This link and photo come from a blog article which gives several easy suggestions for helping children develop their imagination. Creativity is often discouraged, unwittingly, by the routines of the day, the need of adults to answer all questions with facts and the desire for order and neatness in the house. These suggestions are not activities that parents need to set up but habits that can be developed when approaching any task. Note that the article particularly talks about toys and the fact that the more elaborate the toy, the less there is for the child to do with it. Infants and Toddlers haven't yet been caught up in the culture of "needing" the latest toy being promoted by TV or the movies. They can spend hours exploring simple objects and will use them creatively. Some suggestions are in the pages of this blog but the point is that it is not necessary to take the box away and expect the baby to play with the toy. Let them play with the box if they want to. Most of the habits in this article can be started from early infancy and can develop with the child.
Showing posts with label toys. Show all posts
Showing posts with label toys. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Habits to Help Develop Imagination
http://kindergartenbasics.blogspot.gr/2013/02/how-to-nurture-childs-imagination.html
This link and photo come from a blog article which gives several easy suggestions for helping children develop their imagination. Creativity is often discouraged, unwittingly, by the routines of the day, the need of adults to answer all questions with facts and the desire for order and neatness in the house. These suggestions are not activities that parents need to set up but habits that can be developed when approaching any task. Note that the article particularly talks about toys and the fact that the more elaborate the toy, the less there is for the child to do with it. Infants and Toddlers haven't yet been caught up in the culture of "needing" the latest toy being promoted by TV or the movies. They can spend hours exploring simple objects and will use them creatively. Some suggestions are in the pages of this blog but the point is that it is not necessary to take the box away and expect the baby to play with the toy. Let them play with the box if they want to. Most of the habits in this article can be started from early infancy and can develop with the child.
This link and photo come from a blog article which gives several easy suggestions for helping children develop their imagination. Creativity is often discouraged, unwittingly, by the routines of the day, the need of adults to answer all questions with facts and the desire for order and neatness in the house. These suggestions are not activities that parents need to set up but habits that can be developed when approaching any task. Note that the article particularly talks about toys and the fact that the more elaborate the toy, the less there is for the child to do with it. Infants and Toddlers haven't yet been caught up in the culture of "needing" the latest toy being promoted by TV or the movies. They can spend hours exploring simple objects and will use them creatively. Some suggestions are in the pages of this blog but the point is that it is not necessary to take the box away and expect the baby to play with the toy. Let them play with the box if they want to. Most of the habits in this article can be started from early infancy and can develop with the child.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
About Toys and Gender
This link refers to an article about gender neutral toy stores. Please read and take note of the conclusions that it is not the toy but how you, as parents, use the toy that impacts gender. Also note the sidebar regarding the effects of some material that are used in toys. The picture is from the article.
http://moms.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/08/13/13222885-are-gender-neutral-toys-much-ado-about-nothing?lite
Friday, June 29, 2012
A Piece of Equipment I Will Never Recommend
BABY WALKERS- NOT RECOMMENDED!
Parents seem eager to get their babies up and walking. So much so that there is a whole market in devices designed to do just that. Baby walkers have gained in popularity and many families use them instead of a playpen or baby yard. But baby walkers have more drawbacks than benefits.
SAFETY
Baby walkers are dangerous. Both in themselves and because they give baby access to things they should not be able to reach. Around 15,000 (yes thousand) babies go to hospital related to using a baby walker and a few have died. Some have fallen downstairs or caught themselves on the walker. Others have pulled down cups of coffee or pulled on electric cords. Babies who cannot walk are not mentally ready to walk and should not be in that position. The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued a warning against walkers and Canada has banned them.
DEVELOPMENT
Contrary to what you would think, being in a walker does not help a typical baby walk sooner. First of all, the walker holds them upright and they do not improve their balance while in a walker. Secondly, the foot pattern for moving the walker is different from that for walking. Some studies have demonstrated that babies who spend time in walkers are, on average, 3 weeks behind those who are not. In my practice, I have seen several babies qualify for services because they were delayed in motor skills. When the walker was removed, they quickly picked up the skills. Babies need to spend time moving around on the floor by themselves and standing at the furniture by themselves to develop the skills needed for walking. While walkers do not prevent typical development, for many babies they do slow it down.
EXPENSE
Baby walkers are big pieces of equipment. Even the manufacturers suggest that a baby not use a walker until they can stand at furniture by themselves. It is recommended that babies spend no more than 15 minutes at a time and no more than 2 sessions a day in a walker. This is a costly and space consuming piece of equipment for such short use. By the time a baby stands at the furniture, it won’t be long before she is walking independently and the walker will be of no use anyway.
STATIONARY STANDERS, BOUNCERS, PLAY YARDS
Bouncers and stationary standers do not move around and many of the safety issues can be avoided. These do have activities to keep baby entertained while mom is cooking, without letting baby move around. Play yards have the advantage of allowing the baby to move independently and to have the activities changed by changing the available toys. Play yards (Play pens) take up more space than standers. Babies should not spend extended amounts of time in any of these pieces of equipment but there are times when you need a safe place to keep baby entertained for a few minutes. Walkers are not the answer.
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