Be careful when choosing toys for your child! Which toys develop which skill?

Clinical psychologist Ecem Özcan Tatlıdil stated that choosing age-appropriate toys is important for children’s mental health and development, and provided information on what needs to be taken into account.

Tatlıdil stated that toys are of great importance to children’s physical and mental health at every stage of the child’s development, saying: “Home family, teachers in preschool education institutions effectively use healthy toys, which are important for all areas of development of the child, including physical, cognitive, emotional and social, they can contribute Toys are an indispensable element for the development of the child.

‘GAIN SKILLS LIKE WAITING AND BEING PATIENT’

Tatlıdil states that toys support the child’s creativity, decision-making skills, understanding concepts such as size, shape and color, developing imagination and gaining different skills, Tatlıdil said:

“Toys help children learn to cooperate, share, wait and be patient. When choosing toys, the abilities and general interests of the child at that age should be taken into account. In addition, the choice of toys should take into account fine and gross motor skills, language development and age-appropriate social development. While toys that appeal to a young age relative to the child’s age can lead to lack of interest and early boredom, toys designed for older ages can lead to failure and lack of self-confidence in the child. Therefore, children should be able to play with toys that are appropriate for their age.

WHICH TOYS DEVELOP WHAT POWER?

Tatlıdil said that the selected types of healthy toys contribute to physical and mental development as well as mental health. Tatlıdil stated that important skills that children can add to their lives are the initial stage and listed the contribution of toys to development as follows:

“Toys such as tricycle, clay, gliding, climbing, swinging toys and skateboards develop great muscle development, paper, scissors, paint, pencils and Legos, various assembly toys, jigsaw puzzles fine motor skills, dolls, rag dolls, various clothing, ornaments, craft sets, strollers, imagination development , cubes, blocks, cars and trucks, wooden and plastic animals, sandbox materials machining capabilities, housewares and home kits; It teaches the development of socialization and sharing of feelings, the increase of expressiveness, the development of extroverted personality, wooden or magnetic letters, numbers and shapes, seals with letters and numbers, additive puzzles, completion games, language skills, reading and speaking, colored sticks, toy clock and clock Cubes, geometric shapes support math ability, music and rhythm aids support the development of language and social skills, toys such as rock, leaf, seashell, dry plant and vegetable collection support the development of nature awareness.

“GAME IS THE BEST LEARNING TOOL AND THE EASIEST TEACHING TOOL”

Tatlıdil pointed out that play and development is a lifelong process that differs for each age group, saying: “Games and toys; It is a tool that supports communication, learning, passing time and development for children. Games and toys are the most ideal tools that can be used to easily overcome and get through the crises of any age period without leaving lasting damage. It is an activity that helps children with health problems to manage accumulated stress and anxiety, to transfer and overcome their emotional crises. It functions as a communication channel between adults and children. It is one of the ways that the child can easily understand and imitate the adult world and prepare for adulthood. Games and toys help them model behavior, adopt social and moral rules, feel involved, express their feelings, express their thoughts, etc. considered as an auxiliary factor. During the period when children are most open to learning, they can easily learn many skills with games and toys.

THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING TOYS

Psychologist Tatlıdil said, “The toy should arouse the child’s curiosity, exercise the muscles, increase entrepreneurship and imagination, and encourage him to solve problems.” Very young children enjoy toys that stimulate all their senses, such as a colorful rattle, and these toys are a major contributor to the development of their immature senses. Toddlers love placing and subtracting cubes of different shapes and sizes. Two-year-olds prefer simple Legos to other toys, which they can develop using their newly acquired wrist-turning skills. On the other hand, children who reach the preschool stage enjoy all kinds of objects and drawings that support their creative aspects. Coloring and drawing stimulate creativity. From this point of view, it is seen that the child is naturally more inclined towards toys that will enhance the skills acquired in his age period. Because in fact every new skill he acquires is a game to him.”