Why do children need to play?
Because play is important for intellectual,
physical, social and emotional development.This is
how children learn about themselves, their
families, friends, and
community.
In spite of this, children
experience increasingly less play time as
childcare environments and schools put more
emphasis on academics, as parents are more hurried
and stressed, and as scheduled enrichment
activities such as sports take up more and more
time in children's lives.
This holiday season, why not focus
on simple toys and activities which will enrich
your child's world.
These are some of the best toys
for babies:
-
Dolls or Stuffed
Animals
-
Toy Phone: this
gives them a chance to learn about conversations
and increase their vocabulary
-
Playhouse or
Tent: fun for playing peekaboo for
babies and for acting out adventure stories for
older children. These can be created using
chairs and blankets; no need to spend a lot of
money.
-
Blocks: babies
can use these from the time they can hold an
object in their hands. Blocks can be used for
shape sorting as well as for building.
-
Farm or Animal
Set: Good for learning about animals,
and work environments such as farms.
-
Shopping Cart:
Good for learning consumer skills and how
to handle money.
-
Music Set:
Homemade is just as much fun as store bought;
use pots, pans, oatmeal boxes and kitchen
spoons.
-
Tool Kit or Work
Bench: Help children learn how things
work.
-
Toy Kitchen
-
Ride-On
Toy
And most
important, play with your child.
Tell stories, be silly,
have fun;
adults need to play too!
