Three Things to Consider When Buying Preschool and Kindergarten Educational Learning Toys

Back to School and it's time to think tbout new toysso children always feel there is something new to
for preschool and kindergarten children.play with.
Excitement is in the air - its Back to School time andAs you select educational preschool and kindergarten
parents and educators will once again begin searchingtoys that are safe, easy to clean and
for new quality educational learning toys for theirage-appropriate remember that all children have
toddlers and preschoolers.different methods of learning. Children do not need to
Whether you are a parent or an educator selectingbe sitting at a desk to learn. You will need a variety
new toys for your preschool and kindergarten ageof toys in a wide selection of shapes and colors to
children is something to take seriously. There arekeep all your children from getting bored. If you
three important things I believe we need to considernotice a child getting bored with a certain toy it might
when selecting toddler and preschool toys.be a good time to consider pulling out a more
In this article I will briefly define just what makes aadvanced toy to see if he is ready for it.
toy an "educational toy", suggest three things toSeveral types of toys that are very popular with
consider in the selection of such toys and offer threeyoung children and create stimulation include
toy categories that I believe are of utmostcardboard building blocks, 3d wood puzzles and
importance as a choice for preschool toys.wooden play sets. Not only are these toys safe and
To the point, an educational toy is any toy that willeasy to clean they are reliable, and children of several
"teach a child something good." Allowing children toage groups can play alone or together to develop
play creatively, alone or in a group setting, with aeye-hand coordination, social skills and muscle
variety of carefully selected toys will greatly benefitstrength.
your child. Children's "work" is play and selecting toysImagiBRICKS is the trade name of some of the toys
that spur their creativity and imagination will make athat I personally believe in and sell. These giant "brick"
variety of toys "educational."block toys that have a drool-proof coating. These
Imaginative children do not need fancy or necessarilybrick blocks have smooth, tight fitting seams and are
expensive toys but their toys do need to be safe.easy to clean. A safe, quality cardboard set of blocks
Safely is one of the most common things overlookedsuch as these will hold up well for many years of
when selecting new toys for young children.tough play. They also happen to be crush-proof
Remember to read the labels and be aware of themaking them a block I would recommend for
type of material the toy is made of. If you arepreschools whose toys get a lot of use and misuse.
shopping online make sure you are providedWooden play sets such as A Day at the Zoo, African
information about the durability of the material,Safari and Arctic Circle, sold at All I Can Imagine -
especially when selecting wood products.offer quality built toys for children 3up and are
The best type of wood for wooden puzzles and playgeared for creative imaginative play that will
sets comes from the Rubberwood tree. Its wood isencourage your children to play together and increase
very hard, non-splintering and very durable. Toystheir social skills. Play sets make good toys for
made from this wood are not going to break orpreschools because there are lots of pieces allowing
splinter when dropped or chewed. If the toy puzzle isseveral children to play together. As they "work"
painted make sure the manufacture tells you thattogether to create their own "drama" they will learn
child safe paint was used. It is also a good idea toto work together and problem solve while, at the
make sure the individual puzzle pieces have smoothlysame time, you as a teacher or parent will have
sanded edges so that there are no rough edges toopportunities to guide their play to correlate with a
hurt your child.new lesson.
Making sure a toy does or does not (depending onMy third and final toy category suggestion is the
your child's age requirement) have small pieces thatever-popular 3d wooden puzzles. Providing a variety
can be easily swallowed is another important safetyof puzzles, a child's favorite toy, will meet their need
issue you must consider. Some pieces that comefor a variety of shapes and colors. When playing with
with a particular toy or play set might need to bepuzzles children -
pulled out and put away until your child is a little older.· acquire eye-hand coordination
Besides safety it is imperative we remember to think· expand fine motor skills
about sanitation. This is especially important for· reinforce paying attention to detail
preschool and kindergarten classrooms because many· foster your child's self-esteem
different children will be handling the toys. Consider3d puzzles are intricately interlocked and are one of
whether or not the toy can be cleaned and sanitizedthe best toys I can think of for helping a child learn
without destroying the toy. If there are many nooksto stick to a task until it is finished. Even as adults we
and crannies that can't be gotten at you may wantfind it difficult to get up from a puzzle. When a child
to select another toy that has straighter edges.finishes his puzzle they will often tear it apart and
Wood is a popular material for lots of children's toysbegin all over. Because there are only three - ten or
such as puzzles, trucks, and play sets. Again, aso pieces in a 3d puzzle it is a wise idea to have
well-made wood toy, painted with child safe paint,several puzzles from a variety of categories so that
can easily be cleaned without any harm to the wood.your child will not become bored.
Another thing I especially like about wood toys isPresenting puzzles to your toddlers is an interesting
that they have a "feel - good" texture everyoneteaching method to use when beginning a new lesson
loves. Any time I pick up a wooden toy I rememberseries; such as when introducing children to
the joys of my youth. This is a good feeling to passunderwater life it is a good idea to have many fish
on to the next generation.and sea life puzzles handy. Even quality 3d wood
The third and last attribute of a day care toy that I'dpuzzles are affordable so it will be easy for all schools
like to present is that the children's ages be takenor parents to have a plentiful supply on hand.
into consideration. No one wants his or her children toProviding many colorful visual "displays" in your
get injured from a toy that is too advanced for theirpreschool, kindergarten and at home will make
age or developmental stage. I think it is better tolearning fun and aide in your children's learning
stay on the safe side and give a toy that is at ordevelopment. Lesson planning will be enhanced for
below his age to your child.teachers and parents with the addition of several
In a preschool and kindergarten setting you will neednew toys every month or so. Back to School - the
toys of varying age groups so as younger childrendoors are open to another exciting year of learning
develop you will already have more advanced toys infun. And, remember to think of safety, sanitation and
your inventory that you can pull off the shelf. As anage appropriateness.
after thought - it is also a good idea to rotate toys