At What Age Should Children Start Using Educational Toys?
It is never too early for a child to begin using educational toys.
Any toy that encourages a child to explore and learn is educational. Even between birth and the six-month mark, babies’ senses are growing.
For very young babies, it does not make sense to attempt to introduced complicated toys, as babies generally cannot see past 12 inches in front of them for the first six months. Thus, soft toys that cannot be swallowed and which are bright in color are encouraged for use at this stage, as are rattles.
Some believe that red, white and black toys are best used as this age, since sight is not very strong a sense yet.
By six months, babies remember objects that have left their line of vision, which means that balls and other similar objects can be introduced into play. As with very young babies, the toys should not be too small, since the baby will try to put everything he or she sees into the mouth.
Babies between the ages of six and twelve months often enjoy putting objects into a container and dumping them out. At this age, babies also begin to enjoy toys built like tables, which contain various interactive parts that make noise, spin, or change in some way when the baby touches them.
It is also appropriate to begin reading to babies from books with large pictures and few words.
By twelve months, blocks and other stackable toys are suitable educational toys.
Once a child reaches the toddler stage, there will be innumerable options for educational toys, including interactive handheld games, books, DVD programs, increasingly complex block systems and items designed to resemble smaller versions of items used by adults, such as play food and kitchen sets, strollers, and the like.
Toddlers love to imitate adults; watching and copying is key to learning
The bottom line – start the educational process as soon as possible – you will see the benefits in your little one immediately.
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