What do children need toys for? Is it just for us to trip over them when we enter our apartment? Couldn't they have grown up without them? They could, but toys make it so much easier. See why you should buy toys for your children.

- The first few years of life, more or less until the end of kindergarten, arethe most creative period in human life- says psychologist Mirosława Kownacka. - After that, we never acquire so many skills and we are not so receptive and creative.

Small children learn through play, so you should buy them toys that support their development. Our ancestors knew about it thousands of years ago, because toys are as old as civilization.

Play - what is play for a child and how does it affect the development of children?

What's better: a teddy bear or blocks?

You can get dizzy in the toy store. What to decide on: a cuddly toy, educational game or maybe blocks?

There are no better or worse toys.A bury teddy bear may turn out to be not only a friend, but also a hero of many games developing the imagination. However, there is no point in flooding your toddler with tons of stuffed animals, because he will quickly lose interest in them. In this way, the mind defends itself against being bombarded with stimuli.

A toy and a child's temperament

It is important that the toys match the child's temperament.A melancholy baby will enjoy a set of small itemsthat can be sorted, stacked or collected (such as small animals, doll furniture).

On the other hand, a sanguine - a child with a lively, impulsive disposition, who has problems with concentration - will be more pleased with a large, colorful car, which will be able to transport things from place to place.

Phlegmatic, who is not particularly interested in his surroundings, can delight puppets, a mini-kitchen or a shop - items that will attract him to play.

On the other hand, the little cholericmust have toys that are a bit beyond his capabilities.It is best to choose a task and construction toy for him.

This will be useful to you

Ten reasons to have toys:

  1. Newborns already like them. When they look at interesting objects, touch and listen to them, they develop their senses - sight, hearing,touch.And their stimulation has a positive effect on the development of the whole brain.
  2. While playing, the child learns the rules governing the world. When he puts blocks in a box or drops a rattle on the floor, he learns the cause-and-effect relationships.
  3. The toys excellently stimulate the child's imagination. They help to enter the world of fantasy, develop creativity, thanks to them you can feel like someone extraordinary (e.g. a knight, a princess).
  4. An older child learns different social roles by imitating adults. He should have toys to help him do this (DIY kit, nurse uniform, etc.).
  5. Toys force you to move -the child pulls their hands for them, catches them, throws them.And the movement not only strengthens the body, but also develops coordination and reflexes well.
  6. Educational toy stimulates the child to think, provokes him to ask questions ("how does it work?") And look for answers.
  7. When our toddler copes with the tasks posed by play, he gains confidence in himself. His self-esteem increases.
  8. Cuddly toys are often friends of children:help them fall asleep, chase away fears and sorrows.They make the child feel safe.
  9. Building blocks together and board games teach children the rules of cooperation. A little-year-old who plays with friends, practices social behavior and learns to respect the rules and deal with failure.
  10. Play can be a kind of psychodrama, in which the child unloads his emotions (e.g. by rebuking a doll, maybe it gives vent to jealousy for younger siblings).

Age-appropriate toy

A reliable manufacturer places such information on the packaging. This is very important for a young child whoseperception and cognitive abilities fluctuate from month to month . During the first six months, the baby carefully learns about its surroundings. He stares at the colorful toys hanging over the crib, he is eager to listen to the music box.

At the age of 4-5 months, she begins to grab objects. And when his first teeth come out, he puts rubber teethers in his mouth. It would be good if she hadcontact with pleasant-to-touch materials that she could safely take in her mouth.

Motor skills as well as visual, auditory and motor coordination develop between the 6th and 9th month of life. During this period,toys that roll on the floor are the best, e.g. balls, spinning tops . The child is already beginning to understand the cause-and-effect relationships, so it's time to put colorful cups inside each other.

A toddler who can already walk well will be happy to push a stroller in front of him or pull something on a string. BetweenIn the 9th and 18th month, the child begins to build the first buildings from large blocks, he also likes to put blocks in the box.This is also the time when you should buy him the first cardboard or vinyl books.

Two- and three-year-olds start to imitate adults. During this period, he can get a little DIY or a doctor. Over time, there should be more books, board games and materials in the child's environment that force creative activity, such as ordinary plasticine or modeling clay.

Read also : Ways to deal with autumn boredom for kids. 7 ideas for creative games with your child

Thematic games - why are they important for a child's development?

Toys must be safe

This is its most important feature. Particularly strict criteria apply to those for the youngest. Each should have the CE mark, which confirms thatis tested and meets the European standards .

Items for toddlers must be made with great care and of harmless materials. There are many dangers for a small child.He may chew a toy and swallow a small element , poison himself with a harmful substance or cut himself with a sharp edge.

In bazaars you can often find cheap toys without markings. Many of them were produced in Asia. For the safety of your child, it's better not to buy them! The Office of Competition and Consumer Protection publishes a register of dangerous productson its website . For example, in the description of a car with a battery, "Super Racing Car", we read that there is a risk of injury.

"Growing" toys, depicting animals and fairy-tale creatures, entered into the register three years ago with an order to withdraw from circulation, "threaten to choke and suffocate" - informs the office. The regulation of the Council of Ministers of 6 June 2004 prohibits the sale of toys and care products for children under three, , which contain poisonous phthalates.

As you can see, no kidding with toys! It's worth paying more and taking a moment to read the information on the packaging.

Have fun with your child

There are many educational toys on the market that are designed to stimulate the development and cognitive abilities of a child. Let's be careful not to overdo it in providing the baby with stimuli. Excess can be harmful!

Let's not forget about the simple, traditional toys that have been used by generations, such as a rocking horse, wooden blocks or a baby doll in a pram. The toy that we give the child should benot only smart and safe, but also aesthetic.

On store shelves, it shimmers with colors (yellow, red, green and navy blue predominate - favorite bytoddlers of colors), we ourselves want our child's world to be colorful, while for him the greatest value may be, for example, gray-brown, ineffective plushie.

When choosing a toy, however, be guided by the child's preferences, not your own . One more thing: let's not condemn a child to loneliness in the kingdom of toys! - No toy, even the most beautiful and smartest one, can replace contact with parents! Being with the child, talking to him, we will create a strong basis for his further development - appealsMirosława Kownacka .

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