Toys are important partners in the growth of kids. Many parenting experts have said that children learn new skills and develop various cognitive and social skills while playing, so playing is their job. After I became my mother, I was very willing to let the children play without worry, and I was happy to choose toys for them. However, as my child grows up, my pressure is gradually increasing, because I hope that while they are playing, they can better develop their imagination and creativity. In the adult world for so many years, I know that these two skills are not easy to learn in the classroom; and the two stages of 0 to 3 years old and 3 to 6 years old are the periods when the brain of children is developing rapidly. In the period to give them appropriate guidance to stimulate their imagination and creativity, then they will naturally endless use in the future. Therefore, I am always afraid that I have not done enough or badly, so I missed the golden period of their brain development.
The pressure like me is actually widespread in many parents, and it is also one of the research priorities of children's education experts for many years. The American Academy of Childhood Medicine has suggested that if parents buy toys for infants under one year of age to improve their IQ, they should be mentally prepared because they are likely to spend money. That is because the little babies under one year old are still in the first stage of knowing the world. Their potential is endless, but they are not ready to accept a very purposeful education. The TLC TV station in the United States once did a show. They compared many popular baby toys on the market. From the effect of inspiring children's imagination, the more expensive the toys, the more effective they are. Therefore, the choice of toys should be arranged according to the budget. It is especially important to choose toys suitable for the age group of children, and safety is also a factor that cannot be ignored.
Toys that are more instructive for children should be the kind of toys that they can explore on their own.
After the age of one, you can start to buy some toys with specific purposes, such as teaching them to know the color, shape, and number of toys. After the age of two, you can give your child a puzzle and a moving toy (such as a traffic toy). And analog toys; (such as toy kitchens), and toys that can make sounds. Now the problem is coming. At present, there are many children's toys that are popular in the market. At first glance, it is very fun to have a series of music and light shadows when the baby clicks. However, the toys that are more guiding to children should be The kind of toy that they can explore on their own. Taking music as an example, our family first had a small electronic toy piano. When the baby clicked, there were children’s songs running out. The little piano also has a few keys for the children to pop up, but because there are buttons that sing when they press, my baby is rarely interested in playing something. Later, we bought a set of children's musical toys, which were all available and the children loved it. I also like it because they have to find the notes themselves, and no button can help them blow a whole song. What's more interesting is that in this whole set of instruments, except for the triangular iron, it is made of wood. Wood toys touched in the hands, it is indeed much more textured than plastic products. In a contemporary society where high technology is prevalent, traditional wooden toys still occupy a certain market weight, which also shows that parents have a multi-faceted demand for toys.
However, the toy market is generally sluggish. Richard Gottlieb, a senior toy industry analyst, conducted a survey in 2012 and found that from 2004 to 2012, US domestic toy retail sales fell by 15%. This is mainly caused by the popularity of video games and smartphone apps. This type of entertainment has become an effective means of comforting children by entering the infant world. Sometimes I need time to handle some things, put a cartoon to show the kids, I can get the time I need. But I also know that this method is not sustainable. Numerous children's education experts have repeatedly warned children of the harmful effects of using electronic products, especially in terms of stimulating children's imagination and creativity. Electronic products have great limitations. Traditional toys, such as building blocks, are only one-dimensional. When children put them together, they increase their dimensions. The process of extending this dimension is actually an extension of the image space of children. In comparison, TV, video games, and mobile apps create a three-dimensional space that, while lively and interesting, limits the depth of development of children's thinking.
Recently, I found that my two-and-a-half-year-old and four-and-a-half-year-old children will continue to play a game after building blocks, that is, they have an imaginary function for the things they have put, and put our family members into this one by one. Function inside. Many early childhood education studies have pointed out that children who play this kind of imaginary game after the age of two are one of the most exciting ways to stimulate their imagination and creativity. For example, buying a banana made of wood can teach children to know fruit. But soon the child might have used the banana as a phone call. It’s even better if parents join in and play with them. My father and I are often voluntarily or forced to join their role play. I have to admit that I often feel bored, but the two children can never tire of playing, the fun they get from this imagination. The big one is really beyond my expectations.
However, they also say from time to time that my mother is so boring. In the beginning, I will be under a lot of pressure because of this sentence. If I can't think of a more fun game, or can't buy a toy that keeps them interested, wouldn't I have to turn on the TV or use the iPad to play with them? The game?
Not long ago, I saw an article in the New York Times. The reporter interviewed the founder couple of Melissa & Doug (American Marisa) who developed traditional toys. His wife, Melissa, said that they installed flats throughout their homes. The computer entertains the children (although each computer can only be used for at most one hour), but their children still complain about boredom. At this time, it is much easier for parents to give in to their children than to persist. Melissa also said that based on her own experience, imagination can fill this boring; it is this experience that drives them to develop challenging toys. I think that since children always complain about boredom, I can't think that they can solve all problems by playing with them. I should endure this pressure, let them solve problems with imagination, and try to help them learn how to calm their emotions in the process. In fact, it is not a big deal for children to complain about boredom. Let them be bored. Maybe they will brainstorm new ideas.