Parents Are Buying Their Kids All the Wrong Toys

photo courtesy: Zometool which of course I think is one of the good guys.

WHAT: Just in case you didn't see it...  I had a story published at Quartz.  "Parents Are Buying Their Children All The Wrong Toys"   Please take a look.  Below is a snippet:

The highlight of my son’s speech therapy was always the bag of toys. Years ago, when he was a toddler and the therapist came to our house, he’d wait patiently as she took out one toy at a time and used each to help build language skills. Anxious to boost his progress, I watched her work and wrote down the name of her “tools.” I would then run to Toys R Us—and almost always, I would walk out empty-handed.

Toy stores, it turns out, are the worst place to buy toys. The educational aisle is even more upsetting, filled with battery-operated toys with cartridges, sounds, and styluses. What toy stores (and parents) need to understand better is that for a product to be an effective learning tool, the child has to be able to use it to make inquiries and attempt to answer them. However, in the case of educational toys, it’s the machine that is asking all the questions.

Parents’ play, too, must change. For starters, they need to get on the floor. All too often, parents use toys as babysitters. Sit the kids down with something and walk away to check email or do the dishes. They expect the toy to engage their child to the point where the child is mesmerized. “She can’t put it down,” they’ll say to describe the successful toys. There is no shame in trying to amaze and astonish when kids open their gifts, but if we want to turn our toy purchases into educational investments, then we need to get involved and stay involved. We have to play with them. It’s as simple as that.

It’s crucial that we get play right. For society. For the economy. For competitiveness. For the workplace.To read the rest of the article, click here to go to Quartz (qz.com)!

educational toy, best educational game, best educational toy, learning tools, toys for learning, toys are tools, child development, therapeutic toys, special needs toys, gifted children toys, games for gifted kids, 
Products mentioned in the article:
Lauri Tall Stacker Pegs at Amazon and Red Hen Toys
Zometool- check out Red Hen Toys's awesome selection of Zometool
1-Inch Color Cubes at Different Roads to Learning
Reptangles at Amazon and Red Hen Toys
Magformers at Amazon
Geomag at Amazon





Disclosure:  Toys are Tools was not compensated by the manufacturer for the publication of this review.  The reviewed items were provided to Toys are Tools to facilitate a review.  Reviews are never promised.