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If a toy is an object used in play, then what is an educational toy? As toys, and educational toys, are typically built for and used by children, one could make the argument that an educational toy is actually any toy as children are constantly interacting with and learning about the world. This definition is ultimately too broad as one could make the same argument about a rock, as it is not uncommon to see a child play with a rock. The difference lies in the perception (or reality) of a toy's value. An educational toy should serve to instruct, promote intellectual, emotional, or physical development in its user. An educational toy can teach a child about a particular subject or can help a child develop a particular skill. The key differentiator is the learning and development associated with interacting with the toy. As parents and educators grow more sensitive to the real or perceived development needs of children and toy manufacturers seek to market to these parents, far more toys are designed with the child's education and development in mind today than before. EDUCATIONAL TOYS IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT As mentioned previously, educational toys enhance intellectual, social, emotional, and/or physical development. Educational toys are thus designed to encourage reasonable development milestones within appropriate age groups. For preschool age youngsters, simple wooden blocks might be a good starting point for a child to begin to understand causal relationships, basic principals of science (e.g. if a block falls from the top of a structure, it will fall until a surface stops its fall), and develop patience and rudimentary hand-eye coordination. For a child moving towards elementary school, other, more sophisticated manipulatives might further aid the development of these skills. Interlocking manipulative toys like Legos or puzzles challenge the child to improve hand/eye coordination, patience, and an understanding of spacial relationships. Finally, a child in elementary school might use very sophisticated construction sets that include moving parts, motors and others to help further understand the complex workings of the world. Importantly, the educational value derived by the child increases when the educational toy is age appropriate. EDUCATIONAL TOYS IN THE CLASSROOM Entering a classroom, whether one full of preschoolers or school age children, one has no doubt that educational toys are part of the modern educator's curriculum. From manipulatives, to dress up, to board games, to musical instruments, to interactive electronic toys, the breadth of educational toys is vast. While it is not uncommon to find computers in the modern elementary school classroom, it is not yet common to find children actively engaged in video games for educational development. However, as computers and video games take an ever larger role in our lives and the lives of children, so too will their role in educational toys and games. This underscores a crucial point about the fluidity of the definition of an educational toy. As the perception of what is "educational" changes, so too will the integration of new toys into our children's classrooms. LINKS Toys |
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