What Are The Best Educational Toys For Your Child?

You want the best for your child, right? When choosing educational toys for your child, you also want to select ones that will benefit your child the most. The problem is that the “best” educational toys can meet different criteria for different children. Here are some features that you should consider in your quest for finding toys that will teach your child effectively and responsibly:

1.Educational toys that maintain your child’s health and safety

It’s crucial to keep your child safe while he or she is learning via educational toys. This is true of both “traditional” toys and high-tech ones. Ensure that toys are made of safe materials that lack parts and chemicals that could be harmful to your child. Plastics should be of a particular concern. While today’s toy companies often use cheap plastics to cut their production costs, experts have linked some of the chemicals used in these toys to serious illness.

2. Educational toys that are effective

By definition, educational toys should teach. Unfortunately, some toys don’t teach effectively, and some don’t teach at all! So look for educational toys that boost your child’s knowledge base and can do so efficiently. Unfortunately, too often we don’t learn how ineffective a toy is, until after we’ve spent a small fortune on it. So do your homework before buying educational toys for your tot. Read reviews and ask your friends and relatives which toys have been most effective for their own children. As a word of caution, keep in mind that many so-called “educational” toys are quite entertaining, but don’t actually teach anything.

3. Educational toys that are age-specific

Yes, some children’s physical and cognitive development is faster or slower than the rate that’s typical for kids their age. But generally children arrive at certain developmental milestones, at roughly the same time. So look for toys that are designed for specific age groups. This will help to maximise a toy’s learning potential for your child. You can usually find these recommendations printed on the toy’s packaging.

4. Educational toys that are fun.

Unfortunately, many of us have been conditioned to believe that learning can’t be fun. Well, it CAN be! If your child is having fun while learning, then his or her motivational level will be optimized, thus optimizing how much learning occurs. From building blocks to educational software, if children are having fun, then they’ll stay engaged in the activities. Meanwhile, if toys are boring then your child will likely set them aside just as they would other “not fun” toys.

5. Educational toys that are eco-friendly.

Look for toys that can be partially or fully recycled. Too many toys end up in landfills, where they emit chemicals that are harmful to the environment and the people in it. By choosing toys that can be recycled, you’re not only benefiting your children, but also the world at large.

Finding the “best” educational toy will require you to do your homework. But the end result is that your child will learn, and that learning won’t just benefit him or her.