There are tons of toys out there that are both fun and educational, without necessarily being academic or “boring” for your child. Infants, toddlers and preschoolers are always learning, even when it looks like they are not. Small babies learn about objects by mouthing them, but as they grow older they learn to recognize their shapes, colors and names. One of the first complex ideas a baby understands is that of object permanence, or the idea that an object (or person) still continues to exist even when the object cannot be seen. This Montessori Object Permanence Box is a simple toy young babies will get a kick out of: the ball must be dropped into a hole, and disappears a moment out of sight before rolling into the attached tray. In addition to securing the idea of object permanence, the toy builds fine motor skills and demonstrates cause-and-effect.
For young babies and toddlers, Green Sprouts Stacking Cups are a simple, compact toy that provides a lot of play (and learning) for your little one. Babies can stack, nest, grasp, roll, or bang these cups together. Each cup is marked with a shape and has drain holes so they can be played with in the tub or a sensory table. Even though it does not look like formal learning, simple items like cups can provide young learners with a variety of engaging activities.
A classic kids toy that takes many forms, this Melissa and Doug Shape Sorter provides younger children with an additional cue – color – to make it a little easier to match up the shapes. If you have a younger baby or a toddler who is still in the mouthing stage, look for large chunky pieces that do not pose a choking hazard. The Magnetic Stacking Farm Blocks from Janod are simple, three piece magnetic puzzles that can be matched or mixed, depending on your child’s mood. Gently self-correcting, these magnetic blocks teach object orientation and are a good primer for classic puzzles but a step up in difficulty from chunky block puzzles.
As your toddler grows into the preschool years, Counting Bears and their ilk can provide countless hours of educational entertainment, from structured activities to more free-form play. Aside from counting these brightly colored shapes can be sorted by color and incorporated into more elaborate games. There are a wide variety of counters available, from transportation themes and animal sets, and can be used with multiple children. Before your child is ready for pre-k there are many activities that prep them for school beyond learning the alphabet or writing their names, and toys that develop fine motor skills build the muscles necessary to properly hold a pen or pencil. You can buy sets of Fine Motor Skills Tools developed especially for young children or look around your home for something suitable – tongs, tweezers, scoops and the like are perfect for developing the grip and precision they will need as they learn to write. There are plenty of fun and highly engrossing toys beyond the electronic “learning” pads or workbooks generally associated with “educational” value. Realize young children need to build a variety of skills beyond letters and numbers and that oftentimes, learning looks a lot like play!
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