Best Holiday Toys Ever
If you go on-line or check the big box store catalogs to see this year’s “hottest” toys for the holidays, you’ll see lots of toys that run on battery power. There are “interactive” toys that light up, talk, wiggle, squeak and play music. There are hand-held mini-computer games for pre-schoolers. In response, we thought it would be good to do our own list of just a few old-fashioned toys that run on kid power.
These are toys and materials that can be used in multiple ways to encourage open-ended play, creativity, imagination and language. You’ll see these playthings in high quality early childhood classrooms, and they make wonderful gifts to inspire children’s play at home. We hope you’ll add some of these gifts to your shopping list.
Wooden unit blocks: Children love to build with heavy duty wooden blocks. Watch them make houses, farms, roads, zoos, towers and mountains. Add a few toy cars, people, animals or dinosaurs, and you’ll see even more imagination at work. How can something so simple be this much fun and still teach children about shapes, sizes and the art of balancing.
Manipulatives: Legos, bristle blocks, tinker-toys and other small blocks and wooden and crepe puzzles help children build their small motor skills and practice problem-solving and sorting while they’re having fun. There are bigger versions of blocks and 2 and 3-piece puzzles for toddlers as well as smaller blocks and more challenging multi-piece puzzles for older children.
Art supplies: Crayons, markers, paint, children’s scissors and glue make wonderful gifts with different kinds of paper and bits of yarn, ribbon, cotton, even magazines to cut up to make collages. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a child’s creative juices flowing. Children respond with intense concentration and lots of language when they experiment with colors and shapes and perfect their small motor skills when cutting and gluing. You might want to add a smock for the perfect young artist’s package.
Cooking Tools for Kids: Start with an age-appropriate cookbook (or make your own laminated recipe cards with pictures). Add an apron, a wooden spoon and spatula, some measuring spoons, a plastic measuring cup, cookie cutters and a willing adult chef to make sure everything proceeds safely. Whether they’re making instant pudding, applesauce or cut-out cookies, children will learn about following directions, counting and measuring while making something special to share with the family. The tools can be used for “pretend” cooking too. Who can resist a delicious cup of make-believe soup?
Books, books, books: There are so many choices… cloth and board books for babies and toddlers, story books for pre-schoolers and chapter books for young readers. Well-chosen books that are age-appropriate and colorfully illustrated open up a world of language and imagination for children. The best present of all?… when a child sits in a favorite adult’s lap to read books out-loud. Oh, wait… that’s one of the best presents any adult could have too.
A big, cardboard box: Cut out windows and a door and color the cardboard with paint or crayons. It could be a house, a cave, a fort, a cozy place to read or a pirate ship. Get a few props and let children take the lead for hours of imaginative fun. Sometimes the best things in life (and play) are free!
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