CHILDCARE: TOYS
Toys are an important part of childhood. Children (and adults) can choose from a bewildering array of toys, simple or incredibly complex, cheap or expensive. It is often said that play is the work of childhood, and children use toys to play, to learn, and to fertilise their imagination.
There is pressure on both children and parents to purchase certain types of toys. Many parents at some level feel better if they are able to provide a large quantity and variety of toys for their children. There is peer and advertising pressure on children to have certain toys — just look at the saturation advertising on afternoon television which is directed at children. This pressure is often difficult to resist.
Expensive toys are not necessarily better than cheap ones, and there is nothing wrong with toys that are hand-me-downs, provided they are sturdy and still in reasonable condition. It is often a very old soft toy that a child becomes most attached to. Children have very vivid imaginations and rich fantasy lives, and they improvise readily. Anything can be a toy — not necessarily something that is bought from a toy shop. Improvised toys (such as the lid of a saucepan or empty containers) stimulate the child’s creativity.
Let the child choose the toys if possible — they should not be a realisation of parents’ fantasies. However, it is important that you set clear limits in advance on such issues as cost and safety. Toys and play are an important way that parents and children can communicate with each other. They create the opportunity to share quality time together and stimulate the child’s learning and creativity.
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Tags: General health