One of the first things new parents end up learning about their child is what type of toys they actually like and which are played with for a few minutes and then never touched again. Although the common assumption behind this is that their toddler simply prefers one over the other is quickly dissipating. The reason behind that is due to the fact that some toys are simply a flash in the pan (those heavily advertised on TV) while others demand actual brain work from the toddler. So, as a new parent, what type of educational toys should you purchase for your toddler? Here are eight of the best educational toys you can present to your child today to get them learning during play.
Wooden-Based Toys
Wooden-educational toys used to be very popular for generations; however, with the need to reduce manufacturing costs, plastic has seemingly taken over. However, with that transition, the benefits of wood have also gone away. Plastic toys are often not made to last, and thus children easily break them or are simply designed not to be handled too roughly. The beauty of wooden toys is that they are made to last and can be used to increase a child’s hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and spatial awareness, to name a few. A great example of this involves a wooden toy Car. Children are able to use their brain to understand how and where the wheels should be placed on the car as well as how to properly aim it towards another object using their hand-eye coordination.
Doodling Pads
We’ve all been there before; you go around the corner of your toddler’s room only to see their latest artwork posted on the home walls. Although it’s understandable to be angry, you must also understand that they are simply looking to express their creativity. Instead of banning drawing, you should encourage it with the help of the following educational toy. When you think of a doodling pad, you have a spiral journey come to mind, after all, that’s where we doodle as adults. However, this can quickly become a mess if used by children. Instead, opt-in for a water doodle pad. This pad not only allows them to go all out with their creativity but do so in a way that they are not making a mess. They can draw, erase, and draw again until they’ve exhausted their creativity for the day.
Building Blocks
One of the most popular of the educational toys on the market are building blocks. These fun, yet educational toys, allow a toddler to understand how to match, count, and sort. Depending on the type of building blocks you choose to purchase, they can offer a plethora of benefits. Colored blocks that link only by colors can definitely help a toddler understand a child to recognize patterns as well as their colors. Building blocks also serve as a great way to improve a child’s math skills as they are often counting how many blocks one side needs to hold another.
Trampolines
Sure, when you think of educational toys, trampolines might not be the first or even fifth thing that comes to mind. The reality is that trampolines offer plenty of benefits. Not only is it a great way for your toddler to release some of that unlimited energy, but they are also learning how to control their bodies. The constant bounding forces a child to control their balance, and thus their motor skills, balance, and coordination are improved over time. Note that toddlers should always be supervised while on a trampoline.
Magnetic Toys
Although controversial, magnetic toys are certainly one of the best tools to introduce to your toddler. These are amazing toys to allow your toddler to use in order to promote problem-solving and building skills using physics & engineering. Through play, they get to understand how gravity works, how certain things need to be held up, and thus problem-solving skills take over.
Playdough
Playdough has been a long-time toy for children, and rightfully so as it promotes not only creativity but other various cognitive skills. Playdough allows children to use their imagination to mold anything they could think of as well as strengthening the muscles in their hands, the very bones, and muscles that are soon going to be needed to hold crayons, pencils, and pens. In addition, playdough can also promote social skills as you are often forced to interact with other children in order to share various types and colors of playdough.
Bath Foam Letters
No matter the time, it’s always playtime in a toddler’s mind. This is especially true during bath time. For toddlers, simply taking a bath is boring, unless they have something to play with. Bath foam letters are the perfect path toy to have in order to not only keep the fun going but help them build their literacy skills. Some come with sea themes such as pirates or mystical sea creatures, to name a few. Children may use them within the water or even stick them to the bathroom walls.
Tech Toys
Let’s face it; toddlers today are growing up very differently than even toddlers ten years ago. This is all due to the many innovations in tech, such as tablets, phones, and yes, toys. If you are noticing that your child enjoys playing more with your table than their regular toys, you can still ensure they receive a proper education. There are plenty of tech toys and apps out there that provide toddlers with the necessary math and reading skills to succeed in life. Speak, and spells, matching, and virtual building blocks are just some of the examples offered to toddlers today via tech devices.
