subject: Educational Toys For Toddlers [print this page] When it comes to raising kids, it is never too early to get them started with learning. Even as infants, kids can really absorb the things they see and hear, even if it doesn't outwardly seem like it. And at the toddler age, there's a lot of toys available to really work their brains more. At this age, they are really receptive to a lot of things that they may be more picky about as they get older. Now is the the time to expose them to a variety of educational materials, so that they can not only expand their knowledge but grow as a person.
One of the most popular choices for educational toys are the spinning wheels that talk. These are classics, usually revolving around one topic or other (like animals, numbers, colors) and let the kids spin them to see where it lands. The toy will then verbally teach them what they landed on, whether the color orange or one of many farm animals. Kids are great with interactive learning and the combination of both visual and auditory experiences can really let them pick things up easily.
Another classic are shape puzzles. These puzzles give a child multiple shapes to play with and try to fit into a variety of holes, to figure out how they work. Visually, this helps them identify items that match and go together, as well as gives them early problem solving skills. When their triangle block doesn't fit into the circle hole, they need to problem solve to figure out how to get everything to click in correctly.
Even the dolls our toddlers like to carry around can become great educational toys for them. With the way that dolls interact nowadays, there's much to learn. They can become their buddy to teach them how to count or recite the alphabet. There's also dolls that teach kids how to get dressed or other simple, every day skills that they will need to learn early on. Even potty training dolls help kids become more enthusiastic about the process, wanting to be just like their best friend.
No matter what choice you make, picking up some educational toys, even for a young age, is the best thing you can do for your child. It's the best time to influence them and get their brains working. You'll be surprised how much a child can learn even in their earliest of years!
