Articles on Toys | Topics: toys, toy
by Nafeeza B. York
Children and toys go hand in hand and yet there are still toys that made that can be dangerous to our children. There is a program called, "Toys, You, and the Real World" that educated children on the importance of toys' safety. In this program, the kids themselves actually do research on the toys and draw the conclusions as the safety of the toys.
The goal that this program attempts to achieve is to teach the kids about safety, from how a safety manual is constructed and how to use it to a checklist for hazards that may be present in the toys. They will learn to understand the product labels that come on toys and how to understand what the advertising techniques that toy companies use to solicit their business among other valuable information.
The kids have homework that encourages parental participation. The desire of Toys, You and the Real World is that by encouraging parental involvement they too will learn about the hazards that are present in the toys that they purchase for their children.
What ever happened to toys? Real toys, like dolls and model airplanes? The children today are engaged in high tech toys that many think children are growing out of imaginary play much too early. What result does it have on the child who as early as five-years-old is asking for cell phones and video game?
Toys use to mimic real world activities and at times were gender specific. The boys had their army men and tanks, cowboy and Indian toys to play with and the girls had their dolls and miniature sweepers and ovens. That is gone and now the kids are playing video games the majority of the time.
The span in which children play with certain kinds of toys certainly has shrunk, it used to be that 14-year-old girls could still play with dolls, and boys of that same age would get Erector sets. Young children tend to be adept at reasoning skills when they have had an opportunity to engage in imaginary play.
Electronic games utilize a different part of the brain than does that of building blocks and imagination. Until parent and child are playing on the same screens, competing at games or, later on, designing Web pages or publishing online diaries.
| Historical Quote |
Living toys are something novel,
But it soon wears off somehow.
Fetch the shoebox, fetch the shovel
Mam, we’re playing funerals now.
| —Philip Larkin (1922–1986) |
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The increasing use of electronic toys is troubling. Children in preschool years need to be in touch with the real world. The intelligence of a child regardless of how high will do them no good unless they are interacting with others. Social development is very important. At the same time, psychologists say that childhood has always been a long rehearsal for adulthood, and in this context, wired play is both adaptive, and natural, behavior.
Children are learning in a technological world what many of us did without technology. In the real world of today, technology is the imagination of the child. This is the place where they play and learn the skills they will need to function as an adult. That makes sense, given that children will end up as adults in a world in which technology and electronics play an increasingly important role. Young imaginations, even of preschoolers, are good at capturing electronic imagery and this will serve them as they have their dreams and fantasies in way psychologists may not always be able to interpret.
The goal of Toys, You, and the Real World is to send the message to the public to help create a safe world when it comes to the toys is kids are playing with. Teach the children to be educated consumers when it comes to what they purchase. They want to encourage critical thinking and pass it on to others.
When you are out buying toys for your children, be aware of what you are buying and what are you trying to teach your child. Remember; simply because the child wants the toy that does not necessarily mean the toy is age appropriate. This is especially true when younger children see the toys of older children. They want to be like the big kids and have their toys and it is up to the adults to educate the children as to what is appropriate for them and why.
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Please note: All personal opinions expressed in the "Kids Toys that Depict the Real World" article belong to the contributing author and are not necessarily shared by ToysGiftsPresents.com. |
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