Nina Singh, Managing Director, Stone Sapphire India Pvt Ltd.
In their early years, kids learn through observation and cues from their environment. Most often, the toys they play with facilitate development and enhancement of fine motor, conflict resolution and problem-solving skills. According to research findings, creativity is not purely instinctive but can be fostered and developed in children. Ingenuity is another vital skill that can be cultivated in children from a very young age with the help of intelligence-boosting toys. Toddlers tend to tap into their imagination and creativity particularly during their playtime. Toys aid in nurturing their imagination and provide them ample opportunities to develop resourcefulness which can assist them in various spheres of life – right from education to hobbies as they grow up. Toys encourage children to think outside the box in the following ways:
- Building toys: Toys such as building blocks and clay help children to create using their imagination and creativity. Available in varied shapes and sizes, toy blocks – also known as building blocks – serve as exceptional learning tools for preschoolers. Studies suggest that building blocks or bricks can aid in development of motor skills and eye coordination, spatial thinking, rational thinking, language aptitudes, social skills and above all, help build an exceptional foundation for STEM learning.
- Playing Dough and Modelling clay: Clay modelling is yet another interesting and creativity-boosting activity which encourages children to explore their imagination. Let your toddlers experiment with multi-coloured clay sets as you watch them make the most of their artistic skills. Parents should also challenge their kids to create random objects such as multi-coloured balls, animals, butterflies, table and chair sets or colourful dolls.
- Puzzles: Puzzles help engage children of diverse age groups – from toddlers to eight year olds. The difficulty of the puzzle advances with age and keeps the child engaged for the appropriate amount of time. Available in exciting shades and themes, puzzles help develop problem solving, shape recognition and fine motor skills, encourage hand-eye co-ordination, and strengthen memory.
- Role play sets: Role play helps enhance skills that are required for well rounded development of children. Through pretend and play, parents can help the child to learn several things. Play sets such as a mini kitchen collection, a teaching set or a doctor’s kit are most recommended for pretend play. Along with being fun to play with, these toys enable the child to tap into his or her imagination, help develop creativity, problem-solving and socioemotional skills, enhance academic performance, language and communication skills and physical development. Role play sets are an exceptional way to teach your child about various professions such as a teacher, engineer or doctor.
- Board and Memory games: Games that involve matching pictures, flash cards, and finding what is missing help the child’s developing brain to retain and build cognitive associations. Apart from improving focus and concentration, memory, logic, critical thinking and spatial reasoning, they can help the child to think strategically and solve complex problems.
Playing with toys brings a great deal of joy to children. Hence, parents must choose toys that not only offer entertainment but are also safe and aid them in other ways. They must opt for non-toxic, BIS tested and high quality toys. Since it involves the safety of the tiny tots, a trusted brand is a safe bet among the countless products available in the market. Play needs to be creative and constructive. The aforementioned games can certainly contribute immensely in enhancing the cognitive development of children apart from keeping them entertained.
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