor Skill Focus

Studies have illustrated that the application of learning toys works to develop key cognitive and motor skills. This will impact on a variety of elements in their personal development that will be beneficial to their long-term health and wellbeing. From building on memory to sustaining their attention, processing information at a greater speed, multitasking, pattern recognition. Depending on the toy type and whether or not it is suitable for outdoor or indoor activity, key motor skills are also improved. This ranges from balance and reaction time to agility, coordination, power and speed of movement.

 

Building Independence Levels

For parents, guardians and teachers who are mindful about doing too much of the work for the kids, the use of learning toys helps to empower their own decision-making. There are still gains that can be found from peers who provide them with educational material by reading to them and informing them about how to use certain items, but it is only by touching and interacting with the toy that they can make those core developments for themselves. Once they have experience in this field, they will feel more confident with their reading and writing tasks.

 

Great Capacity to Play With Others

Social behaviours can be inherent with kids, but they are developed and supported when learning toys are brought into the equation. Many of these games and toys require multiple participants to get involved, encouraging a communal activity that fosters friendship between young kids. This is where they learn to share and to get others involved in the process, growing their social skills in the process.

 

Wide Variety With Toy Profiles

The great benefit for engaging in learning toys is that the niche is incredibly diverse. From as young as 6 months old to the 4-5 age group where they are still coming to terms with their own motor skill and cognitive functions respectively, there is a lot of benefit in exposing them to different products at the right time. From puzzles and plush dolls to building blocks, art books and paintings, miniature musical instruments, computer games, number games and activities that require skipping and memorising positions, these can be applied at the parent’s and teacher’s own discretion.