| When searching for a new toy for your child, | | | | non-electronic toys encourage creative |
| you may experience a bit of sensory overload | | | | thinking. |
| when walking through the toy department. | | | | |
| There are all kinds of colors screaming at | | | | Also, although electronic educational toys |
| you with huge numbers and letters to | | | | are interactive, the interaction of |
| accompany them. However, there are more than | | | | non-electronic toys ties in with the concept |
| just colors and numbers getting your | | | | of creative thinking. Non-electronic toys |
| attention. There are also lights, sounds, and | | | | also encourage children to interact with each |
| talking toys. If the kids are with you, they | | | | other, whereas electronic educational toys |
| are really excited and decide it is time to | | | | are primarily made for individual play. |
| turn on every single toy that makes noise so | | | | Non-electronic toys also promote physical |
| that they can hear them chiming, ringing, | | | | activity. |
| singing, and beeping all at the same time. | | | | |
| Obviously the kids know how to operate these | | | | But the good news is that by the age of 5, a |
| toys, which means they have been introduced | | | | child has developed many of these skills and |
| to them at one time or another. So what is | | | | can be introduced to electronic educational |
| the right time to introduce a child to | | | | toys to help them in their studies. However, |
| electronic educational toys? | | | | it is still beneficial to incorporate |
| | | | non-electronic toys into a child's life to |
| We see them everywhere for all ages. We see | | | | allow them to continue using their |
| them for babies, toddlers, and school age | | | | imagination. Although the child may have an |
| kids. For babies, these toys will have very | | | | electronic educational toy, it is still |
| colorful buttons on them that may make animal | | | | beneficial to use old fashioned flash cards, |
| sounds and say what the animal is or play | | | | alphabet blocks, refrigerator magnets, and |
| music for them. For toddlers, the toys will | | | | other such toys to promote imagination and |
| say the name of an animal when the little one | | | | learning. One such way to promote imagination |
| pushes the button or will even start teaching | | | | is through the use of building blocks that |
| numbers and letters. For school age kids, | | | | allow children to build things. |
| they can improve their spelling and math | | | | |
| skills in order to do better in school. The | | | | Yes, the electronic educational toy market is |
| possibilities are endless, but that still | | | | huge. There are actual consoles and so many |
| brings up the debate of when a child is too | | | | games and educational programs that it can |
| young for electronic education toys. Or are | | | | make a parent's head spin when walking |
| they too young? | | | | through the toy department. Even after |
| | | | leaving the store, the toys that come home |
| The consensus seems to be that children who | | | | continue to make a parent's head spin with |
| are of school age should be the ones | | | | all of the beeping, music, and other various |
| introduced to electronic educational toys. | | | | sounds that appeal to children. However, |
| The reason for this is because children of | | | | despite the constant noise these toys make |
| this age are more likely to understand the | | | | when the kids are playing with them, when a |
| different functions of the toy instead of | | | | parent hears the toy say, "Well done," |
| being constantly confused as to what all it | | | | "correct," or "good job," a parent can't help |
| can do. For children younger than that, it is | | | | but have a smile on their face because they |
| believed that non-electronic toys require | | | | know they have a little genius on their |
| more imagination. Electronic toys do teach | | | | hands. |
| numbers, shapes, and the alphabet, but | | | | |