Montessori Toys
By Adila Zak
Psychology of Toys
Introduction
According to numerous researchers,
learning with the help of toys is a vital part of a child’s development. This
discovery means you cannot and should not ignore your child's playtime. You
must ensure that your child has enough playtime and is getting some benefit
from whatever is there for playing.
Kids pick up every little thing, so take
advantage of it and play with their raw brain by giving them the right toy. Buy
them toys that are good for their mental and physical health (1) and there
is specific psychology connected to toys.
Psychology
of Toys
Toys are one of the most essential
things in the world. No culture is complete without toys. In places where toys
are absent, children transform some objects into puzzles, games, and imagined
enemies and friends.
Toys are usually for entertainment, but
they can also become centerpieces of social interaction. We all know that kids
play with toys, but some of us don’t know that animals play with toys too!
So now, let's have a look at the
psychology of toys that most parents and teachers do not know. (2)
Mental Development
Toys help with children's mental
development by improving their concentration and memory skills (board games).
Toys give an ability to solve problems
creatively, which is key to mental development (playing with building blocks).
Mental development through toys is important because it enables children to
approach different skills in a way that is fun for them. (3)
Gender-Based Behaviour
Toys are diversified and companies that design toys
do so to meet their revenue goals. However, their designs are also contributing
to the psychological development of children.
There are not only gender-specific toys but also
gender-specific playhouses where your kids go, play, and groomed according to
the responsibilities they have to accomplish in the future.
For example, you might have purchased a car for your
son but a doll for your daughter. This choice infuses the psychology of the
future responsibilities of the children. Boys often get more practical and
outdoor-oriented toys are what they like to play with. Children select their
toys according to the learned behavior which they get from society. A girl
looks at her mother and becomes engaged with those toys which she thinks are
for her gender, and a boy does the same according to the engagements of his
father.
Constructive
Skills
Here we will specifically talk about
building toys. It is a reality that kids play with building toys and they enjoy
doing so, but do you know why?
Kids stay engaged with blocks and they
might be one of those toys which your kid does not like putting away. Building
toys develop academic learning faster, as kids try to build different things
with them. A big benefit of building toys is that they can improve children's
constructive skills. They help prepare kids for sports, school, and life! (4)
Imaginative Upgrade
Toys are closely related to
the psychology of imagination, and it is one of the biggest benefits of playing
with toys. Kids can take the advantage of their active brains and can simulate an
environment that is not real.
Toys help children do what is
not possible for them due to their small size and delicate body. So, toys help
them upgrade their power of imagination.
Benefits
of the Right Toy
In today’s busy life, it is so easy to
overlook the importance of toys in the life of your kids and what type of
advantage they can bring to the developmental psychology of your child.
It seems like something normal, but
with toys, your kid begins to step into the real world in a comfortable and
controlled environment.
Play is important for
kids, and toys work as tools for children to
learn and perform their best in the coming life events. Toys passively teach
them and groom them for what they need to thrive especially at the initial
stage of life. (5)
Polishing Reasoning
One of the biggest benefits of toys is that they
are full of cause and effect psychology. Kids use their power of reasoning and
use them to explore and learn new things. If a toy behaves unexpectedly, they
find the reason why it happened and then they try their best to get to the
final result. It boosts their learning capability. The power to learn things logically
gets polished with toys.
Problem
Solving
Toys help refine
the psychology of problem-solving. They work the best at any age as kids try to
know what is in front of them and try to touch them from the age of 5 to 6
months. Playing means they are getting into the toys to learn how to handle them
and what is the best way to not to drop them while they are just learning to
touch different things. Puzzles and toys work the best to keep your kids
occupied and take the best advantage of their time. (6)
Recognition
While playing with toys, children recognize the world in a simulated
environment. They start understanding what exactly is behind some phenomena and
how they can react to them.
For example, they play with the train
to learn how the system works to carry people from one place to the other.
Ignite
Curiosity
This aspect has 2 dimensions:
First, kids try to explore what toys can do for them and how they can
use them to get the maximum out of it. They get excited whenever they get a new
toy and never sit back from exploring the workability of a specific toy.
Secondly, kids love to see what’s inside the toy when it breaks. It is
true especially for boys; they explore machines and battery-operated toys to
learn how they work.
Increase
Conversational Behaviour
As babies and toddlers start
moving more, they explore more options that open up for them. Kids will ask you
several questions while playing with their favorite toys, which boosts
conversational behavior. It increases socialization in kids which helps them become
fast learners.
Hand-Eye
Coordination
Kinds never stop testing their abilities and discovering how things work. If
you want to help them in both of these areas, buy them some toys with good designs.
Toys which kids can
break and then assemble and toys which change shapes are perfect for their
learning. Moreover, all types of musical toys work wonders to polish their
artistic skills, and these are all perfect for infusing confidence and self-reliance in children.
Final
Words
From the above discussion, you might
get that toys provide benefits and learning opportunities that can last a
lifetime. Think about your favorite toy from your childhood, I bet you remember
it.
Toys can act as a bridge to learning
more about a topic or new things. So, don't buy your kids a toy which they
might not like as they will learn from them only if they like it. The best way
to avoid this mistake is to decide together with your child what type of toy
interests them and check out a few options.
Then, watch as your child’s imagination
and creativity comes to life! (9)
References
1. https://www.educationalplaycare.com/blog/benefits-of-educational-toys-and-play/
2. https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/toy-stories
3. http://blog-en.famosa.es/why-are-toys-important-in-childhood-development/
9. https://engagethebrain.org/benefit-toys/
Article 2
What makes a toy a Montessori toy?
Introduction
All children love to play with toys,
and learning through play is a very important way for a child to develop
different skills. Children learn by doing, so incorporating play can help kids grow
up and learn about the world.
Montessori toys help younger children
discover their hidden abilities, strengthen their bodies, learn the causes and
effects of different phenomena, and generate and improve skills that they will
use as adults. These toys can also help adults make better social bonds,
improve image, and increase memory. (1)
Benefits of Montessori toys
There are many more benefits of playing
with Montessori toys as compared to other ones. Kids can understand real-life
concepts through toys. The main benefits of Montessori toys include:
- Children
can learn new skills by playing with these toys. Montessori toys improve problem-solving and decision-making skills.
- Montessori toys enhance the creativity of children. Research has shown that children involved in Montessori
programs are more creative when compared to children involved in traditional educational programs. (2)
- Montessori toys represent real-life
things and concepts that help children understand the real world.
- Montessori toys are neither too simple
nor too complex. Children learn with great interest when their playing
task is not too simple because they are not bored. However, a task must
not be too difficult as it will make them tired. Montessori toys fulfill this
requirement by providing a reliable difficulty level.
- Montessori toys provide a reality-based
environment, simulate real-life things, and come with different
challenges. These traits perform well for increasing a child’s
concentration and focus during both play and daily life.
What makes a Toy a Montessori Toy?
Nowadays, several toys are available in
the market, and parents do not know which toys will be suitable for their
child. By playing with toys that have too many noises, colors, and parts,
children might feel overwhelmed, uncomfortable, and tired. (3)
You can buy Montessori toys to get rid
of these issues and improve a child’s skills by encouraging them to do multiple
experiments. Children can have an understanding of real-life things by playing
with Montessori toys.
Here are some common properties of
Montessori toys which you should keep in mind to select the best ones for
your children:
Simple and Understandable
Montessori toys have a combination of
simplicity and understandability. As discussed earlier, toys should keep kids
engaged, and this engagement is possible only when there is both simplicity and
understandability.
You should find simple but attractive
toys for your little ones, especially when they are very young. Kids who have
been in Montessori for a longer time feel comfortable with more complex toys.
Children always try to understand the
real world, and you can help them by providing Montessori toys as these are
simple and based on real-life things. Your kids will learn a lot when you give
them these toys as it is easier to start learning from them. (4)
No Disturbing Sounds
It is generally believed that the loud
sounds of toys increase the interest of children. Many parents bring loud toys
so that their children can play with them and not bother their parents. However,
loud toys are not a good idea.
Shiny, over-the-top, moving, flashy,
and battery-operated toys are made simply to gain attention; they do not
provide anything special to help children learn. (5) This fact
can be an eye-opening reality for many parents who spend hundreds of dollars on
battery-operated toys.
Montessori toys are made to inspire
kids to easily understand real-life things. These toys do not create disturbing
or high frequency sounds like bells, songs, or whistles. With these toys, your
child can easily improve their skills without focusing on any useless
sounds.
So, instead of buying battery-operated
toys that move and make sounds, you should choose Montessori toys which improve
your child's learning process without any interruption. (6)
Reality
Montessori toys represent real-life
things and are based on reality. These toys provide a strong opportunity to
learn about the world. Before the age of six, a child itself cannot distinguish
their imagination from reality. So, before using real-life things and
developing their imagination skills, they need to know what the world is like.
This can be done by giving them reality-based Montessori toys. (7)
Natural Materials
Montessori toys are made of natural
materials like wool, wood, metal, clay, cotton, rock, and even ceramic. The
toys which you give to your children should be made from natural materials
because such toys will always be safer for them to touch and they will introduce
your children to nature.
Most of the Montessori toys are made with
wood or metal which allows kids to learn more as compared to the toys made
through artificial materials like plastic. There are several benefits of such
toys: wood comes with a variety of textures, metal becomes warm in hand and
tends to be harder, durable, and stronger than plastic. However, metal should
not be given to those kids who are still learning to handle the things
properly.
Multiple temperature ranges, weights,
and textures help kids improve their senses and provide them with a great
experience when holding a toy. Moreover, both wood and metal provide a unique
“taste” to the baby. (8)
One-task Learning
Montessori toys are made in such a way
that children could easily focus on a specific concept or skill. So, Montessori
toys are based on a single concept as not to confuse the kids.
These toys are one-task learning toys,
meaning children will use and improve one skill at a time. However, some
Montessori toys also provide multiple levels of difficulties. This type of toy improves
their focus, thinking power, imagination, and makes them easily realize that
they have completed the task. (9)
Constructive and Functional
Montessori toys are constructive and
functional. All the toys which we give to our kids should require their action
for use and participation. Constructive and functional toys play an important
role in children's development as children can make and implement their own
ideas, will, and decisions.
Children don't need the same toys that
adults need for fun; they want toys that are constructive, functional,
entertaining, and easy to use. If the toy contains everything the child wants,
the child will play with the toy and learn everything he/she possibly can. (10)
Limited Choices
When you are buying toys with your
children, you should give them limited choices as several choices of toys may
confuse them. There are limited choices in Montessori toys, which is beneficial
in the way that if your child chooses one of the many toys, they may start to
think that other toys were better. That way, your child would not be able to
use and enjoy the toys properly.
On the other side, offering limited choices
makes it easier for children to decide the toy of their interest. Since they
will not have several options for buying toys, they will play happily with
their toys without wanting any more. (11)
Child-sized adult life
Most children want to take part in the
daily life works of their family. Such works include folding laundry, washing
dishes, sweeping floors, and making food. These are the works that children
want to do, and these passions of children should be encouraged.
Children are too young to perform such
tasks. Although children want to help, they cannot because of their young age.
So, Montessori toys are used to simulate these phenomena. Several child-sized
Montessori toys are now being used for simulating kitchen and home-cleaning
products. (12)
Final Words
Montessori toys will be a great option
if you want to teach your child about real-world things. If you choose other
types of toys, your child will not learn as much as they could with Montessori
toys.
There are numerous types of toys on the
market today, and we cannot even count them all! That is why it is becoming
very difficult to choose the best toys for your children that they could enjoy
and also have a lot to learn. Search for Montessori toys by keeping an eye on
all the above-mentioned guidelines. This way, you will get the best Montessori
toys for your children!
References:
3. https://montikids.com/montessori/what-makes-toy-montessori/#:~:text=Montessori%20toys%20are%20simple&text=Your%20child%20is%20trying%20to,you%20give%20them%20organized%20information.&text=They%20learn%20about%20the%20relationship,out%20and%20put%20them%20away
5. https://thetoyconnoisseur.com/what-are-montessori-toys/
6. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thebump.com/a/montessori-toys/amp
9. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thebump.com/a/montessori-toys/amp
12. https://thetoyconnoisseur.com/what-are-montessori-toys/
Article 3
Toys and Skill Development in
Children
People think that the purpose of a toy is to entertain kids, but that’s
not true!
Toys are designed to help your kids learn via playing. Toys
provide benefits that no other thing can.
Let's have a look at their benefits to make things clearer.
1- IQ Boosting
As
you know, toys are designed in a way that helps children boost their
memorization, motor skills, identification skills, and a lot more. So, kids who
develop these skills are more likely to boost their IQ slowly.
Kids
play with toys for at least 3 years without any burden of school. So, 3 years
are enough for detailed learning and understanding of the skills. (1)
2- Enhance Creativity
Children have enough interest to explore new things as they naturally
have an amazing sense of curiosity. They never
stop trying to analyze the environment and the things around them.
They curiously explore their surroundings in
different ways. If your kids have good toys, they can experience safe
exploration, creative designing, experimentation, building, and imaginative
play.
Toys that can enhance your child's creativity are finger paints,
paper, play dough, and crayons. All of these toys encourage artistic
development and the skills required for writing. (2)
3- Improves Problem Solving Skills
Enhancing the development of “Problem-Solving Skills” is a big
benefit of toys in regards to your child's mental development. Toys like the building blocks make your child learn about
solving a specific problem step-by-step.
Rather than building blocks, let’s talk about different puzzles so
you can find less and
more complicated puzzles in the market. The
level of complication of a puzzle decides how
much energy your child will have to put in solving it. For example, if the
puzzle is complicated, then it will require more thinking, energy, and attention from the child and vice-versa for a simpler one. As they think of the different ways they can solve the
puzzles, their minds grow and, with time, they develop problem-solving
skills.
There are several other ways to improve problem-solving skills
like the shut the box game. This game allows solving the
mathematical problems to your kid. So,
with the help of this, your child will learn how to create
mathematical solutions with the help of their toys and, ultimately, they will be able to
handle real-life issues in a better way. (3)
4- Improves Development of Senses
You might not know this fact, but toys are specially designed for
the development of some senses such as:
●
Sense of Hearing
●
Sense of Sight
●
Sense of Touch
To make it clearer, let’s take an example.
The sense of hearing could be improved by toys creating
different types of sounds. On the other hand, bright
toys with different colors improve the sense of sight.
Kids start liking specific color, sound, and material
as they grow. In this way, they can show how they feel or think about different things, they will
be able to distinguish between good and bad.
Ultimately, children can have developed senses and enhanced communication skills as well. (4)
5- Enhances Social and Emotional Development
Here we will talk about educational toys. Educational toys are
beneficial to the well-rounded growth of the child as much as they are beneficial in skill development.
This well-rounded growth includes the development of emotional
and social skills. Educational toys are
designed for activities like sharing, having fun, waiting for your turn, and
captaincy. All of these things are important attributes of social development.
There are a lot of educational toys available for kids that
require them to interact and play with other kids, parents, or any adult.
Ever wonder why? Yes, there is a reason behind it! When kids play with other children, they can
experience the things which they can't experience while playing alone.
For example, they will learn emotional and social senses
such as laughter, anger, and crying.
And,
ultimately, they will be able to adapt and understand
the different emotional and social situations.
(5)
6- Learning Cause and Effect
If you are wondering about what cause and effect are, let me
explain.
The cause is something that produces any condition, and the effect
is what results from the condition that causes produced. The main purpose of
the cause and effect is to see how different phenomena relate in terms of
origins and results.
Now, let's move to the main topic.
There are some toys available that teach children about life
lessons: for example, cause and effect. You can observe this while kids are
playing with blocks.
You will see they spend hours building something and, in the end, they
knock that down. You will also see children exploring how high the blocks can
go by making different structures just to see when it will fall.
Children do this again and again until they are satisfied with the
lesson. (6)
7- Development of Fine and Gross Motor Skills
Fine motor skills mean the child’s ability to use the small
muscles in their hands, fingers, and thumb. Fine motor skills allow the child
to use crayons and pencils, pick up small objects, and turn the pages in a
book.
These are the skills that your kid will use their entire life. Now
the question is, how will children develop these skills?
They can develop fine motor skills naturally through play. Some
kids develop these skills faster than others, and that’s completely ok.
Toys can help your child to further enhance and develop these
skills. Toys make it efficient and easier for your kid to make movements using their
hands, fingers, and forearms.
There is a fantastic range of fine motor skill toys available to
support this important stage of child development. These toys include threading
toys, lacing toys, and hand-eye coordination games and activities. (7)
8- Improves Concentration
You might have noticed that the concentration span of kids is minimal; they can quickly get disinterested and distracted with things and even people.
For example, if your kid is playing with a car and you tell them
about a monster in the garden then they will completely forget about the car
and will run toward the garden to see the monster.
So, now the question is: how do we improve concentrati0on?
One thing you should keep in mind is that if you are not providing
the right toys to your children, then they will miss a lot of things in their
daily activities and academics. Educational
toys help in this matter. They are specially
designed to make learning manageable and fun. These toys can increase
a child's concentration and interest in different things.
So, with the help of some right toys, your little one can learn to focus on their playtime. (8)
9- Improves Imagination
Learning is a natural thing for children; they never stop learning!
You will see your child turning every experience into a learning experience.
At this time, they learn many things while playing. Most children
are imaginative and creative enough to turn just anything into an educational
experience.
If you want to create their learning experience in a fun way, then
colorful toys are the best thing to engage a child’s senses in a way that
normal or everyday objects cannot.
It is a fact that colorful toys can stimulate a child’s
imagination. They can take children into incredible worlds that they can share
with their friends.
If they are playing with blocks, then they can see an enchanted
castle in a world shaped by their powerful imagination, while you as an adult
may see just a stack of colorful blocks. (9)
References
1- https://www.playgroundprofessionals.com/play/toys/6-benefits-educational-toys-kids-development
2- https://www.playgroundprofessionals.com/play/toys/6-benefits-educational-toys-kids-development
4- https://www.playgroundprofessionals.com/play/toys/6-benefits-educational-toys-kids-development
5- https://busy-mom.com/educationaltoys/
6- https://busy-mom.com/educationaltoys/
7- https://www.playgroundprofessionals.com/play/toys/6-benefits-educational-toys-kids-development
8- https://www.playgroundprofessionals.com/play/toys/6-benefits-educational-toys-kids-development
9- https://squinkies.com/fun/3-educational-benefits-of-providing-toys-for-children/
Article 5
How to Decorate a Nursery (2/3rd of the article)
Creating a nursery for your baby is fun.
You will be interested in every little thing! Though it is fun, it is not easy.
You will find difficulty at every step,
but there is no need to worry about everything.
I am here to tell you where to start
and where to end, what to do, and what not to do.
So just follow along with step-by-step,
and your nursery will be ready in no time. (1)
1- Choose a
Theme
First thing first, you should choose a
theme. Choosing a theme will make 40% of your work easy.
For example, if you have a theme in
your mind, then you will not find it difficult to select and buy things. You
will just need to find that specific item that matches your theme.
Now, how to do it? If you have or are
going to have a baby girl, then you can choose a theme of something like dolls
and unicorns printed on the bed-sheets and some girlish decorations on the
walls.
On the other hand, if it is a baby boy,
you can choose bed sheets and wallpapers with bears and cars printed on them.
However, you can always pick a theme
according to your mind. (2)
2- Choose a
Colour Scheme
After you have selected the theme, you
will have to decide on a color. Choosing a color is not that difficult as you
can choose any light or soft color which you like.
If you still have a problem in choosing
the color, then go for baby pink, light blue, or peach color. These colors are
so soft and look great in a nursery.
Note: Don’t buy the paint right after
selecting the color. Buy furniture first as you might not like the furniture with
the color which you have chosen for the walls. (3)
3- Choose
Prints and Textiles
Here comes the third thing: choosing
prints and textiles. While choosing textiles, you should keep your main theme
in mind.
For example, if you want your baby's
room to be full of cute unicorns, then find a textile with a unicorn printed on
it.
One more important thing, don't buy the
paint before buying textiles, as it is easier to find paint matching your
textile than finding a textile matching your paint. (4)
4- Buy the
Basic Things
Done with your theme, color, and
textiles? Great! Now you are ready to go shopping for more interesting items.
Before going shopping, note the basic
things and try not to forget anything. Then, go to the stores and buy items like
furniture and decorations.
While buying these things, don't let
the theme go out of your mind. You will be almost done with your nursery once
you buy the furniture and put everything in its place. (5)
5- Use
Washable Wallpaper
Using washable wallpaper in the nursery
is so beneficial. As you will be having a baby in that room, you might drop
something because of a sudden kick from your little one.
Sounds funny? Yeah, it is, but it
happens.
If you use a washable wallpaper, you
will not find yourself in difficulty when the first pee spray hits the wall. (6)
6- Don't
Scatter Things
You will be carrying a baby in that
room, so avoid scattering things. Wondering why?
Suppose you are carrying your baby, and
it's dark and you come across a table or another object in the middle of the
room. You can fall with a baby in your hands, but that doesn't sound good.
So, if you don't want that to happen,
fix everything with walls. You should have enough space to walk freely with a
baby in your hands. (7)
7- Use Heavy
Curtains
Using heavy curtains on the windows can
be very beneficial when it's time to sleep. Curtains should be able to fake
darkness to help your little one sleep with full comfort.
Babies know that darkness means
bedtime, so their eyes get droopy when it’s dark. I am not telling you to make
a dungeon, but just put some heavy curtains, and you are done!
So, try this out and rest easier. (8)
8- Create a
Proper Storage
Your kid's clothes, toys, and other
things take more space than you think. If you don't create proper storage, then
you will find it difficult to manage when your baby is more grown (1 to 2
years).
If you are wondering how to do it, then
just think about how many dresses and toys your kid has and make storage
according to that. Otherwise, you can buy a mini cupboard.
So, don't ignore it! Make a little space
to put everything in place. (9)
9- Decorate
the Room
Yes! Now it's time to decorate. Cover
the furniture and beautify your little one's room.
You can decorate your baby's room with
teddy bears, stuffed toys, and hanging objects. Try to put the things which
might attract your kid.
After you are done with decorations,
clean the room, and prepare it for the baby.
Note: Don't decorate every single part
of the room, just add some specific things. It will look nicer if it is less
cluttered.
10- Use your
Creativity
Using your creativity in a nursery is a
difficult thing, but you will have to come up with some ideas to make your
little one's room different from other nurseries. For this, you can add
something to decorations.
For example, you can use framed prints
on the wall at the back of the bed. Prints should not be childish as you are
doing it just to make the room look unique. (10)
11- Give a
Final Polish
Done with decorations and paint? If yes,
then give a final polish to the room. Clean everything, and put the tables,
sofas, and bed in their places.
Remove the unwanted things from the
room and make it free of anything that might harm your baby.
12- Shift
your Baby
Yes! You did it. Now it's time to bring
the owner of the room in their bed.
Shift your baby in the room and take
care of everything. You should notice if your baby is feeling good. If you find
your baby uncomfortable, then you might have to reorganize some things. (Note: This is 2/3rd
of this article; working on the rest)
References
1.
https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-design-a-nursery-2504852
2.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.today.com/today/amp/tdna83126
3.
https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-decorate-a-nursery-2504794
4.
https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-decorate-a-nursery-2504794
5.
https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-decorate-a-nursery-2504794
6. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.today.com/today/amp/tdna83126
7.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.today.com/today/amp/tdna83126
8. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.today.com/today/amp/tdna83126
9. https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-decorate-a-nursery-2504794
10. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.today.com/today/amp/tdna83126
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