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Types Of Educational Toys For Different Age Groups
The types of educational toys you purchase and how your child uses these toys is going to depend on the age of your child and how the toy is meant to be used.
Here are some tips we think you might find helpful:
Infants
Because all infants are born without any knowledge of the world, each and every toy your infant plays with will educate them in some way.
In most cases, infant toys are not designed to be used for guided learning but rather for your child to learn by exploration.
For example, toys such as rattles introduce your child to cause and effect; stuffed animals and toys with different textures help your infant learn and explore textures.
Mobiles not only soothe your child but introduce them to music appreciation and sound.
Blocks help them develop their grasping skills.
The list of educational toys for infants is endless.
Toddlers
Educational toys for toddlers are a wonderful way for them to have fun while learningabout the world around them.
Toys such as blocks with numbers or letters or numbers on them can be used by your child develop counting, number recognition and sorting skills.
Simple puzzles provide your child with an opportunity to develop their fine motor skills and problem solving skills.
Simple games help teach your child how to take turns and follow rules.
Tea sets, kitchen playsets, pretend food toys, dolls and stuffed animals all help your child develop social, communication and nurturing skills.
As you can see, the list of educational toys for toddlers is endless and includes toys such as coloring books, blocks, toys for sorting and counting and much more.
Elementary Age Children
Once your child reaches formal school age, you may look for age suitable toys that will help them succeed in their school work.
Puzzles can be used to provide your child with a way to learn math, science, spelling, reading, geography and other academic skills.
Building blocks may teach your child about angles and problem solving as well as help develop their hand-eye coordination and motor skills.
Word games such as Boggle Junior, Scrabble Junior and Hangman make learning fun and that provide a lot of educational value.
And there are many games that can teach your child history, geography and science.
Middle School
Great middle school educational toys include advanced building toys, mathematics games and more complex puzzles, all of which help your child expand their knowledge and improve their problem solving skills.
Strategy games and brain teasers can help kids this age develop their math, science, history and reading skills.
Children With Special Needs Or Learning Difficulties
Certain toys can make learning easier for children with special needs or learning difficulties.
Being able to physically see and move pieces can aid their understanding.
Small items to count or add and subtract such as small blocks, marbles or other items can help develop math skills and the understanding of math concepts.
Spelling puzzles that link objects to words and spellings combined can help children with learning difficulties grasp reading, spelling and problem solving easier and in a more fun way.
Growing plants or having a butterfly garden is a wonderful hands-on way to help kids with learning difficulties learn about science and nature.
Toys that allow a child to type or text can help those who have difficulty speaking communicate with others.
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