Toys are a fundamental part of a child’s growing up years. Research shows that toys also are a crucial tool in child therapy. Child psychologists believe that several types of wooden toys, such as dollhouses, sand toys, and other therapeutic products, are able to bring about healing in children. In fact, psychologists go so far as to recommend that children be encouraged to increasingly participate in noncompetitive games.
It is a well-established fact that creative play is necessary for a child’s development. Heidi Britz-Crecelius, a leading child development author, asserts that children engaged in early creative games excel in academics and in all aspects of life. Infants love playing with brightly colored wooden toys, such as rattles, music boxes, etc. These wooden toys encourage sensory stimulation and development. They gradually learn to recognize and reach for their favorite toys and play with them. These activities help in refining their eye-hand coordination and visual and perceptual skills.
Most toddlers love to ride on an animal rocker. It is interesting to note that such rockers also help a child in establishing control over head, trunk, arms and legs. They also learn to maintain balance, adjust and adapt to changes in movement.
Since these toys are wooden and non-toxic, parents need not worry about their inquisitive kids putting it in their mouth. The kind of wooden toys that parents select for their children depend on the child’s tastes and interests. The games that are bound to benefit kids include physical, logical, musical, spatial play, beginning in solo play and eventually team play.
There are several toys that are known to specifically help children with autism. These toys help improve language development, build strength, body control, coordination, motor and sensory regulation. These wooden toys encourage children to play more and learn more. Some useful autistic toys include the Wheeley Bug, Cutter Set, Picnic Set, Large Rocking Horse and Puzzles, among others.
Wooden blocks are yet another way of developing a child’s imagination and creativity. A child uses different blocks to give shape to ideas. These are just the appropriate playthings for preschoolers. Blocks also help in language development. When a child uses these blocks to pretend play, it is actually enriching his language skills.
Children who play with blocks as a team are able to develop their social skills as well. Working together gives them the opportunity to enhance their communication and leadership skills. Thus, block building paves the path for social, emotional and language development. It also develops and enriches arithmetic and mathematical skills.
Playing with shapes makes him aware of the basic shapes and their uses. The process of construction itself goes a long way in strengthening eye-hand coordination, creativity and role play.
Thus, wooden toys are the perfect answer to a child’s balanced development. Bright, superior quality wooden toys are an essential part of childhood that has the power to lead to a child’s holistic development.
Tags: Autistic Toys, Toys, Wooden Toys
[...] that autism affects 3-6 children out of every 1000 and male children are more likely to get autism than females. The symptoms of autism appear usually before 3 years of age. Children with autism [...]