The times when it was necessary to "get" a toy for a child or follow it from the periphery to the center are long gone. Today, any, even the most incredible, children's toy can be easily bought at the nearest store or ordered via the Internet. But along with abundance came a new problem - how to choose the right children's toy? Let's look at 3 basic rules.
The simpler the better
Look at the toy through the eyes of a child. For example, the popular Talking Bear soft toy. He knows how to "speak" when you press on his stomach, knows how to close and open his eyes and even dance. But, oddly enough, such a toy only interferes with the child's concentration - he cannot understand what exactly he needs to do? Press on your stomach? Make you dance? Or put it on the floor so that the bear opens its eyes? In this regard, psychologists give a simple advice - each toy for a child should perform one function. Only in this way does the child learn a simple rule: "action is equal to effect."
Let your child be active
When choosing a toy for a child, we, adults, are attracted by such qualities as the elegance of execution, the presence of complex parts or mechanisms, amazing properties, etc. However, do not forget that the child will play with her, and in the process of playing he must necessarily develop. Let's look at an example.
Most adults love the Japanese Aibo toy at first sight. This is a dog that for many may well replace a real four-legged friend. She knows how to wag her tail, respond to a caress, bark and much more. Of course, it seems to us that the child will be happy to play with such a gift.
And now let us listen to the experts: “When playing with such toys, be it Aibo or a clockwork train,” says Anna Yushina, a psychologist at the Healthy Children center, “its main developmental component is lost in play. Play becomes an ordinary mechanical process, the child is limited in actions and can only press the "turn on" button or start the engine."
And at the same time, the baby should have complete freedom of action. The toy should arouse interest, a desire to find out "what's inside." The child must disassemble (not break) and reassemble the toy. Even if these actions for us, adults, will be monotonous, for children they are excellent training and exercises for the mind, intelligence, fine motor skills.
Don't over complicate
Play for a child should be an independent process. Any toy should contain simple and understandable guidelines for the child. A perfect example of a simple toy is a matryoshka doll. It is impossible to assemble it incorrectly, and thus the matryoshka itself "prompts" the child about the order of correct actions.
Of course, these are the most general requirements for choosing toys. We did not talk about hygiene standards, the ethics of some toys, and much more. However, in the near future we will return to this issue and talk about how to make a purchase on the Internet correctly.
