Toys: Tools for Learning

Did you know that through toys, children learn about their world, themselves and others. Choosing toys that appeal to your children and foster their learning will help you make their early years count. Toys can teach children to:

• Figure out how things work.
• Pick up new ideas.
• Build muscle control and strength.
• Use their imagination.
• Solve problems.
• Learn to cooperate with others.

It's important to know that good toys are not necessarily expensive, and that children don't need very many. And the more a child can do with a toy, the more likely it is to be educational.

When considering a toy for your child, match toys to fit your child's thinking, language, physical skills, feelings and friendships. Each child grows and develops at a different pace, so watching your child's play and playing together will enable you to choose appropriate toys and worthwhile activities for your child.

This information was provided by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. For more information, please visit http://www.naeyc.org/.

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