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Characteristics Of Top Reviewed Learning Kids' Toys

By Christine Harrell
Aug 20, 2009
Play isn't just for fun -- it is an essential learning experience for young children. While engaged in play, children are learning to use their body, their social and problem solving skills, and exploring their own potential. The use of learning kids' toys can help your child develop their full intellectual, spatial awareness, mathematical, physical and social skill potential.

Learning kids' toys make use of natural tendencies of children to explore their surroundings, to test and examine, and to make conclusions based upon real life experiences. By investing the time to read through toy reviews to find the best learning kids' toys, you can facilitate your child's maximum development and playtime enjoyment.

Characteristics Of Good Learning Kids' Toys

High quality learning kids' toys share several common characteristics. They are sturdy and well made, conducive to creative thinking and problem solving, and they offer open-ended activities that challenge a child's imagination. These can include, but are certainly not limited to, construction and building sets, scientific experiments, gardening activities and other 'how-things-work' activities.

Most people assume that learning refers to reading, writing, and arithmetic. While these skills are essential, they are by no means the only skills worth learning. Social skills, physical fitness, complex thinking, problem solving, and 'what-if' activities are all important functions of top learning kids' toys. These types of toys and activities stimulate thought, conversation, and experimentation.

Science, Society, And Self-Awareness

Learning kids' toys create opportunities for children to expand their knowledge base and to stimulate further questions. Science-based learning kids' toys, such as butterfly gardens, vegetable and flower gardens, and chemistry sets are perfect mediums for these processes. Another set of valuable learning kids' toys are those that teach good social skills. Whereas Monopoly and world domination were once seen as admirable, enlightened parents now realize that personal creativity, tolerance, compassion and generosity are far more productive social traits.

Non-competitive, mutually beneficial, problem-solving board games provide a great opportunity for children to develop a win-win perspective, rather than the traditional 'I-win-you-lose' view of the world. Toy reviews are full of lists of these more positive forms of play and entertainment and they certainly warrant our time and attention. As children develop these positive social skills, they are far more likely to accept themselves in a positive light and to see themselves as productive, creative and valid members of society.

Teach Them What They Need To Know Through Something They Already Love

This quote, from Kate Johnson's Children's Academy, explains perfectly the usefulness of learning kids' toys: "Teach them what they need to know through something they already love." Children will invest a phenomenal amount of time and energy into games, toys and leisure time activities if those distractions match the child's personal interests. Learning can take place in a variety of ways. Advanced math can be taught using baseball card statistics. Fractions and chemistry can be taught with a cookbook.

Parents can take advantage of their child's interests by using them as vehicles for learning. With these insights, you can invest in productive learning kids' toys that will provide your child with positive learning experiences, all in the name of fun.
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