Toy Safety
From Trusted Brands To New Market Companies, The Safety Of Toys For Children Is The Most Important Aspect
The Perfect Toy for Motor Skill Development
This wooden Shape Sorting Clock from the Melissa & Doug Toy Collection covers all the basics. It has 12 different shapes, colors and numbers along with an hour and a minute hand and time telling phrases to acquaint the child with daily terms involved with telling time.
Although gross motor skills are not necessarily used, this clock promotes fine motor skills which involves picking up each individual block and place it directly in it's proper holding space. These skills also include spinning the clock's hands. These movements will develop much needed hand muscles in the child. As a developmental psychologist, this toy has various educational aspects that not only benefit the fine motor skills and hand muscles, but also the brain through stimulating colorful shapes.
As a parent or childcare provider, the safety of this toy would be a main concern. The Shape Sorting Clock is made of wood as opposed to plastic which could potentially be made with lead paint or plastic materials. The pieces are also quite bulky and would not pose a threat by choking.
This is a wonderful toy for a toddler to develop both physical and cognitive skills all at the same time.
Although gross motor skills are not necessarily used, this clock promotes fine motor skills which involves picking up each individual block and place it directly in it's proper holding space. These skills also include spinning the clock's hands. These movements will develop much needed hand muscles in the child. As a developmental psychologist, this toy has various educational aspects that not only benefit the fine motor skills and hand muscles, but also the brain through stimulating colorful shapes.
As a parent or childcare provider, the safety of this toy would be a main concern. The Shape Sorting Clock is made of wood as opposed to plastic which could potentially be made with lead paint or plastic materials. The pieces are also quite bulky and would not pose a threat by choking.
This is a wonderful toy for a toddler to develop both physical and cognitive skills all at the same time.
The Infantino Activity Stacker is a timeless infant toy that will last through even the toughest times. This toy comes with a soft plush tower and 5 very different rings including one for teething, a noisemaker, a mirror, a crinkle flower and an animal bracelet. All of which are designed to stimulate and occupy the child's rapid growing mind.
An infant's motor skills are the key targets with this toy. Gross motor skills allow the child to move their arm to pick up each ring by extending and grasping, while the fine motor skills allow the infant to place the ring on the tower through the middle hole. With both soft and hard colorful rings, the infant gets a variety of strength building movements to develop the muscles of the arm and hand.
The Activity Stacker earns a yes from a psychologist and a yes from a parent. Through exhilarating colors and noises, the infant learns extreme coordination. Despite a lower educational value, this toy promotes key physical development. And as long as the noise does not pose a problem to the over worked parents, this toy is safe and doubles as an aid during teething.
An infant's motor skills are the key targets with this toy. Gross motor skills allow the child to move their arm to pick up each ring by extending and grasping, while the fine motor skills allow the infant to place the ring on the tower through the middle hole. With both soft and hard colorful rings, the infant gets a variety of strength building movements to develop the muscles of the arm and hand.
The Activity Stacker earns a yes from a psychologist and a yes from a parent. Through exhilarating colors and noises, the infant learns extreme coordination. Despite a lower educational value, this toy promotes key physical development. And as long as the noise does not pose a problem to the over worked parents, this toy is safe and doubles as an aid during teething.
Recommended Toys for Perceptual Growth
From the renown children's toy brand Fisher-Price, the Brilliant Basics Poppity Pop Train is a brightly colored movable train made of durable plastic and contain beads that pop and bounce when the baby pushes the train to inspire creativity.
From a perceptual development standpoint, this toy is the perfect combination of movements to promote growth of various senses. From the bright primary colors to the comforting face on the front of the train, visual perception can improve in each use of the toy. Hearing will also become more defined as the beads within the train produce sound with every movement of the train. Touch is also in the developing process as the child pushes the train across the room.
Due to the fact that an infant generally focuses mainly on the human face of their parents, facial recognition is a key visual receptor and this toy tackles vision as well as sound and touch. And for those worried parents, this toy is safe and the small beads have no chance of ever being swallowed by the baby because they are sealed inside the train by the trusted Fisher-Price brand.
From a perceptual development standpoint, this toy is the perfect combination of movements to promote growth of various senses. From the bright primary colors to the comforting face on the front of the train, visual perception can improve in each use of the toy. Hearing will also become more defined as the beads within the train produce sound with every movement of the train. Touch is also in the developing process as the child pushes the train across the room.
Due to the fact that an infant generally focuses mainly on the human face of their parents, facial recognition is a key visual receptor and this toy tackles vision as well as sound and touch. And for those worried parents, this toy is safe and the small beads have no chance of ever being swallowed by the baby because they are sealed inside the train by the trusted Fisher-Price brand.
Sassy's Crib and Floor Mirror is perfect for an adventure seeking infant who is fascinated by all that is surrounding them. This mirror not only contains playful designs, animals and objects but it has the capability to connect an iPod or MP3 player to the back to comfort the child with soothing or upbeat music.
This toy is made for perceptual development. The mirror acts as a visual stimulator for the infant to recognize different features of their own face and body. The cable for iPod hook up allows the child's hearing to improve, as well as touch, through the interactive objects attached to the mirror.
As a developmental Psychologist, this toy would most definitely be recommended based on its ability to involve three separate senses into one. Facial recognition is a key part of visual acuity development and the mirror is more than capable of accomplishing that. Intermodal perception can improve an infant's tactile development very rapidly. As for parents, this toy earns a two thumbs up with zero detachable pieces that could be considered choking hazards and a perfect two-in-one toy that can stimulate the baby with music and sight, as well as touch.
This toy is made for perceptual development. The mirror acts as a visual stimulator for the infant to recognize different features of their own face and body. The cable for iPod hook up allows the child's hearing to improve, as well as touch, through the interactive objects attached to the mirror.
As a developmental Psychologist, this toy would most definitely be recommended based on its ability to involve three separate senses into one. Facial recognition is a key part of visual acuity development and the mirror is more than capable of accomplishing that. Intermodal perception can improve an infant's tactile development very rapidly. As for parents, this toy earns a two thumbs up with zero detachable pieces that could be considered choking hazards and a perfect two-in-one toy that can stimulate the baby with music and sight, as well as touch.
Toys For Education
Every toy should serve an educational purpose. This newly produced toy is especially designed to target your child's unique developmental patterns such as visual acuity and stimulation, language, recognition and imagination. The Animal Ball Box is developed specifically for a toddler in the preoperational stage between the ages of 2 and 4.
There are 3 holes on the top of the box that are color coordinated and animal specific. The box comes equipped with a set of 12 balls with the same animals and colors on them. The child can grab and play with the balls and put them in the proper hole in the box. If the correct color and animal is detected, lights will flash and the ball will be released from the shoot at the side. If the child decides to put the ball in the wrong hole, there will be no flashing lights, but the ball will still come back down the shoot for a second try.
This toy fits perfectly in the preoperational stage of cognitive development because of the unrealistic qualities of the animals and colors. This allows the child to imagine in their own creative way how and why each ball with a specific color and animal should go into each hole. This action induces symbolic thinking through visually stimulating colors, characters and lights.
The Animal Ball Box leans towards Vygotsky's theories of learning in a sense that it promotes active learning through multiple uses of colors, words, lights, shapes and movement. The imaginative aspect of the toy evokes private speech to be used to find which ball goes to which hole. Also, this toy can be used by multiple children at one time which allows scaffolding to occur through peer interaction, which in turn allows the Zone of Proximal Development to shorten with each child helping the other when playing with the toy.
This toy is made out of wood and painted with non-lead paint in vivid primary and secondary colors. The characters and words are simplistic and not overwhelming and the lights are subtly stimulating. The box is also parent friendly with an pop top in a situation where something gets stuck in the box. The balls are far too big to be choking hazards and the holes and box is not deep enough for the child to get their arm or leg stuck. This toy is not only Vygotsky approved but parent approved as well!
There are 3 holes on the top of the box that are color coordinated and animal specific. The box comes equipped with a set of 12 balls with the same animals and colors on them. The child can grab and play with the balls and put them in the proper hole in the box. If the correct color and animal is detected, lights will flash and the ball will be released from the shoot at the side. If the child decides to put the ball in the wrong hole, there will be no flashing lights, but the ball will still come back down the shoot for a second try.
This toy fits perfectly in the preoperational stage of cognitive development because of the unrealistic qualities of the animals and colors. This allows the child to imagine in their own creative way how and why each ball with a specific color and animal should go into each hole. This action induces symbolic thinking through visually stimulating colors, characters and lights.
The Animal Ball Box leans towards Vygotsky's theories of learning in a sense that it promotes active learning through multiple uses of colors, words, lights, shapes and movement. The imaginative aspect of the toy evokes private speech to be used to find which ball goes to which hole. Also, this toy can be used by multiple children at one time which allows scaffolding to occur through peer interaction, which in turn allows the Zone of Proximal Development to shorten with each child helping the other when playing with the toy.
This toy is made out of wood and painted with non-lead paint in vivid primary and secondary colors. The characters and words are simplistic and not overwhelming and the lights are subtly stimulating. The box is also parent friendly with an pop top in a situation where something gets stuck in the box. The balls are far too big to be choking hazards and the holes and box is not deep enough for the child to get their arm or leg stuck. This toy is not only Vygotsky approved but parent approved as well!