Perfect Kid's Presents... Just Imagine

Magna-Tiles are just one
option for creative play...

Find toys that promote imagination, exploration and creativity — because play is the work of children. Experts suggest trusty, been-around-forever items, such as blocks and other building toys...

Make believe is a big part of play for creative kids.

You've probably witnessed the birthday party or holiday gathering where the cardboard box that contained that enormous... and very expensive... present became the most appreciated toy of the day. That huge box was turned into everything from the king's castle to the kitchen stove before finally winding up in the trash.

There's a lesson to be learned from those big boxes of endless fun.

Kid's web sites, TV shows and newspapers seem to offer nothing but ads for the latest 'must-have' toys. Store shelves are bursting with bright packages — all promising countless hours of entertainment for delighted children.

But if toys offer just one way to play, they may not hold children's attention for long, a University of Florida child development expert says.

"I encourage people to find toys that promote imagination, exploration and creativity because play is the work of children," said Joanne Foss, an occupational therapy instructor at UF's College of Health Professions.

"Toys are an important part of that play. They can help parents raise creative kids when their children learn how to manipulate things on their own, learn concepts about objects and their relationships to each other, and pick up reasoning skills."

Foss suggests a few questions shoppers might ask themselves before committing to a particular item:

Can this gift grow with the child?
Does it encourage the development of more than one skill?
How might it be used in play?

Each holiday season boasts one or two red-hot, supposedly must-have new toys, but Foss warns, "You can spend a lot of money on toys that look attractive to us. They may be cute, but if they don't really challenge the child much, the child will become bored very quickly."

Beanie Babies continue to fly off store shelves, a phenomenon Foss suspects is generated by parent, rather than child, interest. "You can't do much with them," she said. "Like other stuffed animals and action figures, they tend to become collectibles rather than an ongoing part of children's play."

Electronic and computer games will remain popular with a child if they offer a chance to move from one ability level to the next and practice a variety of skills, she said. "Such games can be pretty restrictive. You push a button and get the same response," she said. "But multidimensional educational software can be a fun supplement to other ways of learning."

Foss, who teaches courses on applied human development, suggests parents consider some trusty, been-around-forever items, such as wooden earth-friendly toys, blocks or other building toys. "Legos are a good example," she said. "They come with specific patterns, but children can adapt them and be creative. Kids play with such toys in a manner suited to their current development and abilities. When they're very young, they build simple objects. By middle childhood, they're making spaceships or whole cities."

Children also can stretch their imagination with basic inexpensive art supplies, including paper, crayons and fingerprint.

Gift-givers need not be limited to the toy aisles. "General household objects often intrigue young children and teach them many real-life concepts," she said. "Food containers and spoons can be great fun in the bath. You don't need to buy something special labeled 'bath toy.'"

When picking items, keep in mind the age of the child who is to receive the gift and choose age-appropriate toys.

For toddlers, consider bright-colored items that can be manipulated easily, that make a noise when you touch or move them. "In early childhood, children have developed many motor skills but need practice choosing which skills to use when. They practice deciding, for example, what kind of a grip to use.

In middle childhood, they want to use many different types of skills in a single game. Board games are one way they can challenge cognitive, social and motor skills." Foss says children need to be given the chance to be inventive at play without being bothered by adults about the "correct" way to go about it.

"It might not be the way we think they should do it, but they will develop a lot of faith in their own abilities," she said. "They might use unusual colors in their picture, but so what if the elephant ends up to be green?"

Related Links of Interest:

The Chiff.com Toy Guru Reviews

Wrap Up Perfect Kid's Presents

About the Author...
Victoria White

Courtesy of University of Florida News