Toys and Child Development: Senses, Problem-Solving, Literacy

November 10, 2021

When it comes to a child's development from a young age, there are numerous tools that parents, teachers and other caregivers can employ on a regular basis. One major resource area here is the use of various educational toys and items, which combine the kinds of activities young kids enjoy most with themes that will help them learn and grow in important ways. 

At Devlin's Child Development, toys and other items are regularly utilized throughout our center, preschool and other programs, both for pure enjoyment and for themes that help increase development in multiple ways. These toys and items promote creativity and critical thinking, plus show benefits in several other distinct areas -- this two-part blog series will go over how the use of such toys in any setting, from educational to at-home scenarios, is beneficial to young children.

Sensory Development

Over the years, many pieces of research have directly linked educational toys with the development of specific senses in children. Senses like touch, sight and hearing can all be improved upon through the use of such items, and even create a constructive impact on learning later in life.

For example, children who hear different sounds at a young age are able to better understand words and language patterns when they get older. Even touch is enhanced by educational toys, as kids will figure out how objects interact with each other (such as stacking blocks) and how to work together with others in order to achieve a goal. This can lead to enhanced socialization skills, which will help kids better relate with peers at school and beyond.

Problem-Solving Skills

Toys and their various play options also introduce situations where kids must solve different problems, which can help them gain the ability to apply similar thinking skills in other life situations. This is particularly true of educational toys designed for very young kids, who will be encouraged to figure out how to open and close various items or even use them appropriately.

For example, having a child sort through colored blocks by putting together those that belong next to each other can help them put together similar puzzles as they get older, which becomes a valuable tool in sorting out classroom or work-related problems.

Literacy and Motor Skills

Educational toys have also shown a direct, positive correlation with child IQ, and this is because they play a role in themes like literacy, hand-eye coordination and other various motor skills. While most kids learn to read through traditional mechanics, toys that have them identify words or objects can help stoke the fires of interest in this area early on, leading to more advanced skills when they're ready for more formalized education.

This is not just true of literacy, but also with motor skills like stacking blocks or even building simple structures with toy blocks, which can help kids in the future with dexterity and coordination when trying to accomplish tasks.

For more on how various educational toys can play an important role in young child development, or to learn about any of our preschool, day care or other child care programs, speak to the staff at Devlin's Child Development today.

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Sandy

9310 So, State St, Sandy, UT 84070
801-561-0483
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