Why Toys Are Needed For Child Development by Madeline Miller

We live in modern times and these days instead of toys, a lot of parents are choosing to give extremely young children electronic devices to entertain themselves with. Often this is out of convenience and there are definitely times where this is needed, but if it’s more the rule rather than the exemption it can have an impact on child development, which is where old school toys come in. Technology can’t teach children the important skills and abilities that toys do. Kids need something to play with other than technology in order to avoid not being able to function successfully. This is why toys are needed for healthy child development. 

Social Skills
Especially when children are young, they tend to struggle socially. Through play with toys, children can learn how to interact with people and other life forms. Children will usually create scenarios when they play that can apply to real life situations. They often recreate events they’ve seen or experienced with their toys. Dolls, cars, and interactive toys are amazing options that will enhance your kids social skills. Promote play to your kids, and let them engage with other children often. Playing alongside other kids can help all those involved work on social skills. Together, they will naturally create scenarios, participating in teamwork. Play is one of the most useful ways to help your child understand social interaction.

Motor Skills
Anything hands on that your child can partake in will help them build motor skills. Motor skills include all things related to the use of the nervous system; carrying/holding objects, full hand function, running, walking, and all other physical functions all fall under motor skills. Taking your child(dren) to the playground is a perfect opportunity for them to test their motor skills. Guide them when they try anything new like using a swing or going down the slide. Show them how everything works, and how they can stay safe when being active. When your kids are old enough, you can sign them up for sports or group activities so they can improve on their motor skills regularly. Without proper play with fellow children, or being involved with physical activities, kids will miss out on adapting necessary motor skills.

Reading & Speaking
It’s crucial that you get your child to engage in play that will help them strengthen their reading and speaking skills. During early ages (1-5), introduce learning games to your child. You can get memory games, toys to help your kid learn to count, and fun stories to read to them. While creative play is just as important, learning focused play is also needed during child development. If your child fights against learning related play or activities, think of ways to make the process fun for them. The more excitement and joy your child associates with an activity, the more likely they will be to receive the benefits of that form of play. A solution to get a child to enjoy reading is to create your own story with them in it. Feature all of their favorite things in the story, and they will get excited to hear a story that’s about them. Making these small but helpful adaptations can get your kid excited to do any writing, reading, speaking, and number related activities.

“Parents play a big role in the participation levels of kids in school,” reveals Sophia Dunn, educational blogger at Ukservicesreviews.

Learning About Themselves
Allow your child to try out different toys so they can see what they like. Kids crave to find things that spark joy in their hearts. Let them learn about who they are through the process of selecting the toys they wish to play with. Toys are made for the benefit of kids, not to please parents. Every once in a while, take your child to your local toy store to pick out one toy that they want to add to their collection. Whether they like fashion dolls, sports toys, or crafts, they will appreciate you giving them the chance to find interests and learn about who they are.

Toys Are Essential
In order for your child to optimize their development and learning, make toys a big part of their childhood.

Tech writer and editor Madeline Miller works at Simplegrad and Essay Writing Services. Madeline helps companies become more successful, and she also writes for a variety of other websites like Via Writing.