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As
for an infant, for a toddler too, there is no distinction between playing
and learning.
| Giving
a child suitable toys to play with is as important as keeping
him clean and tidy. Choose toys that suit his capabilities and
also address the right learning needs. |
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For a toddler
the world of reality is more important and interesting than the realm
of imagination. His need for sleep diminishing progressively, he has more
time to explore and learn. He learns by looking, touching, tasting, smelling
and listening. Gradually sometime close to his second birthday, he begins
to experiment-to finger, squeeze and drop things to see what will happen.
When he drops things or picks them up, he is both learning and having
fun. As he plays he begins to categorise according to shapes, sizes and
colours. He begins to recognise different animals, vehicles and people.
A toddler
will play with whatever is available to her. But playthings especially
beloved at this age are
- Water - plain, bubbly, coloured, warm or as ice. Provide it in bowls,
baths, small paddling pools etc. Provide plenty of small containers
to fill and empty. Show him how it stays in a mug but leaks through
a sieve. Add detergent, blow bubbles, let him see the ice melting, and
change the colours with food colouring...
| Bath
time is not only for keeping the children clean but also for
fun. Keep a selection of bath toys, including bath books. |
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- Mud, clay or play-dough.
- Sand.
- Stones, shells, leaves, twigs, flowers, grass.
- Toy bricks/Building blocks
- Fitting toys that go into holes, simple jigsaw puzzles
| Jigsaw
puzzles are an ideal quite activity which no toy cupboard should
be without. They teach recognition and sorting skills, vital
for success in early reading and writing. |
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- Pull-along
toys - these are a firm favourite once the child starts walking, especially
if they make a loud noise as they move.
- Stacked
rings, hoops or beakers are versatile toys as you can start by making
towers for the child to knock down and as his motor skills improve he
will learn to build them up himself.
- Ordinary
household items like locks and keys.
- balls
- Small
dolls, wooden animals, soft toys, cars etc. These help in developing
mothering instincts and bonding; and are not an exclusive arena for
daughters.
| Try
to buy toys that require the child to participate in rather
than just be a spectator. So resist the temptation to buy the
latest model of battery-operated or wind-up car and instead
buy him a push- button or pull-back car which will give him
insights to cause and result effect. |
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- Helping in dusting the house, washing clothes or mopping the floor.
They also love doing fetch-and-carry.
- dressing up in your clothes, footwear.
- Imitating adults - Toys, such as dolls, doctor set, etc, that encourage
make-believe play and provide the perfect stimulus for young imaginations
to run riot
| Junk
material often make the best toys - a fridge carton can be converted
into a play house or a shoe boxes can become building blocks.
For your toddler you can even make
musical instruments at home from junk. |
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To maximise
enjoyment try these techniques
- Don't dress a toddler in her best clothes for playing and expect her
not to get dirty. Let her wear her oldest clothes so that she can splash
about, get all messy and have a ball. Spread newspapers on the floor
and the table if she's playing with water, colours, or mud
- After she's finished playing read a book showing the same objects
or activity. This will help establish it in her mind more firmly.
- Talk to her through the day showing her different things, naming them
and recalling all the things she played with during the day.
- Let the toddler play with the toy the way he wants and not the way
it is supposed to be played with. Not only will he not enjoy this more
but this will also encourage creativity.
- Take out some toys at a time
- Join her in play and have fun yourself.
| Remember
she is not only learning and absorbing knowledge as she plays.
She's also learning a sense of fun and how to enjoy life a little
more. |
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