| Toddler toys, like childhood itself, mean different | | | | This stage follows the sensorimotor period and lasts |
| things to different people. To the average European | | | | up until 6 ½ to 7 years of age.(Ms. Jones |
| or American parent, a toy serves to keep the young | | | | reminds parents that the passage from one stage |
| amused and distracted. Now more than ever, with | | | | into the other is not abrupt or definite.)This second |
| the belief that multiple intelligences can be stimulated | | | | stage is one in which the child judges entirely by |
| in the early years, toy manufacturers are gearing | | | | appearance. During the preoperational period, a child is |
| their products towards those than can keep children | | | | aware only of his own point of view. |
| beguiled, occupied and instructed. For instance, toys | | | | Toys to look for: |
| should help the child develop his motor skills, and | | | | Washable poster paint toys (ie: Melissa and Doug |
| engage him in fantasy and investigative play. | | | | wooden deluxe standing easel set), room set toys |
| Many toy companies have continuously strived to | | | | (ie: bedroom set, living room set, kitchen set, etc.), |
| make products which not only stimulate physical | | | | mini-scooters, card game directional toys (ie: Right |
| development but also nurture emotional and | | | | Turn, Left Turn), catch and shoot basketball toys, |
| intellectual advancement. Despite this, the sad fact | | | | activity books , memory games, airplane kits, stick |
| remains that not all toy bought stores come up to | | | | 'em toys, piggy bank toys (ie: Money Savvy Pig), etc. |
| the specifications for toys that stimulate holistic | | | | What these toys do: |
| growth. Thus, it is up to the parents, especially the | | | | These toys stimulate creativity, allow children to |
| mother, to make sensible decisions when purchasing | | | | make their own decisions, give them a sense of |
| toys. | | | | control that leads to a sense of security, develop |
| Claudia Jones, in her book "Parents are Teachers, | | | | strategy skills, encourage group play, and most |
| Too," cited how important that responsibility is, and | | | | importantly, encourage parental participation. |
| how to implement it by outlining the 2 Stages of | | | | The Period of Concrete Operations |
| Learning, and suggested appropriate toys for each | | | | At about the age of 7, a child understands the |
| stage: | | | | concepts of conservation and the relationship |
| The Sensorimotor Stage | | | | between a whole and its parts. His thinking seems |
| This is the period from birth to 1 ½ -2 years, | | | | fairly logical to adults, but he has a difficult time |
| which includes the stage where, if an object is | | | | dealing with abstract ideas. |
| hidden, it no longer exists. Toward the end of the | | | | The Period of Formal Operations |
| first year, the toddler begins to realize that just | | | | At about 11 years of age, the child enters this period, |
| because an object can't be seen, it doesn't mean it's | | | | which lasts until he is 14 or 15. The child learns to see |
| no longer there. When he begins to put words | | | | beyond reality. He can visualize the potential of things |
| together with objects (word association), and grasp | | | | and deal with ideas. These all lead him to adult |
| the concept of representation, he is thus prepared to | | | | reasoning. |
| pass into the second period. | | | | The Bottom Line |
| Toys to look for: | | | | The parent's decision to purchase toddler toys |
| Shape-sorting toys, animal puzzle toys, knobbed and | | | | involves seeing those toys through the eyes of a |
| squeezable toys, touch and stack toys, stack and | | | | child, and going beyond that viewpoint to see how it |
| sort toys, and others of the same kind make | | | | would develop the child in all aspects. The decision to |
| wonderful toys for toddlers at this stage. | | | | buy a toy is apart from actually buying it. That |
| What these toys do: | | | | window, then, should be one that looks through what |
| Most of these toys stimulate the toddler's | | | | the toy can do in developing a child's multiple |
| imagination, boost his language development and build | | | | intelligences while providing the child with genuine joy |
| up his dexterity. | | | | and satisfaction. |
| The Preoperational Period | | | | |