Developmental Toys for the First Five Years

First time parents are often uncertain about the development of their child. They are not always sure how to encourage their child's growth in the many areas that need their gentle guidance. That's why developmental toys can be so useful in those first five years of a child's life. Before they go off to school and learn, they must learn the basic milestones of their young lives. From crawling and walking to talking and counting, social and motor skills and finally reading and listening, children have so many things to learn. Parents can help them learn these skills with the aid of educational and developmental toys and games.

Year One

In the first year of baby's life there are so many things to learn, visual, audio and tactile skills and then physical fine and gross motor skills.

Some great toys for babies to develop their visual, audio and tactile skills are soft toys with dials and buzzers, squeakers and patches. Rattles with bells and books with bright colours and shapes and bold lines.

As baby gets older and wants to move, toys like play mats with bells and texture pads and hanging toys are great to develop rolling and grabbing. Walkers and jumpers are great for strengthening legs and balance.

Year Two

In the second year a baby learns to walk and talk and develop higher motor skills with hands and feet.

Balls are great for two year olds, to kick and push around. Wagons are great for pulling and pushing. Blocks are good for stacking and building. Shovels will help them discover sand and soil. Two years old love water play and a water table is invaluable in the summer months.

A two year old will love to hear stories and songs from books and will appreciate finer detail in pictures and colour.

Year Three

As a child grows, their ability to pretend and use their imagination really starts to develop. Brands like Fisher Price and Little People are great for toys that provide props for role play and scenarios.

A three year old is better able to hold a pencil or crayon and will love to scribble and draw on paper and chalk boards. A three year old also begins to imitate mum and dad, and may like to use a toy telephone or pram, or drive a car or put things in a bag or basket.

Three year olds like to get busy in the garden or at the beach with shovels and buckets.

Year Four

A four year old has become rather proficient at many things like walking, running, jumping and dancing. They will enjoy ball games and out door games like sand pit and wading pools and sprinklers.

At four children love to dress up and play out their favourite character or scenario, so providing some simple costumes and props will encourage lots of role play.

A four year old might like to use an instrument to play along to their favourite song. They like to blow bubbles and get a little more sophisticated in their craft activities. Perhaps providing safety scissors, glue and glitter will allow some creative energies to flow.

Year Five

Once a child is five they will learn to read and write. Books become very important to school age children and they provide the opportunity to practice their new skills.

A five year old can now participate in more complex activities such as board games and computer games, more complex puzzles and experimental play such magnets and science based kits.

Girls might become more interested in their appearance and they might like to explore role play with barbies and doll houses and jewellery making kits.

There are a wonderful variety of toys to suit all children at an age, just try and choose learning toys that encourage active rather than passive participation.

Best Toys For 18 Month Old Kids

If you've been thinking about the best toys for 18 month old kids remember children are absolute sponges when it comes to learning. When you think about all of the major milestones they learn in their first two years of life it really is amazing. Toys are an integral part of that learning process and foster development in your child. The right toys at the right time will bring a lot of joy.

18 month old children are really at a very unique age. They are still babies in many senses of the word but they are also beginning to exhibit some very independent behavior. By this age there are certain things you can use as a base to see that a child is developing normally, or identify when they may not be and seek professional advice.

What they can and can't do with simple toys and objects is a great indicator for parents and care givers. We may not have a handbook on parenting but there are a solid set of measures used to see your 18 month old has normal development.

Types of Development

Children develop in a few ways as they grow. Here are the major areas:

* Social Skills- how they might act socially and interact with people around them. This can be family, friends, other children, child care providers, and strangers. How they understand and respond to the emotions of others is another important social skill.

* Gross Motor Skills- Take in the major muscle groups that are used to walk, run, sit, stand etc. All of these things they will learn by the age of 18 months. There's also keeping balance, climbing and moving from one position to another.

* Fine Motor Skills - These include the smaller movement and many hand-eye coordination activities. Using the hands to eat, writing, drawing, get dressed, catch a ball etc.

* Cognitive Skills - This encompasses the brain activities of thinking, memory, problem solving, and reasoning (if you leave the room you are still there and will be back, for example). You could say that all developmental skills rely on the cognitive.

* Language Skills - This area includes not only speech but the body language and gestures in communication with others. It is clear that babies understand a lot more than they can speak to us about and they have many ways of letting us know there needs without speech.

What Should An 18 Month Old Be Capable Of?

Remember that all children can learn differently and thrive in some areas. But there are some ways to ascertain what is known as a normal development for an 18 month old. Once you can understand each of the developmental skill categories and where the average 18 month old should be, then you begin to see clearly which toys are going to be the best for them to learn with.

Toys designed to fulfill their learning needs will keep them satisfied, and advancing normally in their learning journey. The following is a guide and not by any means an exhaustive list, nor meant as professional advice. The list will help you to buy the right toy for this age group.

Motor Skills -Both Gross and Fine

* Enjoys pushing, pulling and dumping things

* Runs with rigid movements and can keep eyes on the ground

* Can turn book pages

* Can stack two blocks on top of each other

* Can remove hats, socks, mittens etc

* Scribbles with crayons and thick pencils

* Walks unaided with good balance

Cognitive Skills

* Identifies an object in a book

* Can laugh at actions they see as funny (using a box as a hat for example)

* Knows something out of sight is still there and looks for it

* Can fit objects the correct shape together (square lid onto a square box)

* Does problem solving which involves trial and error

* Can understand and follow simple directions with one step

Social and Language Skills

* Can seem a little selfish

* Will compete with other children for the toys

* Like to play alone on the floor with toys

* May still be anxious when separating from parents

* Actively looks for attention

* Can use eight to ten words that are said clearly

* Points to objects and uses one word descriptions

* Can play pretend games with adult

* Draw your attention to an object or to an action

* Can place words like Bye, Hi, Please and remembers to use them when prompted

* Can communicate frustration and make a protest

* Will ask for mum or dad in a specific manner

* Can recognize themselves in a mirror or in photographs

Best Toys for the 18 Month Old Child

So now a good picture of educational and developmental toys becomes apparent. With not too much trouble there are many choices available in toys and they don't have to cost the earth. Just be sure they are sturdy and safe as they are likely to take some banging and crashing together quite often.

Here are a few that come to mind:

* Large blocks

* Toys with wheels that can be pushed and pulled

* Simple hide and seek games

* Shape puzzles and games

* Dolls and soft toys

* Sturdy and colorful books

* Low climbing toys

* Crayons ( but protect your walls)

* Simple dress ups

* Basic role play (kitchen sets, tea party, shops)

* Simple puzzle and problem solving games and activities

Being 18 months old puts your child right into the middle of the toddler toys in the 1-3 years age group. Look for toys by Playskool and Little Tikes.

Why Are Wooden Toys Classics?

Why are wooden toys classics?

It is easy to be tempted in the store to look at and buy the latest and greatest, flashiest new toy on display. But, we have all found that the classic wooden toys are the ones that stand up to the test of time both in terms of durability, stimulating and holding children's interest, generation after generation.

I let out a chuckle when I saw the classic wooden duck on a string among my daughter's first birthday presents. I thought, "Wow I had one of those when I was a kid". And now, just as I did, my daughter pulls on the string and the duck follows her everywhere as she toddles around the house. The latest whirling, flashing thing is great for a few moments, but this duck is her friend.

It's a similar story with trains. All of my son's friends have wooden train sets. They have been played with for years and years. When they visit each other to play with all their newfangled stuff and then begin to look bored on a rainy day, its always a sure thing to ask "who wants to play trains?" Wooden train sets are never boring to either gender and for all ages.

It is easy to imagine that wooden toys are expensive because they are so durable and great for kids. But, it is fairly easy, if you look, to find a simple wooden puzzle or set of blocks at your toy store. As these toys last for a long time, you will also find them at a local garage sale for a fraction of the price - well-loved, but still in great condition. You also don't have to buy the brand-name sets (e.g. Biro wooden trains) you can find similar items at your nearest discount store (check out Ikea).

The reason that wooden toys, including: puzzles, pull-toys, trains, dollhouses, blocks and logs for building have become classics is that they stimulate children's imagination while standing up to the knocks of childhood play.

Cheap Toys For Toddlers

If you put an advertisement of toys in front of any toddler they will point to a hundred toys which interest them. Much like me at the dinner table, children's eyes are bigger than their stomachs, so to speak. It's easy to find a toy which will amuse children. It's also easy to spend a lot of money on different toys. However, it is always better for your budget to shop for toys much like you shop for clothing. In other words, buy toys which will be used for a long period of time, are useful, and wear well. So while it is easy to shop for toddler toys, allowing them to choose toys may not be the best option. In this article we'll explore some budget friendly toys for parents in which children both enjoy, and from which they also learn important skills.

 Older toddlers can benefit from dress up clothes bought at flea markets, from 'lots' on eBay and even from your closets. Clothes with buttons, zippers, and Velcro are perfect for young hands to develop dexterity and learn valuable problem solving techniques. For smaller children, age 1-3, small buttons are a poor choice as they often put them in their mouths and can swallow and choke on the buttons, however, using Velcro, zippers and snaps can help them just as easily. Old clothes and dress up clothes are relatively cheap toys in which any child can benefit from using. Don't forget to include old shoes with buckles, laces (for older toddlers) and purses with unique closures.

Puzzles are one of those toys that children of all ages have a lot of fun putting together. Often I've found myself just as interested in building the puzzles with children. There are large puzzle piece sets for younger toddlers, with 25 extremely large pieces, and smaller piece puzzles as they get older. Puzzles are a great way to develop motor skills, creativity, problem solving, and pattern awareness. You can even have special puzzles made that teach your children unique things. For example, you could take a picture of the local flowers in your area and teach children about those special properties. Locally we have blueberry bushes and wild strawberry plants and I like to make puzzles based on those and other edible plants nearby.

Children really enjoy any toy from old dolls to new Legos. There aren't many wrong choices a parent can make. Just keep in mind that children from age 0-4 like to put almost everything in their mouths; and that smaller pieces, buttons, eyes, and doll hair, can get stuck in their throats. Other things to watch out for are toxic paint, and smaller cut out toys that children can get their hands stuck inside. Use dolls with painted eyes, and no hair to avoid problems with children under the age of 3.

Smart Toys For Smart Babies

The most relevant stage in learning starts from being a toddler. What baby learns during this stage will reflect throughout his growth. Toddler educational toys are the most effective tool that will cultivate their knowledge. Educational toys are entertaining. It's the reflection of fun and laughter. Provide your child a lot of learning opportunities through wide variety of toys: Toys for bath time, toddler cubes, books, puzzles, roller coaster toys, shape sorter, soft toys stackers, wooden toys, DVDs and CDs. Widen a child's imagination with books - they are windows to the world. Supply chunky board books, ABCs, animal books, music & shapes, word books, flap books, bath book and coloring books.

As parents, it's totally challenging and yet greatly rewarding to raise kids. Having enough time to play with your child is a great opportunity for you to learn more about your own kid. We have to understand that every child is unique; each one has specific way of cruising through the milestones of physical, mental and social development. Parents do there best to raise kids to be smart and happy to be who they are. Even in early years of a child, we can start to shape their life. While other parents use television, play station and 3D games as a tool to keep their child entertained. This can lead to disabilities in learning. Children can gain hearing problems that leads to difficulty in language development from watching television.

Toys must be carefully selected. Find the most appropriate toys that stimulate learning abilities and fun to play with. Through toddler educational toys children discover themselves, their environment and their social life. Their toys become instruments in building their creativity, leadership skills and personality as well. Playing educational toys is the best foundation for a successful future.

Play can enhance a child's growth in all areas. Different toys give specific development and experiences for your baby.

Toddlers are like sponges. They absorb concepts through playing. Our role as parents is to choose appropriate toys for their age. Toys must be well-designed & durable. It should expand a child's ability, such as in arts & crafts, reading, verbal skills, music and movement. Keep in mind that what we can offer our child in not just enjoyment, but also what kind of benefit toys will deliver. Encourage them to take their first steps in learning into a fun and enjoyable way.

In addition, to maximize playing for your child's development, there are several points we have to remember.

o Set a proper and favorable area in playing. It must be safe, hygienic and non-smoking zone.
o Look for proper clothes that promote comfort and freedom of movement.
o Give them educational toys where in they can reap the benefits for their growth

Parents must be patient with their child as they found gladness in even small accomplishments. Share excitement as your child discovers the world through shapes, colors, sounds and textures. Make fun in learning a priority. Embrace the importance of toddler educational toys in providing a step-by-step success. Remember, the future of your child lies in your hands.

Some Facts About Wooden Toys

Wooden toys are one of the easiest but most neglected sources of entertainment for the kids in modern times. Toys are one of the earliest invented objects by humans. In the initial stage, man started developing things out of stone. But as time progressed, he learnt the art of carving things out of wood, either by the help of stone or metal. This was the beginning of the story of wooden toys.

One of the most popular items among these toys is the wooden building blocks. Building blocks are constructive in nature and they help to instill a positive psychology in the kid's mind. There are other types of toys like puzzles and sorting games. All these help in the overall mental development of the kid, which is surely to help him in the future.

Toy trains made of wood have been a popular attraction among kids for many years. These trains, zooming around in the tracks, give the kid, a sense of thrill and excitement. He gets his initial sense of what speed means and the genes of a racer start developing in his cells.

In the world of today, the majority of the kids are hooked to either plastic toys or video games. It cannot be denied that both of these are very attractive and grab the young's attention in no time at all. But, it is a fact that these things are too much artificial to the core and the kids will miss the essence of nature while spending time with these things. Toys give the sense of nature and shape the child's mind accordingly.

Wooden toys are being made in various countries throughout the world. They provide a unique glimpse in the enchanting world of wooden toys.

One of the most famous types of wooden toys from India is the 'Channapatna Toys'. These toys have a long history, dating back to the reign of Tipu Sultan. One of the evidences of the popularity of these toys is the recognition they have received from World Trade Organization (WTO). Toy trains made of wood were being manufactured in the US in the early part of the 20th century.

One of the well-known companies in the 1930s which were making toy trains was the Skaneateles Handicrafters. In Europe, one of the majors in toy making is HABA. It is a German company, producing some of the best toys for the kids and their products can be found in display in any part of the world. These are some of the best wooden toys for the kid that the world has offered till now. There are many others in other companies making quality wooden materials for the kid.

Fireman Sam toys to buy online - The Kids Will Love 'Em

He is the hero of the fire next door who loves children of all ages. Fireman Sam, and had the gift, a set of toys that are perfect. The range of Fireman Sam toys are very popular with children of all ages across the world - both boys and girls. The range of toys is so great that it is something for everyone, from Fireman Sam action figures, puzzles, bedding, DVDs at a fire station play set complete with motorcycle parts!

L 'popular in the field of action figures are the most famous entertainers. In fact, you are with your children, as is involved in all the adventures of Sam and his trusty fire truck memories Jupiter. Many of the range of action figures are articulated so as to move his arms and legs, so that children relive their favorite moments in the series.

The beauty of the range Fireman Sam Action Figure that not only the figures of fun, butthey can also be used to teach children to consider important lessons on fire safety and will hopefully inspire the younger generation of fire fighting, as a potential career.

Ponty Pandy is a popular venue for all the adventures of Sam and the latest DVD in the village comes to life as it is masterly restored using the latest CGI technology. Most of the shows are old and new on DVD and can be as little as £ 3 costs - there is a real deal and keep the childrenentertained for hours.

There are children as well as bedding for your child to go to sleep at night, knowing that they may have handled the hero next door.

Give your children's toys for emotional development

Experts mentioned physical, motor, cognitive and emotional development as key areas in child development. Of these four, most people actively looking for ways to make their child growing up in the realization of the first to be three. Parents 'main concern is usually the right balance of nutrients and exercise to improve their babies' bodies and to help them navigate the world of the great things that surround them. In a typical toy store, there would be better of hiscolored blocks and puzzles for children, toys that stimulate mental growth. A father would do for his son to be a sports star, a mother would love the idea of ​​their son to a doctor one day.

Although not deliberately overlooked, the last key area is the one that is more easily taken for granted. emotional growth is at least something a child can not learn to be just toys. Even if a child can learn to "love" his toy, a stuffed animalcould not actually go back to hug, the doll can not teach respect for the feelings of other people's parents come to class. toys are tools that could help, but the real intention of.

It 'a fairly common scenario, a mother's stay in the background while their child is involved with the game, while she is busy with other activities. However, they lose not only the development of a bond of love between her and her baby, but it would alsodeprived of the possibility of being socially adequate. Parents could, finally, the first "friends" have a child. Although genetics plays an important role in determining a child's personality and effective interaction would allow him to learn faster and better.

The first years of a child's life is a critical period in which the mind is better prepared to learn the basic skills. This is also the time when a child develops emotional attachment to those around him. These two inConnection provides the perfect stage for learning social and emotional skills. The parents could just as children's toys, dolls, and stuffed animals, but the most important would be loving and responsible to set examples in a consistent manner. Acting in a stimulating and creative, both with characters, dialogue and situations mirroring the real world.

Something as simple as a pair of socks dolls to show the child how to abstract ideas, such as empathy and respect.Even playing with toys like blocks and puzzles, children would be more sure of themselves when given praise for their hard work and achievement. A story from the book is much more interesting to a child if it is read in the voice of his loving father.

It 's a fact that a child who is loved a child who is happy. E 'was also said to be the home of the school building from which a child can learn his first, if not the most important lesson is that it would needhis life. And what lesson is more important than love and respect for other human beings? , The love of the child's parents not only giving your child a toy, but playing with him.

Math Puzzle

Mathematics is a subject that brings a cold sweat for most of the students with them. Mathematics is a subject that every student, no matter how intelligent he or she is afraid. The main reason for this is that unlike other subjects where students have come-up cup of the facts or their creativity to score grades, math is very black and white. You must know the mathematics scores in mathematics.

The practice is also extremely important for students because there is no way to learn, Math.

Many children hate the practiceMathematics, because it connects them with their books and paper. But there is a solution to this problem is easily accessible. A good way to make your child practice math by giving it a mathematical puzzle.

A math puzzle will help your child focus on the issue. There are many puzzles in the market, math skills can help the child to strengthen her. You can purchase a mathematical puzzle from the local phone book or toy store. Many of these puzzles are alsoavailable on the web. You can perform most of them for free, but some can cost a bit '.

Most of the puzzles are computer games, children learn to play on his computer. But there are many real puzzles, math teaching their children. Such a mathematical puzzle, you can interact with your child and help him to learn mathematics with the help of tickets for shows and specially designed games.

But the puzzle is undoubtedly the most popular virtualones. These games attract the majority of children, since, in combination with one of his favorite activity is studying, playing video games. You can use a mathematical puzzle that the child will be subjected in order to convince him to do so addictive. Some puzzles are even cartoon characters. Some are in the form of a struggle or an arcade-style game. These games attract more children.

The best part of learning mathematics with the help of a mathematical problem is that it allows the child an immediate gratitude.While studying mathematics with conventional methods, the child must wait until an exam or a test to get a reward for his hard work. Many children who are weaker, especially in the studies are not able to keep their interest alive for such a long period of time. But give him a mathematical puzzle, or praise immediately. Therefore, the spirit of the child is encouraged and motivated to do well and improve.

But the purchase of a mathematical problem for your child, you must remember one thing. It should not be forcedMathematical puzzles for the child. The point of buying a mathematical puzzle is to teach your child to have fun with the topic. If it is then able to play the puzzle that will start as a burden that would not have liked. Another important point is that you should not expect a miracle overnight. Your child will improve his pace. Do not expect that to become a mathematical genius today.

Mobigo Touch Learning System Review

If you buy a Mobigo Touch Learning System, you could say that an appliance is not enough that your kids and / or daughters, ages 3 to 8, where the best starter for learning. It has come in a compact size and beautiful colors. Is there a screen or monitor for viewing figures and shapes, letters and colors, and know a slide-out keyboard, in which the child learns at a young age QWERTY, though not mastered the alphabet, or the proper way type onKeyboard.

Touch the screen and see a choice of games installed on my computer this nice. You can also download some games from other sources, including the Internet, via the USB cable that came with the package down.

Read some facts of mathematics, music, games and manipulation of objects such as puzzle solving are some key features of the cartridges Mobigo the installed system, you are in.

You can use a blue orChoose the color pink for your Mobigo touch-learning system to choose for your boy or girl. It only takes 4 AA batteries to the computer and a connection for an AC adapter and a headphone jack is also possible to run the equipment package.

Other accessories can be purchased for as Mobigo Touch Learning System with games and game cartridges. Your children will surely love to have their favorite titles in the computer, such as Toy Story 3, Disney Fairies, Ben 10, NASCAR, Shrek 4, Dora l 'Explorer, Super Hero Squad, Mr Men, to name a few.

The most important advantages you gain from the possession of Mobigo touch learning system, the physical characteristics, such as its size, which fit easily into a purse or a diaper bag from mom, so they would not sacrifice molested sunglasses are favorites left at home. And as Dad's iPhone has a touch screen. This has a slide out keyboard like the phone of Big Brother.

Mobigo Touch Learning System has not beendeveloped to study the child to a computer or technology-minded too much pressure. Mind you, what your child deserves to be aware and skilled in computer games that help you to be aware that it is really easy to learn and enjoy working for them. Have fun and learn how Mobigo!

Essential Information About Toys Clearance Sale

We all know that kids are very fond of toys and can play with them all day long. However, the different types of toys your kids like are really expensive and one need to spend a lot of resources if he wants to get the latest toys for his kids. There is a solution to this problem and that is toys clearance sales. You can get a lot of things at a low cost which will definitely make your child happy. You will not have to waste a lot of resources in buying these toys as they are sold at a reasonable cost. Thus, toys clearance sale time is the best to purchase all sorts of playing equipment for your children.

All the local toy stores in the market have these types of clearance sales. If you feel that you do not have the time to check out the toy stores then you can always refer to the internet. Online toy stores also have clearance sales and they sell their products at a low cost. The toy shops sell good quality toys that a good brand. Prices are drastically reduced, almost half the original price. In this way many people can afford expensive products. This play products at bargain prices due to products manufactured or sold in excess of excess inventory of products in the store. The store owners want to delete the rule that all the old stocks, so it can be replaced with the new.

Here you can find all kinds of toys for sale. However,Find the latest models is a bit 'difficult. These toys are usually older versions of the new models. You could make a small difference in features and functionality, and your child will not even notice it had received the previous version of the toy. There are many sections in a toy store and is more likely that the best toys for your child to be confused. The staff at the toy store will help you buy things that will be suitable for the child. Youcan never be classified by age and sex of the child. The shops have everything from plush toys, games, puzzles, cartoons, audio and video CDs and more. So, these are some interesting information about toys clearance sale.

Use puzzles, prepare the child for reading

Do you want to help your child develop those all important pre-reading skills? You can do that by doing jigsaw puzzles together. Puzzles help develop vital thinking processes that need to be developed before reading can take place.

Babies learn to recognize things by their shape. The position of the object is not important. A cup is a cup, whether it is standing upright, lying in it's side or upside down; it is still a cup. A jigsaw puzzle introduces the concept This position is important. recognition capabilities have grown more refined.

There are important learning experiences that can be derived from gambling activities. First, the hand-eye coordination is necessary in order to manipulate the piece into place. To mount the piece is just the observation of the hole shape and the shape of the pieces of the puzzle. At first a small child, the problem faced by trial and error and sometimes force. The guide and the example of a parent beginsto solidify the process. The youngster starts to develop spatial awareness and mental manipulation as well as increasing physical dexterity. Skill and ability develops as the child learns to place the piece in correctly and internalization of the process occurs.

The role of the parent is very important. Talking about the picture and demonstrating the correct method to complete it, will facilitate the child's learning process. This creates a great opportunity to increase your little one's vocabulary, as well as increase the recognition of objects and situations outside the child's immediate world.

Early childhood puzzles can be purchased in varying degrees of difficulty as your youngster's spatial and reasoning skills become more developed. Children learn to recognize color and shape by playing. Adult conversation increases the potential of the young learner's understanding and development. The green shape only fits in the green hole. This type of matching activity develops early reading skills.

When introducing a new puzzle spend time doing it together at first. Make this a happy social time and lots of fun. Do a puzzle long enough to maintain interest and attention, but be ready to move on to another activity as focus begins to wane. Eventually children will want to do puzzles by themselves as their dexterity and confidence increases, With praise and encouragement children will practice until the skills become familiar. Then is the time to introduce puzzles with a greater challenge.

In this technical age do not forget the simple jigsaw puzzle. The benefits and educational value of doing puzzles with your children far out weigh the small amount of time and money a parent invests in this great learning tool.

Children's Books And Educational Toys - Can They Still Be Fun And Have Educational Value

It was no contest. Given a choice between a ball and a book, my son would never have cracked a book binding. Giving him educational toys was a lot like giving him medicine. He didn't want any part of either one. Fortunately, things have changed a great deal in the 20-odd years since he was a youngster. Educational toys, just like children's medicines have come a long way. Children's medicines taste good enough that tiny tykes will resist taking them only a little and learning toys have become a lot more enjoyable. For example, today there is great educational software for the family PC.

Now, that isn't to say that you can walk into a toy department or a top quality toy store such as Toys R Us and randomly start slinging items labeled 'educational toy' in your shopping cart. You must take care when selecting educational toys. Fortunately, the 'educational' aspects of the toy can be kept well hidden behind the fun the child derives.

Toys such as jigsaw puzzles, word games, Disney games, word puzzles and other learning toys are great cognitive educational toys. These toys require that the child use his or her imagination. They develop creativity. They make the child think.

These games and educational toys have another, more important, aspect. They are fun. The child has fun while learning to use his or her imagination and reasoning skills. Children learn through play and these toys are the tools of play. They are the tools of learning.

The key is selecting cognitive development skills and educational toys that are appropriate for the child. For example, teaching a three-year-old to read or do multiplication may seem like a cool idea for your little prodigy, but it is much better to make sure the child is having fun reciting the alphabet and counting numbers with the help of interactive Disney toys, books on tape and other such toys. When the learning play is fun, the child will progress at his or her own pace with only minor supervision from you. Frustrating the child by expecting too much, too quickly will actually retard learning.

Jigsaw puzzles are another example of great educational toys. They teach the cognitive skills of learning the relationship between sizes and shapes. They also teach fine motor skills in putting the pieces of the puzzle together.

The second key is to tie educational toys and learning to the child's current interests. These interests change as the child develops. Learning is much more fun if it is associated with something that has already captured the imagination of the child.

Educational toys do not have to be about thinking and learning. The second category of educational toys is those toys that develop physical skills such as coordination and fine motor skills. Babies begin learning coordination with a rattle. Legos are great toys for teaching the fine motor skills required to assemble the blocks.

It is much easier to encourage most youngsters to play with toys that help teach physical skills because stored energy and growing muscles demand stretching and movement. Given the opportunity, what four-year-old won't ride a tricycle miles and miles around the dining room table or up and down the front sidewalk? While riding the trike, the youngster is developing strength and coordination, both of which are important for future development.

The various ball games that children enjoy are important for the same reason. They help the youngster develop strength, agility, speed and coordination. They also go one step further. Because most ball games are team sports, they teach concentration, teamwork, good sportsmanship and strategy. These are all important cognitive and emotional skills that will be necessary for the child to develop into a well-rounded and productive adult. So, Mom, the next time your youngster picks up a ball and begins playing with it, you might look at it as a valuable educational toy.

One of the most important toys in your child's playroom is you. You need to spend some time, enough time, playing with your child to help supervise play with educational toys. You need to spend enough with your child that you can monitor his or her interests, ensure that the educational toys they are playing with are appropriate and encourage them to have fun with those games.

Educational toys are fun as they teach. They are different than schoolbooks and school assignments. Educational toys do not mean tedium and drudgery. Educational toys are designed to teach or develop the child.

This brings up a final point. Another important benefit of parental supervision is the ability to keep track of those toys and games that do little to help develop either your child's cognitive skills or physical skills. There are some games and toys on the market that are so complete that they do all of the work for the child. The child does not have to be creative or exercise growing muscles or developing coordination. In fact, these games can actually be counterproductive by promoting lethargy and laziness.

Using Toys and Music in Training Sessions

As a trainer it is vital for you to be able to identify which areas of the course will be dry and tedious for the group, so that you can find a creative way to present the information, which will then lead to enhanced learning.

Try creating some fun and laughter. Some trainers dismiss games and activities as time wasters or childish. Yet this is the best way to deliver complex information: far better than having delegates fall asleep through boredom or, worse still, reduced to tears because they feel so overwhelmed by the complexity!

The average adult passive attention span is about 20 minutes. Taking a break every half hour would be disruptive. Instead, use a quick Brainteaser or Energiser, a short trivia quiz, or a course related puzzle.

The time before lunch can be a seriously low energy time for delegates. Avoid videos here as this encourages the delegates to snooze, particularly if the lights are lowered. Keep the energy moving with a very active group exercise after the mid-morning break - skill practice would be good here; put sweets and treats out on tables, plus small 'toys' for them to play with e.g. Lego pieces, koosh balls, puzzles, tactile children's toys.

Put more toys out for the afternoon break. Try yo-yos and Frisbee. Most people can't resist having a go, remembering what it felt like as a child - which helps to utilise right-brain learning during the session.

Use the toys to assist the actual content delivery. A fun quiz can be made more enjoyable by asking learners to use some of the larger toys as part of the quiz.

Music

I'm often asked about the role of music in the training environment. Does it help, is it just gimmick, is one type of music better than another? There has been a lot of research carried out into the effectiveness of music in learning - I do believe music has a role in the training room. It can be used for:

o Prior to Start - makes the training room more inviting for learners to enter, helping break down barriers and fears, as well as setting the tone for the workshop

o Break time - makes the training room 'friendlier' for those learners that stay in the room during that time

o Socialisation - bringing learners together

o State changer - helps manage learner states as specific music can enhance precise states for learning

o Priming - to prepare the learner for the next learning experience

o Movement - to get learners up and moving

o Emotions - to aid bringing emotions into learning

o Calming - to slow and calm the mind and body down

Beware the use of music when learners are trying to concentrate - it can interfere/compete with the attentional system

Also beware of using music for more than 10-15 minutes at any one time - learners will become habitualised to it and it will loose its impact.

The Value Of Jigsaw Puzzles For Very Young Children

Jigsaw puzzles have a lot of educational value for children of all ages. This is because to do a jigsaw requires a child to use several different aspects of the thinking process.

A baby learns to recognize objects by their shape and not necessarily what position the object is in. A chair is a chair whether it is upright, lying down, or upside down-it doesn't matter. The simple puzzles produced for younger children develop more refined and defined skills and recognition.

One of the first things a young child will learn is that it does matter which way up the pieces to fit in the hole. A typical early childhood puzzle is wooden with a picture and has spaces where the pieces fit to complete the picture. With a street scene, for example, there might be a separate car shape, bus shape, and a truck shape that complete a puzzle. These puzzles are typically robust as the first response of a child is to try to force the piece into place taking no notice of its shape. With adult guidance the young child learns to manipulate the piece until it does fit exactly.

There are several learning experiences that can be drawn from these very basic puzzles. Firstly it's the hand eye coordination to manipulate the puzzle piece into position. To get the piece in also involves observation of the shape of the hole and the shape of the puzzle piece. At first the child deals with the problem by trial and error. The example and guidance of an adult begins to solidify the thinking process. The child starts to apply spatial awareness and mental manipulation as well as physical. This comes however, after the child has learned to put the piece in correctly through trial and error and memory.

The role of the adult at this stage is very important. The conversation about the picture, talking and demonstrating the correct method to complete it, accelerates the child's learning process. Puzzles can create a great opportunity for increase in vocabulary, and recognition of objects and situations outside the child's immediate world. The fact that the child learns that the piece only fits one way is in fact a pre reading skill. A letter needs to be the right way up and not backwards or upside down in a word.

These early childhood puzzles can be purchased in varying degrees of difficulty as the child's spatial and reasoning skills become more developed. The child also learns through puzzles the recognition of color and shape with, of course, adult conversation increasing the potential of the child's understanding and development. The green shape only fits in the green hole. This type of matching activity develops early reading skills.

At this stage it is good to introduce a new puzzle and do it with the child at first. Make this a happy social time and lots of fun. Do the puzzles with the child long enough to maintain the child's interest and attention, but be ready to move on to another activity. Eventually when the child's dexterity and confidence has increased, he will want to do it by himself. With praise and encouragement the child will practice until the skills become familiar. Then is the time to introduce puzzles with greater challenge.

Puzzles help develop the reasoning and deduction process of thinking. As well as skills such as spatial awareness, matching and sorting. Above all, jigsaw puzzles present a great opportunity for language development and a happy social interaction with your child.

Discover The Truth About Learning Educational Toys

One would have to assume that developmental or educational toys are based on cognitive development. There is more than one theory of cognitive development, however, Piagets theory seems to be the most accepted. Using this theory, let us take a look at toys that are best suited through the stages of development. Continue reading and discover the truth about learning educational toys.

Even Piaget admitted that each child develops differently and that the theory was flawed based on how smoothly some of the transitions were. Some of the challenges to the theory have been based on the beliefs that a child's economical, family, and social influences all effect cognitive development. Keep all of this in mind when deciding on toys that will best help the development of a particular child.

According to the theory there are four distinct stages of development. The first is the sensorimotor stage; lasting from birth to approximately two years of age. During this stage, the child will learn coordination between hands and eyes, learn the result from a repeated occurrence, plan an activity on their own, try new things, and creativity and insight begin to develop. By the end of this stage the most important goal is for the child to have learned object permanence.

Toys that can be grabbed in the hands and pulled, will be the favorites in the beginning of this stage, while later in the stage puzzles made of large shapes develop the skills and memory games. DVDs available, and these young people, help develop language skills.

The pre-operative, after two starts and ends at about seven. At this stage, develop curiosity and reasoning. At that moment the child begins to recite stories of fantasy and magical worlds of play to develop. You are not to associate in another point of view of the position of people with their own.

The kind of games for this step couldpuppets, dolls, any type of toy that the child can create an adventure with. You may even want to make a trunk of dress up clothes and allow them to act out plays to develop their self esteem. There are a variety of good computer games as well as other games to encourage healthy role play.

The third stage is the concrete operational stage, and last between the ages of seven and eleven. Many important changes take place in this stage of development such as, sorting objects, relationship recognition, classification of sets of objects, problem solving that involves multiple issues, the ability to comprehend that things can be changed and then put back in the same way, and conservation.

Any type of games that promote logic skills at this stage would be excellent toys. Many of the computer games available are specifically designed for this. Word and math puzzles are also great to keep in the car for trips and when you have to wait in waiting rooms.

The formal operational stage is from eleven until adulthood. Abstract thinking begins at this point. They are able to draw their own conclusions from different occurrences and apply information as they have learned it. They can now make a plan to solve a problem, and they are capable of experiencing and understanding love.

There is no shame in the old fashioned board game that encourages family activity. Children that are encouraged to participate in family activities will develop a greater sense of self esteem. Any type of toy that deters a child from isolation is the best kind for this age group. Sports equipment with family involvement, or learning to play chess is an excellent idea.

Dog Puzzles - A Good Gift Idea for Any Dog Lover

Everyone loves dogs, I'm sure you and even your next door neighbor own one, two, or even, more of them at home! Dogs give people the companionship and comfort at any time and give back the love by being good pets and protectors of their owners. Are you looking for the next best gift idea for your friend who loves dogs? There are dog toys and even dog puzzles that make for great gift ideas with different designs and various types to choose from.

Does your friend prefer small corgis? Do golden retriever designs spark more interest? There are toys and puzzles that are sure to make things interesting for dog lovers out there, like elegantly vintage puzzles that have 1,000 or more pieces that are good for a challenge or even wooden or plastic dog shaped puzzles that are good for displays and designs around the house and even in the dog's kennel or bed. There's never a dull moment thanks to those dog puzzles!

If you're looking to find those puzzles and toys you can easily find them in specialty hobby and toy shops, they are also incredibly affordable because they are made from inexpensive materials most especially the puzzles. You can get online too if you're looking for other specifically designed puzzles for dogs with intricate designs like those with grandeur garden landscapes with dogs or even royalty themed puzzle designs of dogs sitting beside people royalty.

Don't just settle for any gift idea for a dog lover, dog puzzles will sure be something worth treasuring!

Top Australian Toys For Kids

Australia seem to be a world away but it doesn't half to be. Australia produces high quality toys young children will love and enjoy, and also might learn something to.

When we think of Australia many of think of their adorable native animal the Koala bear offered by Windmill Toys. These stuffed animals will make great sleeping companions for all young children. They also offer other native animals such as platypus's, kangaroo's, crocodile's and wombat's.

For those who wish to participate in a Australian game they have that covered too. The popular Australia game called The Kookaburra Game consists of 5 different native Australian animals pieces and race through the Australian bush. This game will surely provide a good source of entertainment.

Another Australian born game is Passport To Australia a family fun adventure game and whoever fills their passport base with all 8 State and Territory plaques to form a complete map of Australia. The questions of Passport To Australia refer to geography, history, demographics, and government. The game can be played 1-4 individual players or 1-4 teams.

If those were enough board game for you the Monopoly Australia Here & Now Edition will surely be all the board game your family and friends could handle.

If your child is into puzzles there are numerous Australian theme puzzles such as the Giant Downunder Puzzle (300 pieces), The Great Australian Jigsaw (500 pieces), and Native Australian Animals Plain (17 large wooden pieces ideal for young children). A more challenging puzzle would be the Kangaroo (500 piece) by Artist Robert Campbell. This puzzle would also make a fantastic wall art piece once completed. Jigsaw puzzles not only provide a challenge putting them together but if one choose so they can use them as wall art.

If your child grows weary of 2-D puzzles there are also 3-D puzzles available such as the Rubik 2x2 Australian Animals Cube. These 3-D puzzles are for young children to improve their problem solving abilities. These puzzles have various Australian animals on them.

Just like American Girl Dolls, there are also Australian Girl dolls for your little girls. Each doll have their own traits and personality so your little girl can find one to match. Parents or children might ask, why get a Australian Girl Doll instead of an American Girl Doll? A good way to introduce a young child to another culture or heritage is through toys.

If you liked these toys and would like to see more great toys please go to Great Kid Gifts.

Kids Play Toys

When deciding what toys to get for your child, there are many things that you will need to think about, including their gender, age and abilities. You will also have to think about your budget and getting the most for your money. Kids play toys come in different shapes, sizes and price ranges and it can all be very daunting. You should look at what your child enjoys playing with as this can help to make the decision about what toy play sets they would like.

Your child's age will often determine what you buy them to play with. Even though some children will develop quicker, it is best to look at the recommended age for the kids play toys. You should always try to find toys that are fun to play with but also offer some type of educational benefits as well. You will want the toy play sets to help them develop and progress and there are some toys that are designed with this in mind.

Kids are very curious and love to copy their peers so any toy play sets they can use to copy you are ideal. You may want to look at kitchen sets and tool benches that can help your child to develop certain skills. They will love playing with these toys and can spend hours in pretend play using the skills they are learning to make you fantastic pretend items. Kids play toys you buy will often depend on the space you have in your home. Although you want your children to have a vast range of toys, you can often buy far too much.
\
You should try to watch your child to see what type of toys they are attracted to and then buy the type of toys they enjoy. Some children love puzzles whereas others prefer construction toys. You should try to encourage them to play with different toy play sets, though. If they prefer one type of toy, this is fine and you can help them to develop their skills using this toy. Taking your child to a toy store and letting them look around will often help you to see which toys they prefer.

You should try to buy quality toy play sets as these will last longer and be safer for your children. Cheaper toys tend to break easily and you will need to replace them soon. You should try to buy kids play toys that will help to stretch their abilities and enable them to learn. All children love to learn new things and doing this through toys is an ideal way. Your child will be learning how to count, play, develop social skills and share without even knowing it.

Choosing bright colorful toy play sets is essential to keep your child interested in the toys. Once they have outgrown them, you can keep them for siblings. If you are going out to buy toy play sets, remember to set a budget as you may want to spoil your child. But they won't mind as long as they get toys.

Top Ten Reasons to Buy Wooden Puzzles

Dear readers,

This article is dedicated to my top ten reasons as to why you should buy a wooden puzzle instead of another type of toy. This top ten is for the parents out there who are looking for suitable gifts for their kids or great brain teasers for their colleagues and friends. It is also for anyone who is trying to make a decision on what to buy for themselves or for others. So, without further adieu:

10. By using a wooden toy, you are helping to reduce the nation's dependence on oil. Plastic comes from oil so instead of having to have millions of plastic toys, buy a wooden toy and we can begin to move away from being an oil dependent nation.

9. Wood is a renewable resource! Unlike fossil fuels (where plastic comes from), wood can always be renewed. Wood toy companies make it their top priority to replenish the sources they use, because they realize that these trees belong to the Earth more than anyone else. When you use a plastic toy, the The earth is that fossil fuels are robbed. But with the wood, future generations of trees have to love.

Eight wooden puzzles for children to get excited about mathematics, for example, on the subject. No child wants to memorize tables for math, or trying to read books full of complicated theory to understand a sit behind algebra. The children want to play! Kids want to have fun! mathematics wooden puzzle makes math fun! What better friend could ask parents and teachers? One instrument, the baby laughand laugh while learning math.

7. Wooden brain teasers make buying gifts easier than ever. Who here hasn't stressed about their annual Secret Santa? There is only one criteria when determining if someone will enjoy a brain teaser and that is if they have a brain! Anyone with a brain, big or small, would love a brain teaser. So instead of buying spy kits to try and figure out what your person may like, just get them an awesome puzzle! That way you can spend more time on making money for your company instead of looking for gifts for your colleagues.

6. By having your children play wooden games, your children wont be watching violent action games and getting the impression that they can jump out of a moving train at 100 mph, dodge hundreds of bullets, and crash three stories without a broken bone.

5. Grandma and Grandpa will remember you longer. Brain games have been proven to help fight off deadly diseases like Alzheimer's. Brain puzzles are like little brain gyms which put grandma's neurons on treadmills.

4. Wooden puzzles are saving families! Instead of dad on the TV in the living room, mom on the phone in the kitchen, son is killing ninjas on his video game console, and daughter is instant messaging in her bedroom, now everyone is together and laughing and interacting through family puzzles. Wooden family game puzzles are great at taking the disassembled family and stringing them back as one unit!

3. Wooden puzzles, especially brain teasers, are great at making the mind sharp. Just like granny needs a brain gym, so does everyone else. Wooden brain games, teaches important skills such as problem solving, logic, and hand and eye coordination. It also teaches visual and memorization skills for important trial and error strategies.

2. Wooden games promotes confidence. Anyone can mash buttons on a video game but completing a tricky game or a neuron bending brain teaser is a real feat. We want to see happy confident children, adults, and seniors. The feel good feeling of completing a wooden puzzle cannot be replicated with a video game or a text message. Everyone should be able to feel great from completing a tricky brain teaser.

1. Finally, and this is the most important, wooden puzzles are fun. Believe it or not, but in the 21st century, a wooden game can be super fun. Wooden puzzles does not have to be reserved for the 18th century. In fact wooden games can be much more fun than modern technology. Whether its playing a wooden puzzle before bed or at your desk instead of working, wooden puzzles are super fun. They are challenging and rewarding. If there is one thing wood companies work on, its the fun factor. At the very least, give it a try. If not you can always go back permanently to the video games and TV. But I say give it a real try. For all you know your a genius when it comes to wooden puzzles and brain Games.

How to play the best place for your parrot or a bird of large size

Play time for your pet bird is like going to the best party of the year! They get excited as you open the door to their cage and sweetly speak to them with an eager tone in your voice. They feel the freedom and joy that can only be found on an entertaining playstand that has lots of fun things to do! Large bird stands and Manzanita playstands are just 2 of the many kinds of play areas you can purchase for your pet bird. They need stimulation and exercise on a daily basis; and some fun isn't a bad thing either! Knowing what birds like best can help you choose the best type of play stand for your bird, so take a look at these tips and you'll know right away which one is best for your feathered friend!

o Bring nature into your home's habitat. Your bird craves the outdoors and the feeling of branches in its feet. With Manzanita playstands, your bird will feel like it's escaped into the wild! The branches are curved and have lots of texture, which promoted their natural desire to walk, climb, and grasp. This is also great exercise for their entire bodies, most especially their feet and legs. Balance is also challenged on these types of playstands because they have both vertical and horizontal planes that allow your bird to climb across as well as up and down the branches. You can even find tree-like branches as tall as 4 feet to satisfy every bird!

o Manzanita playstands are great by themselves, but adding challenging puzzles, toys, and accessories to your bird's cage and play area will give it something fun to do and chase away boredom. Puzzles are brightly colored and are designed to make your bird work to open, slide, or detach something; this is great fun for them! There are also treat hiders, which are great because they can figure out how to get to something they love (like a grape or seed treat from the pet store) and they feel a real sense of accomplishment when they get to it.

o Look for large bird is, if you have a large parrots, cockatoos, macaws, or, for example. The largest amusement park to give your bird much needed room to move and exert a large scale. Many times, this bird is large with huge rings are bigger than the birds and the love of many levels of vertical climbing fun. You can also play at various levels are made for birds to small and medium-sized enterprises, so if you have a smaller bird, you can find a large play area for them!

o Make sure to buy somethingrolls on casters or wheels so you can move the play stand around from time to time. This is important to give your bird a change of scenery and keep them feeling like they've got somewhere new to explore. Many bird owners prefer a play area that has a tray at the bottom to catch bird droppings and food particles; look for this as well.

No matter what the size of your bird, a playstand makes for a great place for them to socialize, move around, and have fun every day. For them, it's like getting to go to "the party event of the year" every day!

Discovery Toys Review

Discovery Toys is a 30 year old direct sales company specializing in educational toys. It functions with the typical direct sales model using party plan marketing, offering incentive trips and the earning of free merchandise to their employees. The company makes toys for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary age kids; and specializes in toys such as: puzzles, marble games, books, blocks, etc.

You can shop and order Discovery Toys online, or have one the Educational Consultants bring products directly to your home. Also, people can get involved with the Hosting Program where they invite their friends to meet a consultant; the hostess of the event will then recieve dicounts and other benefits. Consultants also use Hosting Parties to reqruit potential future sales representatives. Consultants receive commission from representatives under them. This is the premier wayof making the most money with Discovery Toys.

People wanting to get involved with Discovery toys must purchase a Starter Kit. Each starter kit retails for about $125. The starter kit will include the following:
1. Samples of 17 of our best-selling learning toys across all age groups.
2. Business tools and supplies to start your business.
3. FREE personal website for 3 full months.

In conclusion Discovery Toys is a good company that can be trusted. The business opportunity within this company is similar to that of any multi level marketing company today. To create success within the multi level marketing industry you will need to recruit friends and family, attend and promote hotel meetings, attend and promote product parties, attend and promote home presentations and attend company sponsored seminars. Although Discovery Toys provides good services and products, the actual reality of a normal person making any sort of profit is very small and would be very difficult. It would take hundreds of people, a lot of time, and the proper skill and knowledge to achieve your financial goals.

Wooden Educational Toys

It is advisable for parents to sometimes break the monotony of purchasing plastic and electronic toys for their children. Wooden toys are an excellent alternative to the usual modern toys. Wooden toys are a unique selection of toys that have gained immense popularity. The companies that manufacture wooden, educational toys offer high-quality wooden toys. Wooden educational toys are preferred by parents all over the world, because they are environmental friendly and do not have sharp edges that can harm children. They are also highly durable and are a wise investment for learning, enjoying and giving as gifts to friends and relatives.

Wooden puzzles are great for teaching children problem-solving skills and hand-eye coordination. An elegant wooden educational toy like a bead sequencing set, introduces children to complex spatial processing. This toy teaches hand to eye coordination, matching and Color Sorting and advanced reasoning skills. Wooden Toys in the forms of riddles and puzzles that tease the intellect are very popular toys for children. They entertain children and help them think laterally to develop their skills.

Puzzle, puzzle, shapes, with different images and various forms are few buildings abundant educational wooden toys. This wooden toy, because of its colorful look and soundstructure, make great companions for infants.

There are wooden educational toys for all ages. Baby toys like wooden alphabet and alphanumeric blocks are soft and colorful. They are crafted for safety and durability, and are designed to stir a child's senses and curiosity. Other wooden toys for children include different kinds of animals, sorter pounding toys, vehicles and action toys. Most toy manufacturing companies have their own websites and offer a facility to order online. These sites display pictures and prices of the entire range of toys available.

Shopping for Educational Toys

Any kind of store provides the platform to choose and buy the various necessary objects required for different purposes. Educational toys are no exception to that. They provide the parents an opportunity, to choose and give their kids the best toy suited to meet their child's playing, and learning needs.

Parents can choose the appropriate toy for their children from the large number of toy stores spread all over the country. Most of these stores have a tie up with the various toy manufacturing companies, and suppliers who provide the latest and most popular toys to their store. However, some of them may serve as the retail outlet of their own production house.

Most of these stores offer a number of departments to choose a toy from. Toys are usually sorted according to age groups, the type of the toy (such as construction toys, puzzles, dolls, or arts and crafts). Most of them have different section for boys and girls, to classify the toys according to gender specification. In case parents prefer any particular brand of toys, some stores sort the toys according to the brand and company name. Good store organization makes shopping easier and more comfortable for the customers.

Toys can be ordered directly online, through the Web sites of these stores, or by visiting their retail store locations. The payment and the delivery policies may vary from one store to another, depending on their terms and conditions. Prices may vary according to the brand, the age group it is made for, the materials used, and the different functionalities of the toy. However, parents are advised to compare, and check the different toys offered, by the various stores before buying the toy that would suit their child perfectly.

How children learn through play Puzzle Wood

Preparing your child for school is an important step in their lives. However, there are many ways to give them an advantage wooden puzzle of learning. Children can learn a lot from wooden puzzles and other problem-solving. Not only can direct knowledge, but may encourage them to learn by themselves.

After the desire for independent learning is one of the most powerful benefits that the child might have. To promote thisYou should give them puzzles at an early age. Even if the child still in primary school, they can still challenge. The level of the puzzle should, however progressive they are to be determined.

The level of support your child has nothing to do with their age. Some children are simply more likely to solve the problems of others. You should never do is force your child to work on something. Rather than ordering them around to meet your needs, you shouldencourage them in different ways, more successful.

The way to do it with wooden puzzle is to arouse their curiosity, which renders them alone to solve the problem as a mystery. Puzzle games could literal word games, form, o. Many children who are members in good thinking and problem solving can be attributed to put together a puzzle with his family. Finally, as they become more members of the family's role is more of a carefulone, and less of a participant.

Children of outdoor games and learn from these puzzles is huge. What is not as active learning, some adults may be the basis for a life of discovery seem. If children are allowed to solve their own puzzle wood, tend to develop the ability to think box, the outside. They also tend to see the picture more clearly than other children.

Although many parents take this as a sign that they needtheir children to push as hard as possible. This is not the case, since children often stopped when cranked. You have to leave to develop their learning potential at their own pace. The best way to encourage your child to give them more information on a theme, do as they grow. You can also play games to help them learn the words and animal names.

Of course, if the child is in elementary school you want something a bit 'moreadvanced than this. Children of all ages generally enjoy mathematical puzzles, learning to help them, because to have fun. learn the trick to get them, you think the game is fun, so they do not realize they are learning. Of course, with interesting pictures on the sheet problem or a puzzle never hurts. So if your child learn to promote, it is important to give them as many puzzle games and educational institutions as they wish. If you wish, you can just do not even know thatLearning. Of course, if they are older, which will not do as they do this trick, but it can help younger children. Remember not to push and go on their pace, not yours.

Your cat may be more than toys for the need for stimulation

Cats, like people need stimulation - both physically and mentally. They love challenges, puzzles and problems to solve. Without stimulation, they become lethargic and bored. Without him, they are more likely to eat and to demonstrate chronic bad behavior, as always licking their fur. Bob Walker and his wife, Frances Mooney have developed their house to a level that ensures that their cats stimulated royalty. His house, now the famous "Cat's House" in San Diego,nothing but a fantastic kitty box.

Walker and Mooney have fixed bridges, large geometric shapes, ramps, stairs, run a column sisal floor to ceiling, and to study many openings for cats and the cats hide in this way to be active, play with others or alone if they so choose. It also keeps the cats feet and threatened all the time.

People Magazine has this house "the world's largest jungle gym for cats." While you can not decidecompletely renovate your home with activities of cat eyes, you might want to consider what cats like to get more interesting. They love to climb. They can increase the seats which will be removed by others and feel less vulnerable.

There are simple steps you can take at home to increase your cat's activities and entertainment. When you create many objects to climb higher and some perch or hide, is not realistic for the home, consider how you might create someSimulation of these. If you have a large piece of furniture where your cat can be allowed to perch, you could end up on a chair or table could use it as a springboard to embark on his chest. The same applies to the shelf space in a library, a stable ladder or on the refrigerator. Cats can climb trees, hide, and add the cat sensing his domain from a height on the possibilities of stimulation.

Of course, you also need to have some programActivities for your cat. For example, I had a cat, Lhotse, starting to play ball with a plastic lover. He would jump and hook it into the air with one leg and then place it on the floor. With a little encouragement, they have since learned, is to get back to me for a running game to catch. Another cat is a fan folded piece of paper I to a long piece of rope I pulled behind me, bound as I ran from room to room he was hunting. If you have a ceiling fan in one room, you can add along cable with an object slightly weighted in order to end a knife and slowly.

Places and objects to climb the cat to jump, stretch their legs, and hide exploit their "inner Tiger" designed to participate in the activities in which they would in nature. Whatever you want the content to stimulate the cat, next only to provide toys for you will strengthen your bond with your cat and help them psychologically. Of course, if you feel happy and construction of a suspensionFootbridge is to thank you for your cat.

wooden toys Imagiplay

ImagiPLAY Toys

Buying "green" products made from environmentally-sustainable, renewable resources has gotten easier and easier, thanks to a growing demand for these items and the availability of online shopping. Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could find toys that are made with "green" methods and are produced by fairly paid manufacturers? Thanks to ImagiPLAY Toys with Integrity, you can find a wide selection of toys you can feel good about buying for your child or giving as gifts.

The Company

The founder and president of ImagiPLAY, Barbera Aimes, studied language and music across the Unites States and In Japan before settling in Boulder, Colorado to establish her business. Barbera believes in the value of play and in creating positive change. Her goal is to "help children appreciate our world. " ImagiPLAY toys make available safe, earth-friendly toys that teach children the alphabet, counting, and eye-hand coordination, all while fostering imaginative play and teaching about the diverse animal species our world contains.

How the Products are Made

ImagiPLAY's toys are all made from environmentally-friendly products. You won't find plastics and other synthetics among their products, so you don't have to worry about lead and other toxins. ImagiPLAY uses primarily plantain-grown rubberwood from rubber trees grown in managed forests. This wood is not only beautiful, it is durable and splinter-free, and allows for the trees to have a "second life" after their sap-producing years are over.

Not only are the products made from earth-friendly products, but they are manufactured in a way that respects their makers: because the factories where these toys are produced are close to the places where the workers live, those who make these toys can maintain a healthy life/work balance.

So, not only can you rest assured that they products you buy are helping to sustain our earth, you can know that they are produced in a way that fairly treats the company's workers.

The Products

You'll find toys for toys for babies and toddlers, and beautifully crafted animal figures for older children available through ImagiPLAY. Their baby rattles are crafted from smooth, beautiful, managed forest beechwood, and polished with beeswax. Toddler push toys in a variety of shapes, from hybrid cars to ducks, are made of rubberwood so they are safe for your child and your floors.

Puzzles, blocks, and bead mazes, all made from earth-friendly wood, will entertain your toddler for hours. Check out the veggie cutting set, which allows toddlers to "cut" vegetables made from colorful wood and to reassemble new vegetable creations with Velcro.

ImagiPLAY's puzzle playsets are puzzles and figures in one. After your child takes apart the three-dimensional pieces of the rainforest puzzle, he will want to play endless imaginative games with the figures, learning about different species as he manipulates the colorful, easy to hold pieces.

Colorific Earth Puzzles and Natural Dream Puzzles are interlocking, three dimensional, wooden puzzles that will spark your child's interest in the animals they represent as well as teach him hand-eye coordination. Wooden playsets such as A Day in the Kingdom or a Day on the Farm feature characters and sets to foster imaginative play, all made from easy-to-hold, durable wood.

Room décor items are also available, featuring giraffe bookends and wild animal coat hooks. Collectible animal pairs feature zebras, wolves, lions, and other sets of wild animals in both natural wood and painted wood. These animals will be sure to spark some imaginative play and to encourage your child to learn more about the animals these toys inspired.

Toys For Tots

Christmas, birthdays or other special events are a real treasure especially when you have tots in the house. For them every toy is a treasure to hold, they get thrills from quiet toys or noisy toys. Most of all a lot of toys meant for the very little ones are colorful and grab their attention unlike anything else out there. Here are some of the top toys for tots for this season. You will find something for every child.

Here are 5 top toys for children aged birth to 24 months that are sure to delight.

LeapFrog Spin and Sing Alphabet Zoo - Ideal for children 6 to 36 months of age. Children will discover the alphabet from Alligator to Zebra. LeapFrog does an excellent job of introducing letters A-Z and animal names and sounds. The playful musical responses that are rewarded at each touch will keep young children entertained.
IQ Baby Knock-Knock Blocks - Blocks are always a sure win with most kids, especially when they are soft and can be squished, bitten or thrown. These colorful blocks, covered in satin are great for children 1-2 years old and come 16 to a set. Ranked #7 and #10 in Amazon categories Toddler Toys and Baby & Toddler Toys these blocks teach young children cause and effect.
Melissa & Doug Deluxe Wooden Barnyard Animals Jumbo Knob Puzzle - Today when electronic toys reign supreme, most parents opt for whatever toy will give their kids the edge when it comes to education and learning, but what about plain fun and the thrill of simplicity? That where this great toy comes in, rated #12 in Pegged Puzzles this back-to-basic barnyard puzzle features smiling animals, and is made of wood and lets those one and older just have a little fun.
Melissa & Doug Stop Sign (Vehicles) Jumbo Puzzle - Like their companion puzzle, Barnyard Animals, this wooden toy aimed at children over 1 presents three extra-large vehicles on a stop sign. Extra-large knobs allow smaller hands to handle the puzzle pieces easily. Great puzzle to help develop matching skills.
Power Wheels Little People Tot Rod - How many kids don't like cars? This 6-volt, 4 amp battery powered car will let kids cruise up to 2 mph forward and like their adult counterparts comes with a 1 year limited bumper-to-bumper warranty. It also has safety features like parent assist to ensure that the little ones don't get themselves into any trouble.

There are many types of toys available for toddlers, from the basic "let's have fun" to others that mix fun and education that teach children cause and effect, and matching. Many toys are bright and colorful, so they will keep kids attracted and entertained for hours.

Melissa & Doug Wooden Puzzles Help Toddler Development

Wooden puzzles encourage many types of physical and emotional development among toddlers, while at the same time providing durable, low-cost toys for toddlers. Non-toxic puzzles with smooth-edged pieces are safe for toddlers, as well as easy for them to pick up and move around.

With today's global economy, there are a slew of wooden puzzles to choose from. Costs are relatively low thanks to slave labor wages paid to oppressed workers in China and other communist economies. Popular brands include Melissa & Doug, Ravensburger, and Parker Brothers.

Wooden puzzles can help toddlers develop their physical motor skills and their hand-eye coordination. Because a puzzle requires the child to manipulate several relatively small objects, this will develop their physical skills. They will learn to visually match the puzzle piece with its corresponding space on the puzzle board, and then will learn to physically manipulate and fit the piece in this room. Also on colors and shapes on the card to find the colors and shapes of their pieces of the puzzle that will engage different brain areas of the child are the same.

Puzzle can improve a child's cognitive ability, including their ability to problem-solving and reasoning. Each piece of the puzzle fits into an exact location, and the child may have to rotate the puzzle piece or flip around. A child is frustrated as they struggle to make the gamefit. However, with continued puzzle play, the toddler's problem-solving skills will improve with repeated successes at solving their problem (making the puzzle piece fit).

Problem-solving requires persistence and steadfastness to stay with the task until it is solved. It requires breaking the problem down into smaller steps, then solving each step one at a time, while maintaining a focus on completing the overall objective. Each of these problem-solving skills is required by

The top 10 most popular games for boys in 2010

Buying toys for boys can be really hit or miss for some people. Those that don't do their homework before they hit the stores are going to find it more difficult to actually pick a toy to buy. The good news is that boys are relatively easy to buy for if you know what you're doing. By using our list of popular toys for boys in 2010, you should get some great ideas on what to get all the boys on your Christmas 2010 shopping list.

The Top 10 Most Popular Toys For Boys in 2010

The following are some ideas on what the most popular toys for boys are going to be in 2010.

The Nerf N-Strike Stampede ECS is really hot this year so far. This may change in the next few months, but for now, the Nerf N-Strike Stampede ECS is on the top of a lot of wish lists.
The The World Smallest Palm Size Micro Alloy Shark Helicopter is small in size, but big in fun, which is why it's so popular for boys of all ages in 2010.
For younger boys who love Batman, the Fisher-Price Super Friends Batcave is a great play set.
For older boys, the LEGO Minotaurus Game is a lot of fun and selling like hotcakes right now. It's a LEGO board game that your kids can create.
When it comes to Toy Story 3 toys, the Toy Story Talking Buzz Lightyear is big again this year. Make sure you get enough batteries - unless you want it to stop talking eventually!
For outdoor riding toys, the John Deere Gator HPX Ride-On is very popular with boys in 2010.
Tween and teen boys go gaga over the EyeClops Night Vision Goggles Stealth V2.
Younger students who do not like big enough for a Wii, the system of Fisher Price Smart Fit. Are you a TV to plug in, if necessary, but this should not be a problem.
A lot are very popular LEGO sets in 2010, but many guys like building LEGO Hogwarts.
As high-tech electronic toys, Family Flex is the game sold quickly. It couldwant to pick this one up when you see it.

There are many other popular toys for boys in 2010, but this list should give you some great ideas on what to get all the boys in your life. Christmas 2010 is right around the corner, but if you start now you should get all of your shopping done before the big rush. Just remember to get extra batteries!

Some Benefits of Wooden Toys - Durable, Develop Imaginations, and Educational

Wooden toys offer some advantages that may not at first be obvious. It is true that a wooden toy cannot make a noise. It cannot move by itself. It does not have a remote control. It uses no batteries. It cannot do all the wonderful things that electronic toys do.

However, rather than being a drawback these things are actually beneficial. Not that there isn't a place for those types of toys but rather that the wooden toy is a valuable addition to the toy collection of any child.

* Durability

Wooden toys are usually strong. They do not break easily. Because of their strength they can stand a lot more weight and pressure than other toys. This lends them to being played with in more ways than most adults would think of when deciding which toy to get for their child.

* Imagination

Wooden toys allow the imagination a huge scope. Because the toy does not have any resemblance to the television programs that the children have watched their imagination has a chance to be unleashed. The number of different ways to play with the toy is only restricted to how well the child can use their imagination. The more a child exercises their imagination the stronger it becomes.

There are many advantages for a child in having a strong imagination. It is a vehicle which allows one to entertain oneself at any time and in any place. Most people would agree that that is very useful, not just in childhood but throughout life. Children also use imagination to explore their world, feelings and problems. It allows them to integrate their feelings, dreams and actions. In short it is a valuable vehicle to them becoming well adjusted members of society.

* Educational

The actual toy determines which educational factors can be developed. All wooden toys will have some educational or developmental benefit.

For example wooden puzzles can help to develop hand eye co ordination and problem solving. Of course puzzles made out of other materials offer the same advantages. Wooden puzzles, being stronger and more durable may perhaps offer them for longer.

Bead sequencing sets or other sorting games can offer hand eye co ordination and reasoning skills.

Anything that stimulates the process of discovery and learning will enhance the educational and developmental process of children. Wooden toys of all sorts can fit into this Category.

Versatile wooden toys are suitable for the new children's play every time with them when they play with them. For this reason, children often play again with this toy. This makes wooden toys include a wide range of life for every child.

The Benefits of Toddler Toys For Parents and Their Children

In today's market, there are many educational toddler toys available that will help children develop their skills at an early age. Colorful puzzles, creative play objects or toys featuring the alphabet or numbers are very beneficial to children because they bring enjoyment and facilitate learning at the same time. For parents, taking time to consider the educational benefits of a play object could go a long way for their toddler.

Using even the simplest objects, parents can present their toddlers with exciting opportunities for learning new things. It has actually been proven that toddlers who are exposed to educational toys are better prepared for kindergarten and eventually attain a higher success rate throughout their school years.

A number of toys have also gone digital. There are different varieties of video games and computer games for toddlers that not only provide visual entertainment, but serve to enhance their learning skills and provide educational benefits.

Aside from promoting learning, toys for toddlers could also facilitate more bonding moments between parents and their children. As parents guide their toddlers when they play with traditional toys or digital ones, the time they spend together enhances their closeness, and lets them learn more about each other.

It is always important to consider the early development of a child. Simple things such as toddler toys could help them become smart, intellectual human beings in the future. Taking advantage of the benefits of such simple objects can bring advantages not only for the child, but for the parents as well.

Advantages of Educational Toddler Toys

A newborn offspring wants to explore the world from the very beginning of his life. Toddler's exploration gives him or her a great range of knowledge and knowledge paves the way for language. For a smart growth of a toddler, toys have a great impact. Some toys allow to make physical activity in a tender age and this activities lead a child's physical growth. So, when a parents are going to buy toys for the child its equally important to buy educational toddler

Pre-trip checklist

Need a checklist of pre-trip?

Here are my suggestions to get started ...

One month before:

If you do not already have one, enter an e-mail to stay in touch. To keep in touch throughout the world, I use a Yahoo email address. Since Yahoo is accessible from any computer in the world, so is my e-mail. If you set up a new account, use only letters and numbers in your ID and password. Make your own list of contacts. There have been times when I had trouble findingForeign symbols on keyboards, including the @ symbol.

I scan my important documents and e-mail to my Yahoo address. If I need a copy, I can access my account via e-mail

Verifying ATM card uses a 4-digit PIN. And you know your PIN by the numbers not letters. Most international ATM machines only have numbers on them.

Call your bank and credit card companies and let them know that you're gone and where. Carry more than a credit card in case of emergency.

For aPurse, wallet I use Magellan's Secret Deluxe Waist. I find it very convenient and easily accessible.

Make sure that the state of your luggage and replace if necessary. They differ in some way: neon luggage straps yarn bow on the handles, colored tape on the sides,

Make copies of your itinerary in your suitcase.

Learn how to make calls abroad from the country you are visiting. If you want to take your phone, your phone callProvider of information.

If you have a pet, do pet sitting areas.

Confirm all your reservations. If this is a journey by car, take your car in an investigation.

Check your wardrobe. You have the right clothes for your trip? Otherwise, go shopping

One week before:

Put your newspaper on the party to stop.

Keep your e-mail or for someone to take it.

Prepare emergency contact information to leave with friends and neighbors.

CheckYour medications. Do you have enough for your trip and possible delays in emergency?

By public transportation? Plan your trip airport / train station / port / etc

Gather all the documents in one place. Put copies in a different place.

Get your camera and accessories ready. Enter your camera's manual and extra batteries for the charger. Read the fine print on the back of the charger.
Most of the taxes now working with two streams and that's itshould lead socket adapter.

Two days ahead:

Put your lights on timers.

Imagine too busy "kit" for you and all who are traveling with books, puzzles, toys, etc.

Watch the weather at your destination to make sure you wear the right clothes.

Eating out or perishable items, that are in your refrigerator.

The bag should drive with drugs and all that are not easily interchangeable with your packedDestination.

Make money for your trip. For travel within the country, travelers checks are fine, but at international level can be very difficult to convert. The ATM is usually the best way to get local currency

One day before:

Take your pet to the kennel, or if the stay at home to confirm arrangements with the Pet Sitter.

Water your plants.

Customize the A / C or heat according to

When traveling domestically, you can print your boarding pass.

Contain someSnacks in your carryon, especially when traveling in the U.S. where the airlines do not feed us anymore.

Set the alarm and sleep well at night.

Review Melissa and Doug Toys

Melissa and Doug Toys have been in business for the past twenty years. Their line of wooden toys has been expanding every year until they are one of the top makers of wooden puzzles. ALL of their toys either meet or exceed the US governments standards for safety in toys.

I love these toys! Many of them bring me back to my own childhood and that of my children. The wooden puzzles are fantastic. Besides the usual ABC and 124, wooden puzzles, they offer animals, cars, trucks, and shape puzzles. Many of the wooden puzzles have sounds to help your children learn their shapes, numbers or alphabet.

The shape sorter selection is great. Solid wooden boxes with cutouts for standard shapes and even one for the shapes of animals, will delight your younger children. They also offer the cutest assortment of push clacker" toys I've ever seen on one place. There is a duck clacker, an elephant clacker even an alligator!

If your children are budding artists, they will love the assortment of arts and crafts available. A particular favorite of mine is the wooden treasure chest that your child can decorate themselves. Everything needed to make an imaginative and original item is included. Their easels are solid and sturdy and either come alone or with paint, chalk and crayon accessories.

Dollhouses?? Oh yes! beautiful wooden dollhouses, some furnished and if they aren't, their are room packages available. Wonderfully detailed and not just doll houses! There is a barn and a stable for all the horse lovers; a castle for your knight in shining armor or your little princess.

Doll furniture like cribs, beds and even a high chair are made to take years of loving abuse!
A particular favorite of mine is the Tree House. It has a pulley systems, working trap door, porch swing, hammock and retractable stairs. It's about 20" high and is sure to please even the most discerning youngster.

Plush Animals are a favorite of the younger children and Melissa and Doug Toys have not left them out. There are wonderful white tigers, bears, dogs of all breeds and even a huge giraffe. These plush animals will delight your toddlers and offer that extra ounce of comfort when needed.

How Can You Use Learning Toys To Teach A Two Year Old?

If you are the parent of a two year old, you have probably already encountered some of the problems that parents face with teaching a curious and active child. Since two year old children are already learning their physical skill capabilities, it might be time to find ways to encourage better hand-eye coordination, along with developing their mental skills. Learning toys for toddlers can add a new dimension to their playtime because there are educational toys that are perfectly suited to stimulate their mental creativity.

Simple crafts and artwork are things that two-year olds love to do, but toys like puzzles and building blocks can help them express their creativity and learn at the same time. Finding the perfect learning toys for two year olds might seem difficult at first, but most of the major toy manufacturers have done research on those that are most effective. Through time-proven research, they have developed playthings that provide interactive education, while providing hours of fun for your toddlers.

Activity sets and educational games can be colorful, educational and provide simple fun for two-year old children. Bath toys like fishing games, preschool laptop toys and even beach play sets are learning toys that allow a toddler the opportunity to use a variety of skills in various settings. Ride-on toys, push toys and easy wooden puzzles, wooden maze toys or activity tool sets can help toddlers learn different activities that keep their minds and hands occupied. Having fun with entertaining learning toys can make teaching your child an effortless task, while keeping them from becoming bored.

There are many different learning toys to consider for this age group, but there are some children that might be more advanced physically or mentally, than others. As a parent, you just need to consider some of the age-specific toys for toddlers and you are sure to find the ones your child will enjoy playing with and learning with. The best way for parents to learn about the perfect educational playthings can be from other parents. Two year olds can be challenging, but teaching your child can be simple, when you take advantage of educational toys and games that are specifically designed for them.