Today even with all the new technology that is filtering its way through to the children’s toy market there is still a strong demand, especially within the pre-school age group, for traditional toys.
What are Traditional Toys?
There are two genres of traditional toys the first is defined as the truly traditional wooden toys which incorporate bricks, train sets, puzzles and figurines. These are immensely popular with grandparents, parents and carers of preschool children as they provide a continuous safe and easy play environment. The benefits of no batteries and no sharp corners provide a safe playtime for babies and preschoolers alike as the chunky pieces are easy to hold and will not have any small moving parts therefore removing the worry of small children constantly putting these toys in their mouths. Combine these benefits with the fact that wooden toys are unbreakable and usually made by quality manufacturers in the UK makes them a constant favourite for carers of pre-school children.
Traditional Toys Can Help Children Learn
There are of course many other toys for pre-school children made of other materials that we still class as a traditional toy as opposed to modern technology based toys which older children tend to prefer. These can include bicycles, dolls houses, painting and drawing, dressing up, musical instruments and books etc. There are many reasons why pre-school children prefer these traditional toys to computer games but research has shown that pre-school children will generally opt for bicycles, cars, dolls or role play games over computers and technology because this is how they learn the necessary life skills they will require. Adventurous play such as dressing up and playing shop will teach important lessons of how to interact with each other, learning to ride a scooter or a bike will increase their motor skills, generally playing together and interacting will help develop emotional and intellectual skills and of course drawing, painting and looking at picture books will also help to teach the basics of colours, sizes and shapes.
Toys and Technology
Quite simply pre-school children are bundles of energy and full of questions about the world in which they live and being involved in active play will make learning something new. The thrill of mastering how to ride a bike or scooter or experiencing the simple enjoyment of the swings is something that can not be replicated through a virtual world. Whilst computer games or technology may increase a child’s thinking or logical reasoning these should not replace traditional toys which are still available. While children are young enough to burn off endless amounts of energy they should be encouraged to play with traditional toys so the building blocks of essential skills can be laid.
Vivienne Ollis – Advisor and Educational Blogger for www.beales.co.uk