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Dear Parents-
Last month, 7 of our
teachers and I got the opportunity to
attend the NAEYC national conference in
Dallas for 4 days. It was a wonderful
experience for us all as we were able to
attend sessions on numerous topics and
meet with other like-minded educators.
One of the sessions that I enjoyed
the most was about the commercialization
of childhood. With Christmas fast
approaching, I thought I would share
with you part of the handout I received
from this session with some great
suggestions on toy buying for little
ones.
Choosing Toys of Value
Choose toys that promote.
. .
·
Meaningful learning
o
Children's play is often
influenced by the toys they use. Toys of
value enhance children’s natural ability
to engage in imaginative, meaningful
play by allowing them to try out their
own ideas and solve their own problems.
Toys of value can offer children the
kind of learning which will help them
succeed in school.
·
Respectful play
o
Children learn many
messages through play. As educators, we
believe it is important to select toys
that promote cooperative play.
o
When children’s play is
filled with competition, they learn that
playmates are opponents and winning
means that everyone else is a loser.
o
When we support
cooperation, children learn to live
together better—respecting each other’s
ideas, finding solutions to challenges,
and working together toward a common
goal.
Choose toys that provide
opportunities for…
·
Dramatic play
o
Helps children work out
their own ideas about their experiences.
Provides a powerful way of learning new
skills and a sense of mastery. Examples:
blocks, dress-up clothes, fabric pieces,
dolls, puppets, props to recreate real
life (post office, restaurant, store),
plastic and stuffed animals.
·
Manipulative play with
small play objects
o
Develops small muscle
control, eye-hand coordination, and
visual discrimination – skills needed to
read and write. Teaches about
relationships between objects, essential
for understanding math and science.
Examples: construction sets and toys
with interlocking pieces (basic Legos,
Lincoln Logs, K'nex), puzzles,
pegboards, pattern blocks.
·
Game playing
o
Teaches about taking
turns, planning strategy, sequencing,
rules, and cooperation. Examples: board
games like checkers and chess, card
games, jacks.
·
Creative arts
·
Encourages
self-expression and the use of symbols,
a vital skill for problem solving and
literacy. Develops fine motor skills.
Examples: poster and finger paints,
assortment of blank paper of all sizes
and colors, crayons and markers,
scissors, glue, recycled materials,
stamps, clay, weaving kits.
Collaborative art experiences are easy
and simple. The process of creating
together doesn't always require a
lasting product.
·
Physical play
o
Promotes healthy body
awareness and coordination. Provides
opportunities for social interaction.
Use Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
ideas for toy swaps: bikes, scooters and
other wheeled toys, climbing structures.
Create cooperative play
experiences...
·
Dramatic play
o
Together children can use
an old sheet or blanket to drape over
chairs/tables to create a house, animal
den, or cave, and decorate with fabric
markers. Use
Shoebox Ideas
to create cooperative play
opportunities, for example “Shoe Box
Garden," which could develop into
joining a community garden.
·
Manipulatives
o
Children can learn to
work together, negotiate, and achieve a
common goal by building with small
blocks (making a town) or doing a puzzle
together.
·
Game playing
o
In addition to commercial
cooperative board games, adults can
change the rules for traditional games.
There is no need for winners or losers
or to keep score, or there can be a
group score, which is an agreed upon
goal. The game ends when all players
have had a chance to finish.
·
Creative arts
o
When children paint or
draw, they can be given a larger piece
of paper to create a mural together.
·
Physical play: Musical
Chairs
o
When the music stops,
take away a chair, not a child, to
encourage sharing of remaining chairs.
Almost all games can be changed with a
goal of a shared outcome, accomplished
by all players finishing rather than one
individual winning, the rest, losing.
Adapt your favorite games to achieve a
common goal—play together, rather than
against each other.
Toys and Toy Trends to
Avoid
Toys have limited play
value when they . . .
·
Can only be used in one
way and/or encourage all children to
play the same way.
·
Are limited to a single
age or level of development.
·
Are fun for the first 1/2
hour and then rarely get played with
again.
·
Do the play “for”
children, instead of allowing for
children’s unique exploration and
mastery.
·
Lead children to spend
more time with TV or other media, and/or
let the screen take control of their
play.
·
Promote violence and
stereotypes, which can lead to
aggressive and disrespectful behavior.
·
Lure children into
watching the TV program or other media
linked to the toy.
·
Introduce academic
concepts too early and replace the kind
of creative play that best prepares them
for learning.
We hope that you have a
wonderful holiday season and remember
that great things come in small package!
This toy buying guide
(and other great information) from the
Campaign for a Commercial-Free-Childhood
may be found at
http://commercialfreechildhood.org/index.html.
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