| If you are keen to help your child develop emotionally, | | | | consoles which either link to a TV, or link to a |
| socially and mentally so that they become a person | | | | computer (and thus sometimes to the internet). |
| who will want to keep learning well into their adulthood; | | | | The two manufactures who are doing most to |
| then read on and learn about some of the Electronic | | | | develop these type of games are LeapFrog and |
| Learning Toys available and their benefits. | | | | VTech. Both of them have produced games which |
| Toys are, and should continue to be, a major part of | | | | are well structured to help children improve various |
| any child's experience. Toys provide experiences | | | | skills, such as languages, reading, mathematics, musical |
| which help the cognitive and emotional development of | | | | and science. A lot of thought has been put into making |
| children. For most children learning to play comes | | | | the games both fun and educational. |
| naturally, whether it be with toys, or interacting with | | | | The VTech learning system, which has a minimum |
| other children and, to a certain extent, adults. However | | | | suggested age of 3 years, uses cool graphics and |
| what is fundamental, I believe, is that children should be | | | | popular characters to create situations which |
| provided with plenty of learning toys during their early | | | | encourage the children to participate and, by solving |
| years, because this will help develop their learning | | | | problems for the characters, learn about English, maths, |
| abilities and contribute to later learning. | | | | art, science, geography and history. The 'action' can be |
| Notice that I have said 'learning toys', not just 'toys'. I | | | | watched on the TV screen and the controls are an |
| am suggesting that there are toys which we ought to | | | | easy-to-use joystick and chunky buttons. When you |
| classify as learning toys mainly because some thought | | | | first buy the console it comes with one, or two, game |
| has been put into their creation. To a certain extent all | | | | cartridges; but there are many others available to |
| toys have an educational value, but some are better | | | | purchase. |
| than others and thus can be classed as learning toys. | | | | The LeapFrog games are designed to link to a |
| Now it is important that we are not just giving a | | | | computer and thus, in some cases, allow the use of |
| learning toy to a child without any interaction from | | | | extra material by going online. The other advantage of |
| ourselves. We should be directing the child to a certain | | | | the LeapFrog games system is the possibility of |
| extent so that they are gaining as much out of the | | | | parents using the computer to oversee their child's |
| experience as possible. I am not suggesting that we | | | | progress. LeapFrog systems are also designed so that |
| direct too much, but lack of any interaction at all is not | | | | they adapt automatically to go at the child's pace. |
| helpful. I don't think adults should be happy if their child is | | | | Children can use the learning system 'on the go' and |
| engrossed and not therefore bothering the adult's busy | | | | then link up to the computer later to collect rewards, or |
| life. We must get involved as much as possible, but not | | | | to upload any art work that they have created in |
| to completely control of course. | | | | certain games. |
| In recent years certain toys have been developed | | | | For older children there are some excellent science |
| which are helpful to parents in providing children with | | | | toys available. One example is the Electronic |
| toys and games which are fun, but designed in such a | | | | Construction Kits, where components which are easy |
| way that they are naturally educational. They still need | | | | to snap together allow children to put circuits together |
| the initial parental input, but provide an ongoing structure | | | | and thus learn about difficult electronic concepts. There |
| which leads children to learn whilst having fun. These | | | | is a company in the UK which specialise in educational |
| are the Electronic Learning Toys. | | | | scientific toys, including electronic ones. The company |
| There are a fantastic variety of Electronic Learning | | | | is called Curious Minds and is well worth a visit if your |
| Toys available nowadays. There are toys for all ages | | | | are based in the UK. |
| from babies to young adults. I will mainly concentrate | | | | I hope that all parents out there are making sure that |
| on those for younger children, up to about 8 years old, | | | | their children are getting some experience playing with |
| but will touch on toys which are suitable for older | | | | some good learning toys. I hope that this article has |
| children. | | | | pointed you in the right direction if you have not yet |
| For very young learners two types of electronic toys | | | | considered getting hold of these types of toy. |
| are extremely popular. These are the games-type | | | | |