Doctors are warning parents that when it comes to picking toys for your child, the latest and greatest toys aren’t necessarily the best. While electronic toys with lights and sounds might grab your attention in the store, experts say old-school toys have the most educational impacts.
A recent report by the American Academy of Pediatrics is hoping to make playtime more educational and fun.
The main takeaway from the report titled “Selecting Appropriate Toys for Young Children in the Digital Era” is that parents should invest in old-school and simple toys for their kids, not electronics.
Toys and playtime offer a number of important benefits for children.
During this time, children expand their social skills, cognitive abilities, imagination, and motor skills. Most importantly, parents must play with their children to maximize the benefits of play.
However, doctors are worried that the popularity of virtual toys (toys with electronic components or ones that rely on apps) decrease the educational benefits of play.
Toys with sounds and lights actually inhibit a child from developing their own stories and characters like they would with a simple doll, for example.
When it comes to choosing toys for your child, traditional favorites are still the way to go.
Balls, blocks, cars, dolls, pretend food, and bikes are all toys that doctors recommend to get the most benefits out of play. While advanced electronic toys can be beneficial too, simple toys are still the best when it comes to development.
