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Dear Parents-
Have you ever noticed how children love
playing with the boxes and wrapping paper at
birthdays and Christmas more than the toys that
were in them? Once the thrill of actually
receiving the flashing buzzing toy you saw on TV
has subsided, the box that it came in becomes the
object of hours of fun. The amazing thing about
children is that everything is a learning
experience to them. They are so inquisitive
and imaginative, they can make anything into an
experiment or project. The Christmas when my
nephew was four he spent hours playing with the
packing peanuts that a fragile gift had been
packed with. It was even more fun when
he realized that his mother's new blow dryer
could be used like a leaf blower to blow the
packing peanuts around. We all had a blast
watching him figure out how to maneuver those
little pieces of foam around the room. The house
was a mess, but we were all having so much fun, we
did not care. And we knew that he was using
his brain in a way that was unique to this
activity.
Playing with the boxes and wrapping paper
are the same way. Taking one item and using
it to make another item takes higher level
thinking skills that cannot be acquired when
passively receiving information from a video
game or a toy that talks or displays
information. Using the blow dryer to move
styrofoam pieces one direction and then another
requires the ability to "decentrate", or think
about an item in two ways at one time, a skill
that is not mastered until middle school.
When you offer your children toys that require
active involvement and concentrated manipulation,
they are learning to practice these skills that
will help them be problem solvers when they are
older.
Just like a cardboard box or packing
peanuts, the simpler the toys (the less they do
FOR the child) the better they are for this type
of learning. Blocks, playdough, pots and
pans, and simple manipulatives that can be used in
infinite ways provide wonderful thinking
opportunities. When you are out shopping for
your children's Christmas gifts, remember
that simple toys can provide unique and different
learning experiences than more complex,
expensive toys. Having a mixture of toys can
help your child learn on different levels.
All of which will prepare them for school
success.
Have a wonderful holiday
season! We are thankful for you all and
are blessed to see your children every day!
Love-
Donna
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