Bring out the toys!

Sometimes, being a parent is more complex than it sounds. Apart from taking care of their children, parents are also responsible for their intellectual and social development.

As they grow up, our kids get interested in learning everything about the world around them and that’s the opportunity you should never miss! The learning process in the early ages is crucial because that’s when most patterns of thinking, deduction and integration are developed. One of the best ways to enhance your children’s willingness to learn and still have fun is through various games. Here are a couple of tips on how to choose the right educational toys for your kids and indirectly start the homeschooling process.

Think Critically

According to numerous recent neuropsychological, methodological and pedagogical researches, the proper choice and use of educational toys should be the number one priority for every parent. Believe it or not, there are numerous toys that seem to improve our children’s learning process and intelligence, but in fact, they slow them down. Parents are so busy these days they usually don’t pay attention to such things.

What you should know is that children nowadays actually do have many various opportunities to develop logical thinking and social skills and improve creativity, but it seems that we don’t use them in a proper way. That’s why we should always choose educational toys that trigger larger brain stimuli than ordinary toys that are mainly just for fun and nothing more. One other thing to bear in mind is to choose toys made from natural materials. There is a variety range of wooden toys for both girls and boys, that are educational, creative and excellent for pretend play.

What Should We Do?

Did you know that the most productive period of every child’s life is between the year of two and six? In this period, each of us has an opportunity to become a genius, because 80% of our brain is formed by the time we are 7. But, then school comes. And it seems that schools make the same mistake over and over again.

Instead of encouraging kids to state their opinion and ideas, even if they are incorrect, teachers tend to shush them and tell them not to answer the question if they don’t have the right answer. That way, we don’t create individuals. Remember everyone gets a trophy these days and people don't want to give an F because it may hurt someones feelings.

No wonder why homeschooling has gained an immense popularity in modern times. After all, we are the ones who know our children best. Their future and social competence depend on our attitudes and criteria. Methodologically, it is always better for parents to provide their children with the knowledge needed for their future mental development.

What to Choose?

When it comes to games, you should definitely skip things like memorizing and repeating things.  These skills use the lowest and the simplest segment of our mind, which doesn’t boost learning or critical thinking. When it comes to the development of coordination and motor skills, you should choose games involving rotation, skipping or games of pulling through.

If you want to focus on the eye stimulation of your kid, choose games with a ball or skipping games. When it comes to the functional knowledge, you need to approach them from the right point of view. For example, choose games that include some kind of an abstract symbol, as well as games where the child needs to connect the symbol with the abstract meaning using logic. Finally, you could read them a teaser story and then pose a lot of questions or ask the child to think up the end of the story, which would improve their critical and creative thinking a lot.

All in all, parents are the ones who are supposed to provide their children with adequate knowledge, thus prepare them for further education and future careers. The best way to do that is to start from the earliest age, using various brain-stimulating and educational games. This method has multiple advantages and you will get to know them all as your child grows!

What is your favorite educational toy brand?

Disclosure