Toddlers are just learning about the world around them
and how they fit in it. Toys with a lot of bells and
whistles will result in over stimulation and cause them
to back away; looking for something they can manoeuvre
and understand with their small underdeveloped brains.
So what are the top ten best educational
games to help your toddler’s development?
1. Blocks
Making stacks of anything, blocks, plastic cups, Tupperware
etc is a lot of fun for toddlers because of the excitement
of adding item upon item and watching the tower lean
in anticipation of that big crash. Toddlers learn about
things like restraint and pressure. They learn judgement
as well when they try to figure out if they can fit
just one more thing on the tower. If the blocks are
different colors, you can play sorting games where you
group the similar colors together and teach him color
names. As your toddler gets older you can get blocks
with words on them to teach him reading skills.
2. Lego
They make big pieces now so that there’s no worry
of choking, but you can still use the old Lego’s
as long as you’re there. The main principle with
Lego is that children learn by building. By locking
pieces together to create a specific shape, they develop
their manual skills as well as recognize patterns in
the repetition of setting piece upon piece in a certain
way, improving their memory skills.
3. The Color Game
Pick a color and then go around the house and gather
different items of the same color, making sure to say
the name of the color every time. After you pick a few,
have your toddler try and find the items himself. Make
sure to encourage him to say the color’s name
out loud. Once he can pick a few out himself, change
to a different color and then when you feel he’s
confident enough, mix the colors up.
4. The Shape Game
The shape game works the same as the color game and
encourages your little one to become visually familiar
with the lines of different objects and helps develop
his vocabulary as he learns the right names for things.
5. See and Say
Imagine my surprise when this past Christmas, shopping
for my niece, I discovered the old toy See and Say was
still on the shelves! There’s a reason this educational
toy has stood the test of time, it is one the most truly
entertaining and educational toys still on the market.
It’s simple, yet novel enough with its automated
sounds that children aren’t intimidated by too
many complicated buttons. You simply point the large
arrow to an animal in the circle, pull the lever and
the arrow spins around as the automated voice tells
you the name of the animal and the sound it makes. Eventually,
your child will learn how to point the arrow and pull
the lever themselves and you should encourage them to
repeat the automated voice.
6. Puzzles
Puzzles are wonderful tools for teaching not only hand-eye
coordination but is one of the best games for building
self esteem because the child will have the satisfaction
of fitting pieces into similarly shaped openings. With
every correct placement, he’ll feel even better
if you make a big deal over his small victories. You
want to start with a small puzzle, with only a few pieces
to work with in the beginning, gradually building to
more complicated puzzles as he grows.
7. Books
No one can deny that reading to your child brings an
untold wealth of benefits for him but before you break
out that tome of fairytales, start small. For toddlers,
picture books are best, help him name the different
pictures and use an animated voice when reading the
few words to make it fun for both of you.
8. The Placement Game
Cut out pictures of rooms from magazines, also cut
out objects that belong in those rooms. (Kitchens with
teapots, dishes, etc. Bedrooms with pillows, blankets,
etc) Help your child place the right objects in the
right rooms. Even if he doesn’t get the right
the first few times, this game will help him become
familiar with the objects that inhabit his world.
9. Fisher Price’s Learn Your ABC’s
While your toddler’s exposure to computers should
be limited, there is one online game that you can play
with them to help them learn their ABC’s. ‘Learn
Your ABC’s on the Fisher Price Website :
http://www.fisher-price.com/us/fun/games/abc/
A letter is shown and read out loud on the screen and
then your child looks for the matching key on the keyboard.
10. Imagination
When you see your child playing with that box rather
than the expensive toy within, chances are he’s
imagining it’s any number of things but a box,
a fortress, a house, a car. He is so focused on the
pretend world inside that box and that gives you the
key to the most educational toy your child can have
to get him started on the right road to mental development.
Playing pretend with him, whether it’s animals
in a jungle or playing tea party with your daughter
can give them the thirst to learn more in the outside
world to expand the adventures in their pretend worlds
thus strengthening both their creative and logical minds.
Small simple toys and games work best but they especially
work best when you are active in your child’s
playtime. It’s not enough to just give your child
a small jigsaw puzzle and then set them in a corner
while you go about your day. Whenever possible, sit
with your child and be there as a teacher and fellow
playmate to not only encourage your child’s self
esteem, but to also strengthen the bond between the
two of you.
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