As soon as your baby is born, he is studying the world. He is born with a desire to learn. He uses every one of his senses to help his brain develop and to learn how to interact with you and the other people in his life. Toys help promote your child’s development. The parenting website Ask Dr. Sears claims that toys that stimulate many senses are the best toys to offer to your child.
Books
Books are a child’s lifeline to the world around her. LoveToKnow.com advises parents to start reading to their children from day one. Your baby may not understand all the words, but she will learn the natural ebb and flow of the language spoken in your home. Board books and cloth books that feature different textures or flaps are great for infants. Your little one will explore these books with her fingers and mouth, developing her brain through her senses of touch and taste as well as sight and sound.
Reading to your little one also helps her learn from an early age how to interact. Point to pictures and describe them. As she gets older, ask her to point to certain pictures on the pages. Eventually, she will become familiar with stories and be able to read the books to you.
Don’t hesitate to revisit the basic books you read to your infant as she grows. These simple books help her develop the skills she needs to learn how to read.
Toys that Challenge
Researchers at the North Dakota State University recommend that parents offer their children the chance to play with toys that are a little ahead of their skill level. The site claims that children learn when they work slightly above their abilities. This is most effective when parents offer assistance. Instead of giving your child a ball to play with, play ball with him. Teach him how to catch the ball by standing close to him at first and tossing it to him. As he improves, challenge him by taking small steps backward and throwing the ball from greater distances. Keep the game fun and encourage him as it gets more challenging.
Blocks are also good toys for developing young brains and interaction skills. Help your child build towers and castles. Encourage him to rebuild if the blocks fall, and teach him to take turns adding blocks with you or to hand you the blocks he wants placed on the very top.
Toys that Foster Imagination
Dressing up like mommy or her favorite princess is a wonderfully enriching form of play. According to Education.com, make-believe play helps further social skills, language skills and thinking skills. When children dress up in costumes and play with imaginary “grown up” accessories together, they practice taking turns and even problem solving together. They also work together to decide which direction the story will take. In the land of make believe, children test the limits of their imagination. The benefits of imaginary play are limitless.
