Barely born, the baby begins to know the world. First, he simply watches what is happening around him, the actions of mom and dad, and then he himself seeks to touch the objects around him, pat them and taste them. Modern parents have wonderful helpers - educational toys for children. Up to a year, a child learns a lot, and this process of cognition is very important. Let's take a closer look at which toys from the huge assortment offered by stores are really worth attention.
Pendants and music mobile
These are educational toys for children up to a year, which are one of the very first to be used. The mobile, or carousel, is hung over the baby’s bed, securing it to a special bracket. It is usually equipped with several colorful toys that vary in color and, possibly, in size. They move in a circle, and this is accompanied by a light, unpretentious melody. The kid learns to follow the toys, watches them move, and then tries to reach them. Later, it will be possible to remove the pendants from the base of the mobile and use them separately. They may have lighting effects, rustling or ringing.
Developing mat
If the mobile is hung over the crib, then the mat is simply on the floor. It is also equipped with hanging toys. The kid reaches for them, pulls out, explores. If the child is lying on the rug on the back, then he sees those pendants that are on the arc, but if he rolls over on his tummy, he will not get bored either, because on the basis are usually attached ropes for which you can pull, rustling animals, and maybe , and even the mirror, of course, is completely safe for the child. Often, educational toys for young children (pendants) can be selected separately to the rug, because they are removable, like the arcs themselves.
How to choose pendants
- Musical educational toys for children should not sound loud. The melody should be unobtrusive, easy and enjoyable.
- Pendants can have different shapes, sizes and textures, but they must be bright and have a nice shade. It is better if it is one of the colors of the rainbow. But in no case do not take toys of acid tones, they can be annoying, which will contribute to overexcitation of the child or his fatigue.
- You can purchase several toys, different in form, tactile sensations and sounds made. It can be both wooden educational toys for children, and plastic, soft, etc. But you do not need to hang them all on the mat at once. It is better to alternate them so that they do not bother the baby.
- When buying, pay attention to the fact that the toys correspond to real images. For example, a bird should look like a bird, not a hybrid of an elephant and an ostrich. And it is better if those who fly in nature, too, fly over the baby: birds, butterflies, bees, and let the elephants and dogs remain on the ground.
Rattles
Since ancient times, people use such educational toys for children up to a year. First, the mother shows the baby a rattle, rings it, removes it from the field of view of the child and checks how it reacts to extraneous sounds. And then the baby himself, barely begins to confidently hold something in a tiny pen, takes a toy, tastes it (without it in any way), considers, shakes and enjoys his first achievements.
The rattle promotes the development of auditory and visual perception, concentration of attention. Some of them help to master the skills of fine motor skills.
For a very tiny baby who was born just a month ago, it is better to choose small rattles on the handle or on the ring. It will be convenient to take them with a small cam and not hard to hold. Later, you can already introduce the child to other types of this toy. For example, for a change you should buy a rattle with beads or a "rattle". It not only sounds, but also allows the baby to develop fine motor skills, as he can pull on the shoelaces, move the elements, pull the parts. And most often, such toys do not make ringing sounds, but tapping or rattling.
Pyramid
According to many parents, pyramids are the best educational toys for children. They are suitable for those who are already six months old. In such a small child, the toy helps to form sensorimotor coordination, and older children can use it to study colors, sizes and shapes.
For a baby up to a year, choose a pyramid of 3-4 rings, not more. It will be difficult for him to arrange a large number of elements in the correct order. The rod should be short so that it is more convenient for the child to remove the rings. It is better if the pyramid is plastic, so it will be easier to wash it, and mom can be calm when the baby pulls it in her mouth.
Inserts
Many educators of various times, including the Nikitins, Zaitsev, Montezorri and others, believe that the best educational toys for children must include inserts in their list. They can be of two types: frames and bowls. The first are volumetric boxes or frames in which slots of various shapes are made. In them, in turn, the inserts themselves are inserted. Usually these are wooden educational toys for children. Bowls are a set of gizmos of the same shape and different sizes. Most often these are cups, cubes, halves of a ball, etc. They are inserted into each other or a pyramid is built from them.
Playing with inserts, the baby receives the first knowledge of sizes, learns the ratio of the size and shape of objects, the coordination of hands and eyes. These toys are very useful. They contribute to the development of the imagination, because you can play with them in different ways. Again, you can arrange the first acquaintance with color. Bowl inserts come in handy both in the sandbox and in the bathroom, and even for an impromptu tea party.
Dynamic children's educational toys
For children, such toys bring new discoveries and joy. Take, for example, Yule. It is easy to put pressure on her pen, as she spins. It is easy to imagine the delight and surprise of the child. Thus, dynamic toys are those that respond to a focused effort. So, for example, modern robots do not belong to this category, because they are turned on with a button or remote control, while the baby does not learn anything new for himself, cannot correlate action with reaction.
On the contrary, a dynamic toy helps to establish the relationship between the impact on it and the emerging "surprise" - movement, sound, etc. This contributes to the development of cognitive active activity. The best educational toys for children, if we talk about dynamic ones, are as follows:
- Yula. Popular at all times. To set it in motion, you need to press a button or pen. It is important for the child that he can do it himself, without the help of adults. He realizes that his action entails something unexpected.
Spinning tops are different. Some just spin, others make sounds, others are equipped with lighting effects, and the fourth combine several functions at once. Musical educational toys for children are also suitable for very small ones. In this case, mom or dad will rotate the hula, and the baby will watch her and listen to the melody.
Also interesting are toys with animal figures or a rider on a horse inside. In the first case, when moving, the visual effect of a round dance is created, and in the second it seems as if the rider is jumping over obstacles. Such a “revival" of characters here is a key point.
- Acrobat-somersault. This is a figurine of a clown sitting on a ladder. It is worth moving it to the upper step, as it begins to tumble, going down. The most interesting thing is that it does not fall.
- Tumbler. Everyone remembers this "childhood friend." Previously, these were standard nesting dolls, but today they can be various animals. The bottom line is that if you tilt the toy, it gets up again and does not want to go to bed. A nice bonus is the sound that the tumbler makes when moving. Such a toy can be presented even to the smallest child - it is very easy to put into action.
Figurative toys
Educational toys for children up to a year are also a variety of dolls and animals. With their help, the mother builds a certain plot, tells the baby tales. Such games affect the child’s socio-emotional position, contribute to the development of his personal sphere. If you choose a baby doll as such a toy, then the baby will gradually begin to compare himself and her. All this will help the child to enter the larger world of people in the future.
For the first games of the baby up to a year, such plot (figurative) toys are suitable, such as:
- bun;
- tumbler;
- baby doll
- porcelain doll ;
- figures of animals (including plush and rubber).
For physical development
This is one of the largest groups of toys. But this is not only sports equipment like balls. This also includes pendants, stretch marks on the crib. They contribute to the development of coordination of movements.
The same balls can also be different. So, for a crumb, a small ball is perfect, which he will learn to hold in his hands. Almost from birth, children are doing gymnastics on a fitball, and at an older age (after six months) a massage ball is useful.
It will be interesting for the baby to play with “smart” toys that “run away” from him. They stimulate crawling. Once a child touches a toy, it rolls away from him and again “waits” for it to be caught.
When discussing educational toys for children (a photo of some of them is in the article), it is impossible not to say about wheelchairs. If the baby learns to walk, a stable trolley with a handle will come in handy. Anyone who doesn’t even think about the first steps will like a rope on a rope. Well, if the child is already more or less well walking, a wheelchair on a stick will do.
Conclusion
As you can see, toys are not only entertainment, but also indispensable assistants in the development of the baby. However, it should be noted that it is not necessary to buy a half-store in order to provide your child with everything necessary. Of course, musical real toys for children can be made independently only by real craftsmen. But some gizmos may well be "retrained." For example, bracelets with large buttons will make excellent toys for children developing motor skills. True, you should not leave a child unattended when he plays them.