Children's toys are better than electronic toys

Recent orders to recall many different toys have made parents and ' old men ' careful during the coming Christmas season, but this is probably just to convince consumers to be more creative. When buying toys for your children.

Old-fashioned toys, like red leather balls, simple house blocks, clay and crayons, though not worthwhile and often hidden on shelves, are healthier for children than Educational electronic toys are more eye-catching for $ 89.99.

Hirsh-Pasek, a professor of psychology at Temple University and also a director of Temple's Infant Research Laboratory, said the general principle is that children solve problems creatively; they love to explore and be active;'Your children will learn to develop imagination with these simple toys; toys that do not require children to do anything but the children who control the toys do what they want . '

According to Roberta Golinkoff, head of the Newborn Language Project at the University of Delaware, 'Electronic toys are educational or exaggerated about brain development and that they will give children benefits. so from the beginning. Toy makers are taking advantage of parents 'fears about their children being left behind in the global market.'

Kathy Hirsh-Pasek , Temple University psychology research professor (Photo: Sciencedaily)

Golinkoff added: 'Children are not empty jars that need to be filled. If they play with toys that allow them to become explorers, they will tend to learn important lessons about how to capture the world around them. '

Hirsh-Pasek and Golinkoff, the two authors of the book " Britain never use Flashcard " offer the following advice, instructions and questions for parents to ask themselves when choosing choose the right toys for your children:

Hirsh-Pasek said: 'Try to find toys with 90% of children and 10% of toys - Many of these toys guide children to play by saying and singing to them, asking they click on the buttons and levers. But our children like to discover what is happening. I look for a toy that doesn't control children but let them control it. "

Toys are considered to be a platform of fun - ' Toys must be tools for children to play with, not a child's play or instruction .' Golinkoff added: 'Toys must awaken the imagination and personality of the child'.

What can you do with that toy? - Hirsh-Pasek said: 'If it is a toy that requires a child to do only one thing, such as filling in the blanks or giving a correct answer, it will not help them show their creativity . I look for detachable and remake toys or can assemble them into another toy, which can develop a child's imagination. Toys like these will give children the opportunity to "create their own worlds". "

Consider whether the toy promises brain development - Hirsh-Pasek advises: 'Look carefully at the pictures and advertisements written outside the toy box. If that kind of toy promises that the kids are smarter, that's a warning. If the outside of the box says that the children will be bilingual or learn maths if they play this toy, the chances of this not happening are very high - even if their parents intervene yes. '

Does the toy encourage social interaction? - Golinkoff said: 'It's good for a child to be alone, but better if they stay with others. I always find out if more than two children can play with toys at the same time because when they learn negotiation skills, they need to be successful in life. '

Hirsh-Pasek said: ' This advice is not for marketing, but what we have learned over 30 years of child psychological research about how they learn and grow .'

Golinkoff adds: The irony is that educational toys are not really eye-catching items or items with great promises, but are the main elements that have formed the thinkers. think creatively for decades.

Thanh Tam