| Do you know why multipurpose toys are the best at | | | | your child's intellectual, social and emotional |
| promoting cognitive development in the youngest | | | | development from websites that specialize in |
| children? You will and know specific toys to choose | | | | developmental expert-selected toys. Still, the best |
| after you read this article. Brain development in the | | | | toys are those that can be used in a variety of |
| youngest children is best fostered by unstructured | | | | ways, some of which your child will invent |
| creative play time vs. rote learning and memorization. | | | | themselves. |
| I recently came across an interesting article, | | | | Examples of unstructured, multipurpose toys include |
| "Rethinking Children's Play" in the National PTA's Our | | | | clay, blocks, balls, and pretend play toys like wagons, |
| Children magazine. The article explains how children | | | | generic toy figures, stuffed animals and baby dolls--all |
| learn through play, then traces the changes in | | | | of these encourage play that children can control and |
| playtime and toys from the latter half of the 20th | | | | shape to meet their individual needs over time. The |
| century until today, significantly noting that | | | | best thing is that some of these toys are also the |
| media-linked toys can be traced directly to FCC | | | | most inexpensive or free (like stackable plastic |
| deregulation in 1984. Now TV shows and movies can | | | | containers and boxes around the house)! |
| explicitly market to children. | | | | It's good to have educational play interactions with |
| Think about the typical toys and action figures or | | | | your little one, but also let them have regular, |
| video games linked to TV programs or movies. The | | | | uninterrupted playtime (away from the TV or DVD |
| biggest problem, per the PTA, is that many of these | | | | player) and let them know that play is important by |
| toys just tell children how to play and use the toys | | | | encouraging it every day. |
| to imitate what they see on the screen. | | | | Whatever you do, make thoughtful choices about |
| So, which toys are the best? | | | | the toys and media you introduce to your child -- |
| You can get many of the best kinds of educational | | | | focus on ones that promote true playtime, allowing |
| learning and cognitive development toys that facilitate | | | | them the fullest range of freedom and creativity. |