I was reading my textbook and found the chapter about children at play to be very interesting.

The authors are talking about how to arrange the environment for children to play. They call each activity area as a learning center. They also explain how the toys develop the child physically, cognitively and socially. Typically when we look at toys, due to the way we are raised, subconsciously we classify them in to “girl toys” and “boy toys”, at least that’s what I do. Some times I consciously avoid cooking sets and pink princesses stuff and pick up the so-called boy-toys to make sure that my girls are not subjected to gender stereotypes. But after reading this chapter I learnt that every kid must have an opportunity to explore all kinds of toys because every toy has its own significance.

Blocks: Develop motor skills, enhance imagination, increases skills in abstract representations(lays ground work for reading and writing skills), lays ground for early mathematical skills(they realize that two square blocks can be arranged to be the same as one rectangular block…etc). A must from toddlerhood.

Dramatic Play Area: Very important for young children. Children imitate the actions of the grown ups in their lives. When they take on roles and use materials to pretend they learn to symbolize day to day living. The term dramatic play area might sound intimidating, but it can be as simple as playing doctor with your child, using a teddy bear as the patient or playing tea time.

Toddler likes to sit in the backyard and play with sand and small pebbles. She tells me that she is mixing concrete like Bob The Builder. I am still high on caffeine from the 200 gallons of pretend tea she made for me yesterday. Of course she picks up any pointy thing and starts playing doctor with infant as her patient. Infant pretends every small speck of dirt on the floor is food and eats it.

I try to ease toddler’s anxiety about doctor visits by playing doctor with her and showing Elmo Goes To The Doctor. She does wonderfully at home, but she goes to the doctor’s office and invariably kicks him in the crotch! We are still working on it!

Sensory Play: Even if you don’t provide an outlet, the kids somehow manage to find a way to explore with their senses. Day cares and childcare centers have things like sand boxes and water tables. But you can bring sensory experience to your children with a little bit of tolerance to mess. I preach, but I suck at practice. I shudder at the thought of play dough or sand in my house! (Note to self: Got to let go!)

A bucket of water, chapathi dough, flour, sand, blowing bubbles, finger paints, play dough.

Toddler has taken to watering the plants. She picks up the small watering can I bought for her, steps on every vegetable hubby planted with lots of love and care and makes sure that every weed in the garden is watered. A week back she painted infants shaved, bald head pink and blue and told me that she put lispick* for infant. Infant is making severe attempts to drink cleaning detergent, this is her ultimate sensory goal for now. Infant also has an eye on the beautiful, white wonder seat filled with water called THE POTTY. I can see the love in her eyes.

Manipulative Toys: Puzzles, beads, legos. They give hand-eye co-ordination. Prepares them for writing, teaches concepts of colors, shapes, teaches problem solving.

Art/Writing/Library: This we all know. Read to your child every day. Encourage children to put their emotions in to writing and drawing. This gives them a positive outlet to their feelings. As a part of art supplies show them works of great artists and encourage them to think.

The authors also classify every toy as open-ended and close-ended toys. Close ended toys like puzzles have only one purpose and there is only one way to play with them. Either you get it right or you get it wrong. Open-ended toys like building blocks, where there is no right or wrong way to do them. Open-ended toys teach children to think out of the box and close-ended toys teach them that certain things in life cannot be changed, teaches them conformity.

So moms, when you pick up a toy put some thinking in to it unless the toy is a gift to annoy the parent. In that case just go for the loudest toy that cannot be turned off!

*lispick – lipstick

PS: The book I am referring to is “Who Am I In The Lives Of Children?” By Stepahine Feeney, Doris Christensen and Eva Moravcik.