From the day they are born, children are constantly learning. They learn through using their senses, observing others, and playing. The extent to which they learn is partly dependent on their environment and their interactions with others and the world around them.

Many people might think that toys are simply given to children for fun or to keep them entertained, but the truth is that toys provide much more value than this. Toys are tools to help children learn about themselves, their environment, and to develop the skills that they need in life.

It is through play that children develop gross and fine motor skills, learn how to solve problems, how to enhance their imagination, and how to share and get along with others. It is through play that children develop gross motor skills, from grasping to climbing; fine motor skills when handing small toys and parts; cognitive skills like recognising colours and building their attention span; language and social skills when playing alongside or with others; and imaginative skills playing pretend.

A parent or carer has a role with a child from birth in helping develop these skills. This is done through observance, interaction, and imagination. It is also beneficial to provide children of all levels with age-appropriate educational toys.

What is Play?

Play is a way children make sense of their world and express their natural curiosity. Play is:

• Enjoyable
• Spontaneous
• Voluntary
• Involves active engagement
• Involves the imagination
• Is not extrinsically goal-oriented

What are Educational Toys?

An educational toy is any toy that provides a child with an opportunity to learn – it effectively stimulates learning. It can help develop a particular skill, or teach a child about a particular thing. It also, most importantly, provides fun.

The Benefits of Providing your Kids with Educational Toys

• Play is fun – any learning through play is enjoyable; from an infant discovering his hands or sucking on a toy to a school-age child playing with a bat and ball.

• Educational Toys help in sensory development – from bright coloured rattles for a baby to craft activities for older children which help develop fine motor skills

• These toys teach valuable life lessons – including cause and effect; like playing with blocks: building a tower then knocking it down.

• They retain a child’s interest – the child will want to play with them over again.

• Educational toys can help grow a child’s IQ – through memory retention, motor skills development, coordination, and even literacy and numeracy.

• Educational toys can build social and emotional development – playing with others, sharing, bonding, taking turns, leadership and teamwork; all of these build confidence.

Children learn by playing, being active, being with others, exploring and discovering, using their imaginations, by being challenged mentally and physically, and by being shown new things. Educational toys are very helpful in these endeavours.

Choose New Dimension Oz for the very best educational toys available for children of all ages Australia-wide.