YOU CAN HELP!
DISCOVERY TOYS AUTISM DONATION PROGRAM
Make every dollar count…
For every dollar donated through Discovery Toys Autism Support Program, we will donate a matching value in retail toys to a selected Autism support organization. (Discovery Toys is finalizing the relationship with a prominent school for autism research and intervention programs).
Here’s how it works:
you can add your cash donations to their party purchase.
Important Details:
Discovery Toys will ship up to $10,000 retail value of products to the selected organization.
Donations will be accepted through December 31, 2007.
Orders under $60 US/$70 Canada with Autism donations on them will need to be phoned, faxed or mailed to be processed.
Donations are not included in tax and freight calculations.
Because these donations are being made through Discovery Toys as a third party, they are not tax deductible. The advantage to the customer is knowing that in addition to her donation, the selected organization will be receiving a donation of product from Discovery Toys equal to the amount collected.
Donations do not count towards Hostess Reward or PSV for Compensation Plan, rewards and incentives.
Shopping Cart will not be able to accept Autism donations.
Copyright © 2006-2007 Discovery Toys, Inc.
Make it a great day and call me now with a donation!!!
Michele 203-672-0681
http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/michelemarchetti
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
HELP RAISE MONEY FOR JONNY'S ANGELS!!!
By a toy from me at www.discoverytoyslink.com/michelemarchetti and the proceeds go to Johnny's angels. You must call me for the order and then I can mail the check out to them! Check out their website!! www.johnnysangels.org.Call Now and make a Difference 203-672-0681!!! You can help children!!!
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Come Christmas and holiday shop!!
There is so much for everyone !!! vistit www.discoverytoyslink.com/michelemarchetti
or call me with an order at 203-672-0681!
The 2007 Discovery Toys Fall Line has been Launched!
There are 50 new products in the new fall line. WOW! Check out my website at http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/michelemarchetti to see the full product line and currant specials! Happy Fall!
Michele Marchetti
Michele Marchetti
Friday, September 14, 2007
Double DIP on Sept 15, 16 and 17th
The Discovery Toys FALL Season begins on September 15th. The full new product line will be online at www.discoverytoyslink.com/michelemarchetti then. But there's more! The Spring Catalog is in effect until September 17th, so for 3 days you can order from both products lines. WOW!And STILL, there is more! The Countdown to School sale features some discounted Fall items that are available through September 17th at a reduced price. Now is the time to order those.Forget the etiquette rules that ban Double-Dipping. :) That's the best thing you can do for your family RIGHT NOW!
call 203-672-0681
Michele Marchetti
call 203-672-0681
Michele Marchetti
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Discovery toys Group Manager Michele Marchetti [partners with Friend of Autism Adults
Check out their website. If you order from me you will get a tax write off and I will send you a reciept and I will send them 15% of the proceeds made from that sale. http://www.autisticadults.com/fap.htm
Just call me with an order and I will write a check out to them. allso anyone who holds a party for Sept and or Oct I will give them 15% of the money made from the party. Cal me nopw and help an autistic adult who really needs it! 203-672-0681
http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/michelemarchetti
About Friends of Autistic People
Friends of Autistic People is a parents' support group dedicated to raising awareness of services and supported living arrangements needed for autistic adults and searching for help within public, private and state organizations. We have support meetings, lectures by experts in the field, and we recently produced a Connecticut Access TV special on the needs of autistic adults. We welcome contributions.
By building our membership base to a critical mass, we ensure our voice will be heard within the community and the state legislature. We encourage participation by families of children of all ages. Professionals within the field and other supporters of our cause are invited to join as well.
Friends of Autistic People was founded in 1997 by Brita Darany after her daughter, Vanessa, was discharged from the Greenwich Association of Retarded Citizens group home because they did not have the staffing to support someone with profound autism.
Brita Darany, founder of FAP, with daughter, Vanessa
When autistic children reach the age of 21 most services stop for them, and appropriate placements are just not available. The profoundly autistic may find themselves in institutional type settings where they are kept sometimes for the rest of their lives.
The higher functioning autistic adults get even fewer services and often are taken care of by their aging parents. For example, in a nearby town there is a 44-year-old autistic woman who is incapable of living independently and is still being cared for by her 87-year-old widowed mother. Is she going to end up as one of the homeless roaming the streets when her mother passes away?
Another example is a non-verbal autistic adult male who lived in an inappropriate home for the retarded, whose complaints went unnoticed by the inexperienced staff. He finally ended up in full panic in the wrong ward of the local hospital where staff did not know how to communicate with him. And there are many other similar cases.
Autistic children have recently been noticed and through legislation and private funding many services have become available to them. Autistic adults, however, are completely forgotten.
FAP is the only charitable organization in Connecticut that advocates appropriate services for the entire spectrum of autistic adults. Our goals are to assure that adults with autism will have appropriate residences with trained staff and suitable work programs matching their abilities so that they can become contributing members -- rather than burdens -- on society. We are a parents' support group that searches for help within public, private and state organizations and we intend to use funds generated by us to augment services provided by others. Currently there are about 300 parents and professionals in our organization and we keep growing.
As a young organization we have already achieved a lot. We have been awarded non-profit 501(c) (3) status, and six nationally well-known authorities on autism have become advisors to our organization. In addition:
The Department of Mental Retardation (DMR) has committed to set up the first group home in Connecticut exclusively for autistic adults.
We have gotten media exposure for the purpose of motivating legislative bodies to create legislation and funding of programs for adults with autism.
We co-produced a TV Special on the special needs of autistic adults.
Political personalities have taken notice of FAP's activities and expressed their support of our cause.
Greenwich Hospital assigned a Liaison Officer to FAP.
Please give us a call at 203-661-8510 or send an email to bridaranyi@aol.com and we'll be happy to tell you more about Friends of Autistic People.
Interested in supporting our cause? We welcome contributions of any kind.
Just call me with an order and I will write a check out to them. allso anyone who holds a party for Sept and or Oct I will give them 15% of the money made from the party. Cal me nopw and help an autistic adult who really needs it! 203-672-0681
http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/michelemarchetti
About Friends of Autistic People
Friends of Autistic People is a parents' support group dedicated to raising awareness of services and supported living arrangements needed for autistic adults and searching for help within public, private and state organizations. We have support meetings, lectures by experts in the field, and we recently produced a Connecticut Access TV special on the needs of autistic adults. We welcome contributions.
By building our membership base to a critical mass, we ensure our voice will be heard within the community and the state legislature. We encourage participation by families of children of all ages. Professionals within the field and other supporters of our cause are invited to join as well.
Friends of Autistic People was founded in 1997 by Brita Darany after her daughter, Vanessa, was discharged from the Greenwich Association of Retarded Citizens group home because they did not have the staffing to support someone with profound autism.
Brita Darany, founder of FAP, with daughter, Vanessa
When autistic children reach the age of 21 most services stop for them, and appropriate placements are just not available. The profoundly autistic may find themselves in institutional type settings where they are kept sometimes for the rest of their lives.
The higher functioning autistic adults get even fewer services and often are taken care of by their aging parents. For example, in a nearby town there is a 44-year-old autistic woman who is incapable of living independently and is still being cared for by her 87-year-old widowed mother. Is she going to end up as one of the homeless roaming the streets when her mother passes away?
Another example is a non-verbal autistic adult male who lived in an inappropriate home for the retarded, whose complaints went unnoticed by the inexperienced staff. He finally ended up in full panic in the wrong ward of the local hospital where staff did not know how to communicate with him. And there are many other similar cases.
Autistic children have recently been noticed and through legislation and private funding many services have become available to them. Autistic adults, however, are completely forgotten.
FAP is the only charitable organization in Connecticut that advocates appropriate services for the entire spectrum of autistic adults. Our goals are to assure that adults with autism will have appropriate residences with trained staff and suitable work programs matching their abilities so that they can become contributing members -- rather than burdens -- on society. We are a parents' support group that searches for help within public, private and state organizations and we intend to use funds generated by us to augment services provided by others. Currently there are about 300 parents and professionals in our organization and we keep growing.
As a young organization we have already achieved a lot. We have been awarded non-profit 501(c) (3) status, and six nationally well-known authorities on autism have become advisors to our organization. In addition:
The Department of Mental Retardation (DMR) has committed to set up the first group home in Connecticut exclusively for autistic adults.
We have gotten media exposure for the purpose of motivating legislative bodies to create legislation and funding of programs for adults with autism.
We co-produced a TV Special on the special needs of autistic adults.
Political personalities have taken notice of FAP's activities and expressed their support of our cause.
Greenwich Hospital assigned a Liaison Officer to FAP.
Please give us a call at 203-661-8510 or send an email to bridaranyi@aol.com and we'll be happy to tell you more about Friends of Autistic People.
Interested in supporting our cause? We welcome contributions of any kind.
New fall toys
#1342
SLEEP, LITTLE ONE
$17.99 US /
$22.99 CN
This beautiful book and CD set is a tour of 15 lullabies in 10 languages from around the world. The sepia tone photos of breathtaking babies in the book are accompanied by the lullaby lyrics and thoughtful reflections on parenthood. The book also includes space for a parent’s own treasured memories of the time. SLEEP, LITTLE ONE is a perfect ‘new baby’ gift!
From Birth & Up
#1345
ABC & 123 WIPE CLEAN WORKBOOKS
$9.99 US / $12.99 CN
Preschoolers will learn numbers and letters quickly with these two wipe-clean activity books that promote early printing skills and encourage number and letter recognition, sequencing, matching, and observation skills. The wipe-off pages build self-confidence with multiple opportunities for practice and the occasional “do-over”. Plus, each book has over 100 stickers that foster eye-hand coordination and enhance visual discrimination. With engaging activities on every page, and 2 books that siblings can share, ABC & 123 WIPE CLEAN WORKBOOKS are a great addition to the family library!
From 3 Years & Up
#2873 FASHION FRIENDS
$29.99 US / $39.99 CN
Construction toys are widely known to aid in development of logical thinking, sequencing and spatial awareness, key elements for success in math and science. With FASHION FRIENDS, girls will spend hours developing those important skills while enhancing imagination and socialization. Plus, with over 200 possible combinations, girls also internalize the math concept of combination calculation over and over again. The make-up free FASHION FRIENDS offer the big eye look so popular in other dolls but provide an alternative choice to dolls with over-done cosmetics. A convenient plastic storage case and enough pieces for 4 dolls make FASHION FRIENDS a perfect set for siblings and BFF’s!
From 4 Years & Up #3146
FLIP TAC TOE
$19.99 US /
$24.99 CN
It’s tic-tac-toe to the extreme! FLIP TAC TOE combines the strategy of chess with the simplicity of checkers for the 3-in-a-row payoff of the classic. On each turn, you have four options: place one of the foam chips on any open spot; stack a chip; move a chip or stack; or flip a stack over. The game board changes with each move, promoting flexibility and adaptation skills. Plus, conceptualizing moves ahead of time refines strategy and planning skills, while holding multiple game options in your head at the same time expands the brain’s processing power and aids in choice making. A variety of game play options are included for players with different skill levels. Be sure to demo Flip Tac Toe with 1-2 quick games (quicken the game by omitting the “Move” option for playing the chips), and customers will instantly be hooked.
From 6 Years to Adult
Posted by Kenza Bolton, Discovery Toys at 9:53 PM 0 comments
Monday, September 3, 2007
Sneak Peek at Fall Items
Take a look at some of the products that will be coming in the Discovery Toys Fall Line starting September 15th, 2007. You can easily get these products for FREE when you host a fall party with me! Call today to book your Discovery Toys party. 866-891-5056
#1286
JANGLES
$14.99 US
Baby will be captivated with the bright colors and interesting textures of JANGLES, the cute and colorful plush giraffe loaded with activity play. With a tummy that squeaks, feet that rattle or spin, hands with jingling rings or a teether to sooth, JANGLES introduces cause and effect as babies learn their actions produce sound or sensation. The different textures help baby distinguish a variety of sensations and intensity of sensations, important for later differentiating between hard and soft or hot and cold. JANGLES easily attaches to a stroller, backpack or highchair keeping baby’s exploration easily in reach!
From 2 Months - Toddler #3253
SCHOOL DAYS
$24.99 US (on sale for $19.99 through 9/17)
A school days photo frame and memory keeper in 1! Saving and showcasing school memories is easy with the unique, school bus shaped SCHOOL DAYS Album, designed for use as a photo frame. Individual headshots for Preschool through 8th grade are slotted onto the spiral bound front cover, with space for class photos attached inside. The pages include slots to store progress reports and class work as well as space to write in memories. As kids record their personal bios they improve memory recall and communication skills. Children also learn about how they and their world change as they move from one school year to the next.
For Parents
#1530 SUNSHINE MARKET
$24.99 US (on sale for $19.99 through 9/17)
Sort, match, fill and spill with this imaginative market! Fill the shopping cart with fun food shapes and friendly grocers, then sort them by color or match them into shape blocks or the market’s open/close doors. When the fun is done all 12 shape pieces store in the cart inside Sunshine Market.
From 18 months – Preschool
#1287 COUNTDOWN RACER
$39.99 US (on sale for $31.99 through 9/17)
Toddlers get on track for math, reading, language and thinking skills with this rockin’ roadster! It can rev, take off and return. It counts in 7 languages, plays 10 melodies and has 10 musical notes for original toddler tunes. Requires 3 “AA” batteries not included. 12" x 8" (30cm x 20cm).
From 2 years – Preschool#3534
THE BRAIN GAME
$29.99 US (on sale for $23.99 through 9/17)
Fast paced, trivia laced fun for the whole brainy family! Race to the brain answering questions from 7 categories: History, Geography, Science & Nature, Arts, Popular Culture, Sports & Games and No Brainers where the answer is always in the question! A 3-D brain with lights and sound picks your category, you pick the difficulty level. 2-4 players can play a long or short version.
From 9 years to Adult
#1341
GO GO CATERPILLAR
$14.99 US /
$19.99 CN
Whether crawling, waddling or running, toddlers will strengthen gross motor muscles and thinking skills with the colorful easy-to-use GO GO CATERPILLAR. As youngsters discover they can vary the distance traveled by adjusting the force applied down on the caterpillar, they learn cause and effect, trial and error, and predictability. The rattling beads in the wheels provide additional auditory stimulation, and GO GO CATERPILLAR also sports ABC and 123 for early letter and number recognition.
From 9 Months - Toddler
#2277
AHOY, PIRATE PETE
$12.99 US /
$16.99 CN
Similar to our wildly popular ONCE UPON A TIME title, AHOY, PIRATE PETE is a change-the-story book that encourages creative storytelling, language and imagination development as children select the direction the story takes on every page. The many different story possibilities keep the book fresh and new, retaining the interest of both the child and parent! Slipping the die-cut pieces into the designated slots on each page exercises fine motor skills, and those die-cut pieces can also be used to make up new stories outside the book. Story time can become a family adventure as family members each have a turn choosing the outcome on the different pages!
From 4 Years & Up
#2073
TECNO®
$29.99 US /
$39.99 CN
TECNO® is creative tool play that appeals to both boys and girls AND extends across a wide age span. Younger kids will enjoy experimenting with the 4 included tools to tighten or loosen the assortment of screws and bolts, refining their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination in the process. Older children can express and develop their creativity by constructing one of the 2-dimensional designs shown in the included booklet or design their own. And then, with the special L-shaped brackets, they can build up, producing 3-dimensional creations, fostering skill in spatial relationships. The portable storage case doubles as a building base and stores all 80 pieces.
From 4 Years & Up #3144
QUICK CALL
$12.99 US /
$16.99 CN
QUICK CALL is a fun, fast-paced, category card game for the whole family. In this easy to play game, a common card is revealed. Everyone looks through their personal card stack to find 2 more cards that have something in common with that card. But you need to QUICK CALL the common attribute before anyone else: they’re all sports; or they’re cold; they all have pockets. Keeping multiple attributes in mind at one time boosts brain processing power and aids in memory recall. As children try to link the objects by attributes, they enhance their ability to categorize and to understand the relation of parts to wholes. And as young players learn objects can be described by more than one attribute, they enhance creative thinking and vocabulary skills.
From 6 Years to Adult
Playskool Joins the Discovery Toys Family
Starting September 15th, a name you know and trust, PLAYSKOOL, will be a part of the 50 new products that will be in the Discovery Toys Fall Line of products. Playskool was founded nearly 80 years ago by two schoolteachers who were searching for toys that could help their children more easily grasp early learning concepts--the very idea that learning and discovery come naturally through various play experiences.
SLEEP, LITTLE ONE
$17.99 US /
$22.99 CN
This beautiful book and CD set is a tour of 15 lullabies in 10 languages from around the world. The sepia tone photos of breathtaking babies in the book are accompanied by the lullaby lyrics and thoughtful reflections on parenthood. The book also includes space for a parent’s own treasured memories of the time. SLEEP, LITTLE ONE is a perfect ‘new baby’ gift!
From Birth & Up
#1345
ABC & 123 WIPE CLEAN WORKBOOKS
$9.99 US / $12.99 CN
Preschoolers will learn numbers and letters quickly with these two wipe-clean activity books that promote early printing skills and encourage number and letter recognition, sequencing, matching, and observation skills. The wipe-off pages build self-confidence with multiple opportunities for practice and the occasional “do-over”. Plus, each book has over 100 stickers that foster eye-hand coordination and enhance visual discrimination. With engaging activities on every page, and 2 books that siblings can share, ABC & 123 WIPE CLEAN WORKBOOKS are a great addition to the family library!
From 3 Years & Up
#2873 FASHION FRIENDS
$29.99 US / $39.99 CN
Construction toys are widely known to aid in development of logical thinking, sequencing and spatial awareness, key elements for success in math and science. With FASHION FRIENDS, girls will spend hours developing those important skills while enhancing imagination and socialization. Plus, with over 200 possible combinations, girls also internalize the math concept of combination calculation over and over again. The make-up free FASHION FRIENDS offer the big eye look so popular in other dolls but provide an alternative choice to dolls with over-done cosmetics. A convenient plastic storage case and enough pieces for 4 dolls make FASHION FRIENDS a perfect set for siblings and BFF’s!
From 4 Years & Up #3146
FLIP TAC TOE
$19.99 US /
$24.99 CN
It’s tic-tac-toe to the extreme! FLIP TAC TOE combines the strategy of chess with the simplicity of checkers for the 3-in-a-row payoff of the classic. On each turn, you have four options: place one of the foam chips on any open spot; stack a chip; move a chip or stack; or flip a stack over. The game board changes with each move, promoting flexibility and adaptation skills. Plus, conceptualizing moves ahead of time refines strategy and planning skills, while holding multiple game options in your head at the same time expands the brain’s processing power and aids in choice making. A variety of game play options are included for players with different skill levels. Be sure to demo Flip Tac Toe with 1-2 quick games (quicken the game by omitting the “Move” option for playing the chips), and customers will instantly be hooked.
From 6 Years to Adult
Posted by Kenza Bolton, Discovery Toys at 9:53 PM 0 comments
Monday, September 3, 2007
Sneak Peek at Fall Items
Take a look at some of the products that will be coming in the Discovery Toys Fall Line starting September 15th, 2007. You can easily get these products for FREE when you host a fall party with me! Call today to book your Discovery Toys party. 866-891-5056
#1286
JANGLES
$14.99 US
Baby will be captivated with the bright colors and interesting textures of JANGLES, the cute and colorful plush giraffe loaded with activity play. With a tummy that squeaks, feet that rattle or spin, hands with jingling rings or a teether to sooth, JANGLES introduces cause and effect as babies learn their actions produce sound or sensation. The different textures help baby distinguish a variety of sensations and intensity of sensations, important for later differentiating between hard and soft or hot and cold. JANGLES easily attaches to a stroller, backpack or highchair keeping baby’s exploration easily in reach!
From 2 Months - Toddler #3253
SCHOOL DAYS
$24.99 US (on sale for $19.99 through 9/17)
A school days photo frame and memory keeper in 1! Saving and showcasing school memories is easy with the unique, school bus shaped SCHOOL DAYS Album, designed for use as a photo frame. Individual headshots for Preschool through 8th grade are slotted onto the spiral bound front cover, with space for class photos attached inside. The pages include slots to store progress reports and class work as well as space to write in memories. As kids record their personal bios they improve memory recall and communication skills. Children also learn about how they and their world change as they move from one school year to the next.
For Parents
#1530 SUNSHINE MARKET
$24.99 US (on sale for $19.99 through 9/17)
Sort, match, fill and spill with this imaginative market! Fill the shopping cart with fun food shapes and friendly grocers, then sort them by color or match them into shape blocks or the market’s open/close doors. When the fun is done all 12 shape pieces store in the cart inside Sunshine Market.
From 18 months – Preschool
#1287 COUNTDOWN RACER
$39.99 US (on sale for $31.99 through 9/17)
Toddlers get on track for math, reading, language and thinking skills with this rockin’ roadster! It can rev, take off and return. It counts in 7 languages, plays 10 melodies and has 10 musical notes for original toddler tunes. Requires 3 “AA” batteries not included. 12" x 8" (30cm x 20cm).
From 2 years – Preschool#3534
THE BRAIN GAME
$29.99 US (on sale for $23.99 through 9/17)
Fast paced, trivia laced fun for the whole brainy family! Race to the brain answering questions from 7 categories: History, Geography, Science & Nature, Arts, Popular Culture, Sports & Games and No Brainers where the answer is always in the question! A 3-D brain with lights and sound picks your category, you pick the difficulty level. 2-4 players can play a long or short version.
From 9 years to Adult
#1341
GO GO CATERPILLAR
$14.99 US /
$19.99 CN
Whether crawling, waddling or running, toddlers will strengthen gross motor muscles and thinking skills with the colorful easy-to-use GO GO CATERPILLAR. As youngsters discover they can vary the distance traveled by adjusting the force applied down on the caterpillar, they learn cause and effect, trial and error, and predictability. The rattling beads in the wheels provide additional auditory stimulation, and GO GO CATERPILLAR also sports ABC and 123 for early letter and number recognition.
From 9 Months - Toddler
#2277
AHOY, PIRATE PETE
$12.99 US /
$16.99 CN
Similar to our wildly popular ONCE UPON A TIME title, AHOY, PIRATE PETE is a change-the-story book that encourages creative storytelling, language and imagination development as children select the direction the story takes on every page. The many different story possibilities keep the book fresh and new, retaining the interest of both the child and parent! Slipping the die-cut pieces into the designated slots on each page exercises fine motor skills, and those die-cut pieces can also be used to make up new stories outside the book. Story time can become a family adventure as family members each have a turn choosing the outcome on the different pages!
From 4 Years & Up
#2073
TECNO®
$29.99 US /
$39.99 CN
TECNO® is creative tool play that appeals to both boys and girls AND extends across a wide age span. Younger kids will enjoy experimenting with the 4 included tools to tighten or loosen the assortment of screws and bolts, refining their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination in the process. Older children can express and develop their creativity by constructing one of the 2-dimensional designs shown in the included booklet or design their own. And then, with the special L-shaped brackets, they can build up, producing 3-dimensional creations, fostering skill in spatial relationships. The portable storage case doubles as a building base and stores all 80 pieces.
From 4 Years & Up #3144
QUICK CALL
$12.99 US /
$16.99 CN
QUICK CALL is a fun, fast-paced, category card game for the whole family. In this easy to play game, a common card is revealed. Everyone looks through their personal card stack to find 2 more cards that have something in common with that card. But you need to QUICK CALL the common attribute before anyone else: they’re all sports; or they’re cold; they all have pockets. Keeping multiple attributes in mind at one time boosts brain processing power and aids in memory recall. As children try to link the objects by attributes, they enhance their ability to categorize and to understand the relation of parts to wholes. And as young players learn objects can be described by more than one attribute, they enhance creative thinking and vocabulary skills.
From 6 Years to Adult
Playskool Joins the Discovery Toys Family
Starting September 15th, a name you know and trust, PLAYSKOOL, will be a part of the 50 new products that will be in the Discovery Toys Fall Line of products. Playskool was founded nearly 80 years ago by two schoolteachers who were searching for toys that could help their children more easily grasp early learning concepts--the very idea that learning and discovery come naturally through various play experiences.
Better Kid Care: Play is the Buiness of kids!
BETTER KID CARE: PLAY IS THE BUSINESS OF KIDS
Better Kid Care Project
Pennsylvania State University Cooperative Extension
Copyright/Access Information
Table of Contents
The Importance of PlayM
From Birth to...
Play Is Fun
The Home
Young Children's Play and Toys
Types of Play
Toys
A Short Course On Play And Playthings
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE IMPORTANCE OF PLAY
From an Adult Viewpoint....
It often seems that all children do is play! They play until they are five or six, then they go off to school and start to learn. They play until they are big enough to really begin to do things. So it seems to grown-ups.
From a Child's Viewpoint....
Play takes on a very different meaning. Play to a child IS learning! They learn to play and play to learn. Play is terribly important to a child. It is not a distraction. It's not something they do to take up time. It's the child's life.
At birth the infant is a pioneer setting forth to explore a very new and very strange place. She does not know how the world works. She does not know that when you drop something it goes down, that balls roll, or that things far away look smaller than they really are. Infants are born beginners in life. They have to set about learning everything! And learning everything about everything!!
Not only does the newborn not know these worldly things, she doesn't know that she can learn to do the things she needs to do to get along in the world. She doesn't know that she can learn to turn over, sit up, walk, feed herself, dress herself, ride a bike, be a friend, or even talk.
But she does learn all these things - and she learns them in the four or five years before she goes to school.
We know that the young child learns more sheer practical knowledge during the early years than at any other time in life. In these early years, the young child is finding out what the world is like. She is exploring her abilities to cope with it.
FROM BIRTH TO....
The young child sets out to meet her needs, to explore and do. At birth her five senses are working. At first she has little muscular control over her body. By the end of the first year she has begun to coordinate the use of her eyes and hands and will soon be able to go everywhere on her own two feet.
The young child is curious, and that curiosity is never satisfied. She throws herself into the business of learning. Through her experiences with things, she learns the nature of common materials. She works at doing simple things. She "tries out" and "tries on" much of what she sees and hears in make-believe play. She makes the learning a part of herself.
By the time a child is five or so years old, if all has gone well, she is on first-person, first-hand terms with her immediate surroundings. She knows what common things are like, what they will do, and what she can do with them. She has learned these lessons in the best possible way - through play.
PLAY IS FUN
It is also vitally important. She must learn if she is to grow and thrive.
Young children do not learn in the same manner as older children do. Young children learn by actual contact with real objects, events, and people. (That's why field trips, outdoor play, and other exciting activities are so important.)
A child learns by involving himself, all of himself, in exploring, discovering, repeating, and by continually adapting what he sees into his daily life. He learns to talk by learning the name of the object he holds in his hand, and describing the activity he is engaged in.
The young child is not yet prepared to learn by words alone. The child does not learn by explanations or descriptions of things that are far off in time or space. She is learning words, their uses and meaning in the situation at hand. Because the young child can repeat words so easily, it is easy to be fooled into thinking that she understands what she is talking about. It is easy to be fooled into thinking that the young child has grasped the meaning behind the words.
We need only try to read a page of words in a foreign language to realize that words alone do not have meanings. Someone once said that words are like empty cups. It is only through varied, first-person real life experience that words are filled with meaning for the young child.
THE HOME
The home, your child care home, affects the child, her play and her learning. For play to result in good learning, the child must first participate in the varied life going on around her, and then she must have a chance to try out what she learned for herself.
YOUNG CHILDREN'S PLAY AND TOYS
"Let's go play!" "What can we play?" "Come on out and play!" These are some of the familiar and frequent cries of children. It seems impossible to think about childhood or young children without also thinking about play. Play and playing are vital parts of children's lives. For children, play is life itself.
Through play, children learn how to learn and how to do things. Play is learning, trying, being, and feeling. Children learn many things about themselves, others, and the world through play. They learn concepts, relationships, cause and effect, sizes, colors, textures, feelings, emotions, sensations, sounds, symbols, and language among other things.
Play is not something that children do just because they don't have anything better to do. Play isn't just taking up time or filling the endless hours of childhood with meaningless activities that keep kids from bothering adults.
TYPES OF PLAY
Children's play behavior can be grouped into a few categories or types and is related to the materials and tools of play. These categories often overlap and are highly interrelated. Any given play behavior could fall into several play types. For example:
QUIET PLAY
Quiet play is likely to be encouraged by picture books, bead-stringing, pegboards, puzzles, doll play, coloring with crayons, etc.
CREATIVE PLAY
Creativity has a broad meaning and play of this nature includes many things, such as painting, drawing, problem solving, music, dancing, getting along with others, play dough, sand, collage, the use of imagination, etc.
ACTIVE PLAY
Active play can be stimulated by the use of balls, slides, swings, push-pull toys, sand and water play, games, crates and blocks, riding tikes and bikes, running around, climbing trees, and the use of indoor materials like rhythm band, bean bag toss, "dress-up" clothes, cars and trucks, etc.
COOPERATIVE PLAY
Play that requires more than one person, such as ball games, tag, see-saws, playing dolls or house, block building, some swings, hide and seek, etc.
DRAMATIC PLAY
Dramatic and creative play may also be called social play. In this type of play, children try out different kinds of life roles, occupations, and activities, such as firefighter, actor, actress, mother, dad, astronaut, dancer, singer, farmer, doctor, nurse, soldier, etc. This play may be done quietly or actively, alone or with others, such as playing with dolls or action figures.
MANIPULATIVE PLAY
Play that involves the use of hands, muscles, and eyes. It helps to develop coordination and a wide variety of skills. Playing with puzzles, crayons, painting, cutting with scissors, stringing beads, the use of tools, block building, dolls, and trucks are examples.
TOYS
There is an almost endless variety of products and toys designed for children. Some of these products are good and some are harmful. But how do you know which is which? The main idea is to try to "pick the right toy for the right child at the right time." Here are a few suggestions that you may find helpful.
CHARACTERISTICS OF SUITABLE TOYS
Ask yourself these questions:
ARE THEY SAFE?
There is no absolute safety against accident or injury, but reasonable precaution should be used. Toys should be selected with great care. Any toy can be unsafe if given to the wrong child, to a child at the wrong age, or when it is misused. A child's safety depends upon the types of toys selected, the way they are maintained and the amount of safe handling taught and practiced in the home.
ARE THEY DURABLE?
Toys are going to be used, mauled, hugged, dropped, thrown, stood on, chewed on, washed, dried, etc., so they need to stand up under normal wear and tear.
ARE THEY APPROPRIATE TO THE AGE OF THE CHILD?
A toy should be selected according to the unique and individual needs, abilities, physical, and emotional characteristics of the child. But, the child should be able to use the toy today! One doesn't buy a twowheel bicycle for a toddler or a crib mobile for a schoolage child. Many toys should allow for growth, such as blocks, which can be used in many different ways over a long period of time.
DO THEY WORK?
Do they do what they are supposed to do? Nothing causes loss of interest as readily as a toy that fails to perform. It often results in frustration, anger, and discouragement .
DO THEY CAPTURE THE CHILD'S INTEREST?
One doesn't have to coax, force or trick a child into playing with a good toy. The play is spontaneous. It should reflect the child's, not the adult's, interests. Toys which can be used for a variety of purposes keep the child's interest longer than those with only one use.
ARE THEY FUN?
That is, are they fun from the child's point of view? Are they for enjoyment now? Can they be used at various ages?
DO THEY STIMULATE CREATIVE ACTIVITY?
Can the toys offer problem-solving opportunities? Do they leave room for imagination? Imagination isn't only concerned with unreal things, but also with reality, and it involves planning, ideas, and creating. Do they teach new skills?
DO THEY INVOLVE INTERACTION WITH OTHERS?
Must the child play alone with the toys or can others such as peers, siblings or adults be involved too?
CAN THEY BE KEPT CLEAN EASILY?
Rag dolls, animals and the like should be the kind which can be washed or scrubbed, or at least have removable clothes which should be laundered often.
ARE THEY ARTISTIC IN COLOR, FORM, AND EXPRESSION?
Avoid ugly or grotesque figures and toys that make harsh, jangling noises.
CHARACTERISTICS OF UNSUITABLE TOYS
Ask yourself these questions:
ARE THEY UNSAFE?
Unsafe toys have one or more of these characteristics: sharp corners, edges, and protrusions; shoot objects; are flammable; have easily lost or broken parts; toxic paint; are poorly constructed; might give an electrical shock; use glass instead of plastic in toy car, truck, or airplane windows, etc.; have detachable parts, like button eyes, that can be put into mouth, ears, nose; have fluffy trimmings that can be pulled or torn off and put into the mouth; are stuffed with toxic or non-hygienic material.
DO THEY OFFER LITTLE OR NO CHANCE OF INTERACTION?
Wind-up or automated toys are a good example. They are poor toys because the child cannot direct the action. Wind-up or automated toys have a life of their own. They go through the same tricks or movements over and over again. Plus, they are often complicated, delicate, easily broken, unrepairable, dangerous, expensive and tend to foster spectator behavior rather than participation and activity.
ARE THEY TOO MATURE FOR A CERTAIN CHILD?
DO THEY APPEAR TO CONTRIBUTE TO MISBEHAVIOR, STIMULATE TOO MUCH EXCITEMENT, AGGRESSION, OR DANGEROUS PLAY?
DO THEY FOSTER VALUES YOU AND THE CHILDREN'S PARENTS DO NOT UPHOLD?
DO THEY CAUSE ANGER AND/OR FRUSTRATION?
DO THEY COST TOO MUCH?
What should be done if a dangerous or unsafe toy is found on the store shelf ? It seems logical that no one would intentionally buy and give to a child a dangerous or unsafe toy. Yet it happens because unsafe and dangerous toys and products still appear in stores.
Here are a few suggestions on how to deal with that situation:
Don't buy it.
Bring it to the attention of the store manager, in a straightforward manner. Make your ideas and opinions clear so the manager understands your point of view. You are a professional caregiver. Believe in yourself and your beliefs.
CHILDREN'S PLAY TOOLS: TOYS
Children of all ages play in many ways with an endless variety of "toys." There is no all-inclusive list of toys or the ways that children play with them. One has only to watch a child at play to realize that well-chosen toys are important to early and healthy development.
Play materials may be divided into a number of groups:
TOYS FOR PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT :
wagon to steer and coast; brooms and shovels; small, but strong garden tools; balls; planks; jump ropes; scooters and tricycles; boxes, ladders, and boards; knock-out bench; and puzzles
TOYS FOR SENSE DEVELOPMENT (touching, hearing, seeing, smelling, or tasting):
water toys, bubble pipes, musical instruments, toy piano, xylophones, sand toys, pegboards, large wooden beads and string, puzzles
TOYS FOR CREATIVE WORK:
clay or crayons and paints, colored paper, children's safety scissors, paste
TOYS FOR MAKE-BELIEVE AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT :
dolls with washable clothes, adult "dress-up" clothes, cars and airplanes, broom, sweeper, mop, dishes, play-store toys
TOYS TO BE USED FOR BUILDING:
blocks, boards, boxes
A SHORT COURSE ON PLAY AND PLAYTHINGS
adapted from Irene Lee
[The following information has been altered from its original format so that it can be distributed electronically. The original chart lists the SKILLS ASSOCIATED WITH PLAY, APPROPRIATE PLAYTHINGS, and WHAT CAREGIVERS CAN DO for each of the age levels.]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHILD'S AGE LEVEL: 0 - 18 MONTHS
PERCEPTION: mobiles - hung over the crib about a foot from the baby's eye level, small fish tank placed near the crib, posters - pasted on the ceiling or walls, music boxes, wind chimes, toy mirrors
MANIPULATION OF OBJECTS (mouth play and hand play): rattles, pounding and stacking toys, squeeze toys, teething toys, spoon in cup, floating tub toys, picture blocks, string of BIG beads, stuffed animals, balls
EXPLORATION (pushing buttons and pulling levers): crib-gym exercises, push-pull toys, small take-apart toys, pots and pans
SPACIAL RELATIONSHIPS, SHAPES AND SIZES: nested boxes or cups, blocks, large puzzles, plastic containers of different sizes
COGNITION: books with rhymes, pictures, jingles, records, musical and chime toys
LOCOMOTION: set of building blocks, large dolls, toys to crawl after, pounding toys
WHAT CAREGIVERS CAN DO
Be available to play.
Respond to baby's sounds.
Smile at the baby. Let baby play with your fingers.
Talk with baby.
Play "pat-a-cake" and catch games.
Play "peek-a-boo," "bye-bye," and hiding games.
Make faces in a mirror.
Sing to baby.
Play at "losing" and finding things.
Name objects as you give them to the baby.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHILD'S AGE LEVEL: 18 MONTHS - 3 YEARS
GROSS MOTOR: first tricycle, wagon to get into, rocking horse, large balls, outdoor play equipment, push-pull toys
FINE MOTOR: weaving sets, art materials, peg boards, clothes pins for tossing into an open pan, large balls, wheel barrows, sandbox toys, blocks of different shapes and sizes
EXPLORATION: sandbox, child-size play furniture, play appliances and utensils, handmade materials, doll furniture, large packing boxes for climbing in and out
SYMBOLIC REPRESENTATION: simple dress-up clothes, stuffed animals dolls, tea sets
PROBLEM SOLVING: various size boxes, simple puzzles, games, stringing large beads, take-apart toys with parts that snap together, construction toys that snap together
CREATIVITY: clay and modeling dough, blocks, large crayons, non-electric trains, blackboard and chalk, simple musical instruments, finger paints, safety scissors, paper and pencils
LANGUAGE: picture books, children's magazines, tapes of stories
WHAT CAREGIVERS CAN DO
Pretend-play (create a traffic jam with a toy car).
Play tag, bounce, catch, and empty-fill games.
Hide things; "lose" things, and let children hide things from you.
Build something with blocks.
Play "guess what it is."
Tell stories and let children supply missing words.
Reverse roles (you be the child; child be the caregiver).
Play follow-the-leader.
Play guessing games.
Act out stories.
Let children imitate your activities (such as washing dishes and cleaning house).
Notice the child's play and praise efforts.
Help children to classify objects.
Sing to children.
Go on field trips in the backyard.
Take children to library.
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CHILD'S AGE LEVEL: 3 - 6 YEARS
SOCIAL AND INTELLECTUAL: additional dress-up outfits, bathing and feeding doll, puppets and theaters, store-keeping toys, toy phone and toy clock, playhouses, housekeeping toys, toy soldiers, dolls for dressing and undressing, large puzzles, outdoor play equipment, board games
PROBLEM SOLVING: farm, village, and other play sets, small trucks, cars, planes, and boats; beads, blocks, buttons, peg board, simple construction sets, housekeeping toys, trains, race car sets, balls
FORM AND SPACIAL RELATIONSHIPS: simple puzzles, set of plastic measuring cups, large tricycles, sleds, cookie cutters, wagons, scooters, swings, backyard gym sets and jungle gyms, empty cardboard boxes, seesaws, monkey bars, rope swings
CREATIVITY: crayons, children's safety scissors, finger paints, clay, sketch pads, paste, rhythm instruments
LANGUAGE: story books, books on cassette tapes, radio, TV
WHAT CAREGIVERS CAN DO
Reverse roles.
Make-believe telephone conversations.
Play hide-and-seek.
Improvise characters doing routine things.
Practice motor skills with card and board games.
Play games of courage.
Play "counting" and "number" games.
Provide children with the materials and environment needed for good, healthy play.
Do gymnastics.
Mimic animals and people.
Use hand puppets with different voices.
Listen to and talk about dreams.
Tell "what-if' stories.
Act out fairy tales.
Read to the children.
Teach children to identify different sizes and shapes with cookie cutters and baking pans.
Play "matching" games.
Describe activities that are taking place while you are doing household chores.
Encourage children to create stories while looking through books and magazines.
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CHILD'S AGE LEVEL: 6 - 9 YEARS
SOCIAL: board games, tabletop sport games, organized sports, hobby kits, kites, balls, skates, bikes
INTELLECTUAL: dolls, toy typewriter, printing set, racing car, construction sets, science and craft kits, handicrafts, sports and hobbies, books, tapes, puzzles
SPACIAL RELATIONSHIPS (moving confidently through space): large bicycles, ice and roller skates, pogo stick, scooter
CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING: costumes, doll houses, play villages, miniature people and vehicles, magic sets, art materials
WHAT CAREGIVERS CAN DO
Be observant of children's play.
Ask "What did it look like?" and "What did it feel like?"
Play make-believe games.
Build things.
Play competitively at games and play situations.
Improvise imaginary characters and play situations.
Play theater and puppet dramas.
Encourage creative writing and poetry.
Play work games.
Attach names to objects.
Play sandlot sports.
Tell jokes and riddles.
Read to the children.
Let the children read to you.
Help children to organize and clarify things.
Take children to the library.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHILD'S AGE LEVEL: 9 - 12 Years
PHYSICAL AND INTELLECTUAL: model kits, crafts, bicycles, rubber horseshoes, pogo sticks, ice and roller skates, grooming and housekeeping toys, rope, ladders, stilts, rackets, chemistry and other science kits, frisbees, magic sets, advanced construction sets and handicraft kits, toy models, puzzles, basketball equipment, building sets, jigsaw puzzles, books, tool benches, computers
SOCIAL: card and board games, checkers and chess, table tennis and billiards, sport toys and games, bats, balls, team sports
CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING: puppets and marionettes, drawing sets, workshop tools, costumes, action and career dolls
EXPLORATION: compasses, magnifying glasses, microscopes and telescopes, magnets, bicycles
WHAT CAREGIVERS CAN DO
Play skill games.
Be a referee.
Pose riddles.
Teach magic tricks.
Indulge in nonsense.
Play vehicle games. Ride together on bicycles.
Jump rope together. Build things together. Improvise exaggerated characters.
Play guessing games.
Play make-believe, like going shopping or building something.
Encourage hobbies such as stamp, rock, or coin collecting.
Ask questions.
Play sports.
Call attention to qualities, similarities, and differences.
Read to the children.
Be flexible.
Do science projects.
Grow things - flowers, vegetables.
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DOCUMENT USE/COPYRIGHT
National Network for Child Care - NNCC. Part of CYFERNET, the National Extension Service
Children Youth and Family Educational Research Network. Permission is granted to reproduce
these materials in whole or in part for educational purposes only (not for profit beyond the cost of
reproduction) provided that the author and Network receive acknowledgment and this notice is
included:
Reprinted with permission from the National Network for Child Care - NNCC. (1994). Play is the business of kids. In *Better Kid Care: A video learn-at-home unit* (pp. 3-18). University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State University Cooperative Extension.
Any additions or changes to these materials must be preapproved by the author .
COPYRIGHT PERMISSION ACCESS
Better Kid Care Learn-at-Home Video Project
Penn State University
305 Armsby Building
University Park, PA 16802
FAX:: (814) 865-3746
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203-672-0681
Better Kid Care Project
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Copyright/Access Information
Table of Contents
The Importance of PlayM
From Birth to...
Play Is Fun
The Home
Young Children's Play and Toys
Types of Play
Toys
A Short Course On Play And Playthings
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE IMPORTANCE OF PLAY
From an Adult Viewpoint....
It often seems that all children do is play! They play until they are five or six, then they go off to school and start to learn. They play until they are big enough to really begin to do things. So it seems to grown-ups.
From a Child's Viewpoint....
Play takes on a very different meaning. Play to a child IS learning! They learn to play and play to learn. Play is terribly important to a child. It is not a distraction. It's not something they do to take up time. It's the child's life.
At birth the infant is a pioneer setting forth to explore a very new and very strange place. She does not know how the world works. She does not know that when you drop something it goes down, that balls roll, or that things far away look smaller than they really are. Infants are born beginners in life. They have to set about learning everything! And learning everything about everything!!
Not only does the newborn not know these worldly things, she doesn't know that she can learn to do the things she needs to do to get along in the world. She doesn't know that she can learn to turn over, sit up, walk, feed herself, dress herself, ride a bike, be a friend, or even talk.
But she does learn all these things - and she learns them in the four or five years before she goes to school.
We know that the young child learns more sheer practical knowledge during the early years than at any other time in life. In these early years, the young child is finding out what the world is like. She is exploring her abilities to cope with it.
FROM BIRTH TO....
The young child sets out to meet her needs, to explore and do. At birth her five senses are working. At first she has little muscular control over her body. By the end of the first year she has begun to coordinate the use of her eyes and hands and will soon be able to go everywhere on her own two feet.
The young child is curious, and that curiosity is never satisfied. She throws herself into the business of learning. Through her experiences with things, she learns the nature of common materials. She works at doing simple things. She "tries out" and "tries on" much of what she sees and hears in make-believe play. She makes the learning a part of herself.
By the time a child is five or so years old, if all has gone well, she is on first-person, first-hand terms with her immediate surroundings. She knows what common things are like, what they will do, and what she can do with them. She has learned these lessons in the best possible way - through play.
PLAY IS FUN
It is also vitally important. She must learn if she is to grow and thrive.
Young children do not learn in the same manner as older children do. Young children learn by actual contact with real objects, events, and people. (That's why field trips, outdoor play, and other exciting activities are so important.)
A child learns by involving himself, all of himself, in exploring, discovering, repeating, and by continually adapting what he sees into his daily life. He learns to talk by learning the name of the object he holds in his hand, and describing the activity he is engaged in.
The young child is not yet prepared to learn by words alone. The child does not learn by explanations or descriptions of things that are far off in time or space. She is learning words, their uses and meaning in the situation at hand. Because the young child can repeat words so easily, it is easy to be fooled into thinking that she understands what she is talking about. It is easy to be fooled into thinking that the young child has grasped the meaning behind the words.
We need only try to read a page of words in a foreign language to realize that words alone do not have meanings. Someone once said that words are like empty cups. It is only through varied, first-person real life experience that words are filled with meaning for the young child.
THE HOME
The home, your child care home, affects the child, her play and her learning. For play to result in good learning, the child must first participate in the varied life going on around her, and then she must have a chance to try out what she learned for herself.
YOUNG CHILDREN'S PLAY AND TOYS
"Let's go play!" "What can we play?" "Come on out and play!" These are some of the familiar and frequent cries of children. It seems impossible to think about childhood or young children without also thinking about play. Play and playing are vital parts of children's lives. For children, play is life itself.
Through play, children learn how to learn and how to do things. Play is learning, trying, being, and feeling. Children learn many things about themselves, others, and the world through play. They learn concepts, relationships, cause and effect, sizes, colors, textures, feelings, emotions, sensations, sounds, symbols, and language among other things.
Play is not something that children do just because they don't have anything better to do. Play isn't just taking up time or filling the endless hours of childhood with meaningless activities that keep kids from bothering adults.
TYPES OF PLAY
Children's play behavior can be grouped into a few categories or types and is related to the materials and tools of play. These categories often overlap and are highly interrelated. Any given play behavior could fall into several play types. For example:
QUIET PLAY
Quiet play is likely to be encouraged by picture books, bead-stringing, pegboards, puzzles, doll play, coloring with crayons, etc.
CREATIVE PLAY
Creativity has a broad meaning and play of this nature includes many things, such as painting, drawing, problem solving, music, dancing, getting along with others, play dough, sand, collage, the use of imagination, etc.
ACTIVE PLAY
Active play can be stimulated by the use of balls, slides, swings, push-pull toys, sand and water play, games, crates and blocks, riding tikes and bikes, running around, climbing trees, and the use of indoor materials like rhythm band, bean bag toss, "dress-up" clothes, cars and trucks, etc.
COOPERATIVE PLAY
Play that requires more than one person, such as ball games, tag, see-saws, playing dolls or house, block building, some swings, hide and seek, etc.
DRAMATIC PLAY
Dramatic and creative play may also be called social play. In this type of play, children try out different kinds of life roles, occupations, and activities, such as firefighter, actor, actress, mother, dad, astronaut, dancer, singer, farmer, doctor, nurse, soldier, etc. This play may be done quietly or actively, alone or with others, such as playing with dolls or action figures.
MANIPULATIVE PLAY
Play that involves the use of hands, muscles, and eyes. It helps to develop coordination and a wide variety of skills. Playing with puzzles, crayons, painting, cutting with scissors, stringing beads, the use of tools, block building, dolls, and trucks are examples.
TOYS
There is an almost endless variety of products and toys designed for children. Some of these products are good and some are harmful. But how do you know which is which? The main idea is to try to "pick the right toy for the right child at the right time." Here are a few suggestions that you may find helpful.
CHARACTERISTICS OF SUITABLE TOYS
Ask yourself these questions:
ARE THEY SAFE?
There is no absolute safety against accident or injury, but reasonable precaution should be used. Toys should be selected with great care. Any toy can be unsafe if given to the wrong child, to a child at the wrong age, or when it is misused. A child's safety depends upon the types of toys selected, the way they are maintained and the amount of safe handling taught and practiced in the home.
ARE THEY DURABLE?
Toys are going to be used, mauled, hugged, dropped, thrown, stood on, chewed on, washed, dried, etc., so they need to stand up under normal wear and tear.
ARE THEY APPROPRIATE TO THE AGE OF THE CHILD?
A toy should be selected according to the unique and individual needs, abilities, physical, and emotional characteristics of the child. But, the child should be able to use the toy today! One doesn't buy a twowheel bicycle for a toddler or a crib mobile for a schoolage child. Many toys should allow for growth, such as blocks, which can be used in many different ways over a long period of time.
DO THEY WORK?
Do they do what they are supposed to do? Nothing causes loss of interest as readily as a toy that fails to perform. It often results in frustration, anger, and discouragement .
DO THEY CAPTURE THE CHILD'S INTEREST?
One doesn't have to coax, force or trick a child into playing with a good toy. The play is spontaneous. It should reflect the child's, not the adult's, interests. Toys which can be used for a variety of purposes keep the child's interest longer than those with only one use.
ARE THEY FUN?
That is, are they fun from the child's point of view? Are they for enjoyment now? Can they be used at various ages?
DO THEY STIMULATE CREATIVE ACTIVITY?
Can the toys offer problem-solving opportunities? Do they leave room for imagination? Imagination isn't only concerned with unreal things, but also with reality, and it involves planning, ideas, and creating. Do they teach new skills?
DO THEY INVOLVE INTERACTION WITH OTHERS?
Must the child play alone with the toys or can others such as peers, siblings or adults be involved too?
CAN THEY BE KEPT CLEAN EASILY?
Rag dolls, animals and the like should be the kind which can be washed or scrubbed, or at least have removable clothes which should be laundered often.
ARE THEY ARTISTIC IN COLOR, FORM, AND EXPRESSION?
Avoid ugly or grotesque figures and toys that make harsh, jangling noises.
CHARACTERISTICS OF UNSUITABLE TOYS
Ask yourself these questions:
ARE THEY UNSAFE?
Unsafe toys have one or more of these characteristics: sharp corners, edges, and protrusions; shoot objects; are flammable; have easily lost or broken parts; toxic paint; are poorly constructed; might give an electrical shock; use glass instead of plastic in toy car, truck, or airplane windows, etc.; have detachable parts, like button eyes, that can be put into mouth, ears, nose; have fluffy trimmings that can be pulled or torn off and put into the mouth; are stuffed with toxic or non-hygienic material.
DO THEY OFFER LITTLE OR NO CHANCE OF INTERACTION?
Wind-up or automated toys are a good example. They are poor toys because the child cannot direct the action. Wind-up or automated toys have a life of their own. They go through the same tricks or movements over and over again. Plus, they are often complicated, delicate, easily broken, unrepairable, dangerous, expensive and tend to foster spectator behavior rather than participation and activity.
ARE THEY TOO MATURE FOR A CERTAIN CHILD?
DO THEY APPEAR TO CONTRIBUTE TO MISBEHAVIOR, STIMULATE TOO MUCH EXCITEMENT, AGGRESSION, OR DANGEROUS PLAY?
DO THEY FOSTER VALUES YOU AND THE CHILDREN'S PARENTS DO NOT UPHOLD?
DO THEY CAUSE ANGER AND/OR FRUSTRATION?
DO THEY COST TOO MUCH?
What should be done if a dangerous or unsafe toy is found on the store shelf ? It seems logical that no one would intentionally buy and give to a child a dangerous or unsafe toy. Yet it happens because unsafe and dangerous toys and products still appear in stores.
Here are a few suggestions on how to deal with that situation:
Don't buy it.
Bring it to the attention of the store manager, in a straightforward manner. Make your ideas and opinions clear so the manager understands your point of view. You are a professional caregiver. Believe in yourself and your beliefs.
CHILDREN'S PLAY TOOLS: TOYS
Children of all ages play in many ways with an endless variety of "toys." There is no all-inclusive list of toys or the ways that children play with them. One has only to watch a child at play to realize that well-chosen toys are important to early and healthy development.
Play materials may be divided into a number of groups:
TOYS FOR PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT :
wagon to steer and coast; brooms and shovels; small, but strong garden tools; balls; planks; jump ropes; scooters and tricycles; boxes, ladders, and boards; knock-out bench; and puzzles
TOYS FOR SENSE DEVELOPMENT (touching, hearing, seeing, smelling, or tasting):
water toys, bubble pipes, musical instruments, toy piano, xylophones, sand toys, pegboards, large wooden beads and string, puzzles
TOYS FOR CREATIVE WORK:
clay or crayons and paints, colored paper, children's safety scissors, paste
TOYS FOR MAKE-BELIEVE AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT :
dolls with washable clothes, adult "dress-up" clothes, cars and airplanes, broom, sweeper, mop, dishes, play-store toys
TOYS TO BE USED FOR BUILDING:
blocks, boards, boxes
A SHORT COURSE ON PLAY AND PLAYTHINGS
adapted from Irene Lee
[The following information has been altered from its original format so that it can be distributed electronically. The original chart lists the SKILLS ASSOCIATED WITH PLAY, APPROPRIATE PLAYTHINGS, and WHAT CAREGIVERS CAN DO for each of the age levels.]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHILD'S AGE LEVEL: 0 - 18 MONTHS
PERCEPTION: mobiles - hung over the crib about a foot from the baby's eye level, small fish tank placed near the crib, posters - pasted on the ceiling or walls, music boxes, wind chimes, toy mirrors
MANIPULATION OF OBJECTS (mouth play and hand play): rattles, pounding and stacking toys, squeeze toys, teething toys, spoon in cup, floating tub toys, picture blocks, string of BIG beads, stuffed animals, balls
EXPLORATION (pushing buttons and pulling levers): crib-gym exercises, push-pull toys, small take-apart toys, pots and pans
SPACIAL RELATIONSHIPS, SHAPES AND SIZES: nested boxes or cups, blocks, large puzzles, plastic containers of different sizes
COGNITION: books with rhymes, pictures, jingles, records, musical and chime toys
LOCOMOTION: set of building blocks, large dolls, toys to crawl after, pounding toys
WHAT CAREGIVERS CAN DO
Be available to play.
Respond to baby's sounds.
Smile at the baby. Let baby play with your fingers.
Talk with baby.
Play "pat-a-cake" and catch games.
Play "peek-a-boo," "bye-bye," and hiding games.
Make faces in a mirror.
Sing to baby.
Play at "losing" and finding things.
Name objects as you give them to the baby.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHILD'S AGE LEVEL: 18 MONTHS - 3 YEARS
GROSS MOTOR: first tricycle, wagon to get into, rocking horse, large balls, outdoor play equipment, push-pull toys
FINE MOTOR: weaving sets, art materials, peg boards, clothes pins for tossing into an open pan, large balls, wheel barrows, sandbox toys, blocks of different shapes and sizes
EXPLORATION: sandbox, child-size play furniture, play appliances and utensils, handmade materials, doll furniture, large packing boxes for climbing in and out
SYMBOLIC REPRESENTATION: simple dress-up clothes, stuffed animals dolls, tea sets
PROBLEM SOLVING: various size boxes, simple puzzles, games, stringing large beads, take-apart toys with parts that snap together, construction toys that snap together
CREATIVITY: clay and modeling dough, blocks, large crayons, non-electric trains, blackboard and chalk, simple musical instruments, finger paints, safety scissors, paper and pencils
LANGUAGE: picture books, children's magazines, tapes of stories
WHAT CAREGIVERS CAN DO
Pretend-play (create a traffic jam with a toy car).
Play tag, bounce, catch, and empty-fill games.
Hide things; "lose" things, and let children hide things from you.
Build something with blocks.
Play "guess what it is."
Tell stories and let children supply missing words.
Reverse roles (you be the child; child be the caregiver).
Play follow-the-leader.
Play guessing games.
Act out stories.
Let children imitate your activities (such as washing dishes and cleaning house).
Notice the child's play and praise efforts.
Help children to classify objects.
Sing to children.
Go on field trips in the backyard.
Take children to library.
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CHILD'S AGE LEVEL: 3 - 6 YEARS
SOCIAL AND INTELLECTUAL: additional dress-up outfits, bathing and feeding doll, puppets and theaters, store-keeping toys, toy phone and toy clock, playhouses, housekeeping toys, toy soldiers, dolls for dressing and undressing, large puzzles, outdoor play equipment, board games
PROBLEM SOLVING: farm, village, and other play sets, small trucks, cars, planes, and boats; beads, blocks, buttons, peg board, simple construction sets, housekeeping toys, trains, race car sets, balls
FORM AND SPACIAL RELATIONSHIPS: simple puzzles, set of plastic measuring cups, large tricycles, sleds, cookie cutters, wagons, scooters, swings, backyard gym sets and jungle gyms, empty cardboard boxes, seesaws, monkey bars, rope swings
CREATIVITY: crayons, children's safety scissors, finger paints, clay, sketch pads, paste, rhythm instruments
LANGUAGE: story books, books on cassette tapes, radio, TV
WHAT CAREGIVERS CAN DO
Reverse roles.
Make-believe telephone conversations.
Play hide-and-seek.
Improvise characters doing routine things.
Practice motor skills with card and board games.
Play games of courage.
Play "counting" and "number" games.
Provide children with the materials and environment needed for good, healthy play.
Do gymnastics.
Mimic animals and people.
Use hand puppets with different voices.
Listen to and talk about dreams.
Tell "what-if' stories.
Act out fairy tales.
Read to the children.
Teach children to identify different sizes and shapes with cookie cutters and baking pans.
Play "matching" games.
Describe activities that are taking place while you are doing household chores.
Encourage children to create stories while looking through books and magazines.
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CHILD'S AGE LEVEL: 6 - 9 YEARS
SOCIAL: board games, tabletop sport games, organized sports, hobby kits, kites, balls, skates, bikes
INTELLECTUAL: dolls, toy typewriter, printing set, racing car, construction sets, science and craft kits, handicrafts, sports and hobbies, books, tapes, puzzles
SPACIAL RELATIONSHIPS (moving confidently through space): large bicycles, ice and roller skates, pogo stick, scooter
CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING: costumes, doll houses, play villages, miniature people and vehicles, magic sets, art materials
WHAT CAREGIVERS CAN DO
Be observant of children's play.
Ask "What did it look like?" and "What did it feel like?"
Play make-believe games.
Build things.
Play competitively at games and play situations.
Improvise imaginary characters and play situations.
Play theater and puppet dramas.
Encourage creative writing and poetry.
Play work games.
Attach names to objects.
Play sandlot sports.
Tell jokes and riddles.
Read to the children.
Let the children read to you.
Help children to organize and clarify things.
Take children to the library.
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CHILD'S AGE LEVEL: 9 - 12 Years
PHYSICAL AND INTELLECTUAL: model kits, crafts, bicycles, rubber horseshoes, pogo sticks, ice and roller skates, grooming and housekeeping toys, rope, ladders, stilts, rackets, chemistry and other science kits, frisbees, magic sets, advanced construction sets and handicraft kits, toy models, puzzles, basketball equipment, building sets, jigsaw puzzles, books, tool benches, computers
SOCIAL: card and board games, checkers and chess, table tennis and billiards, sport toys and games, bats, balls, team sports
CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING: puppets and marionettes, drawing sets, workshop tools, costumes, action and career dolls
EXPLORATION: compasses, magnifying glasses, microscopes and telescopes, magnets, bicycles
WHAT CAREGIVERS CAN DO
Play skill games.
Be a referee.
Pose riddles.
Teach magic tricks.
Indulge in nonsense.
Play vehicle games. Ride together on bicycles.
Jump rope together. Build things together. Improvise exaggerated characters.
Play guessing games.
Play make-believe, like going shopping or building something.
Encourage hobbies such as stamp, rock, or coin collecting.
Ask questions.
Play sports.
Call attention to qualities, similarities, and differences.
Read to the children.
Be flexible.
Do science projects.
Grow things - flowers, vegetables.
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DOCUMENT USE/COPYRIGHT
National Network for Child Care - NNCC. Part of CYFERNET, the National Extension Service
Children Youth and Family Educational Research Network. Permission is granted to reproduce
these materials in whole or in part for educational purposes only (not for profit beyond the cost of
reproduction) provided that the author and Network receive acknowledgment and this notice is
included:
Reprinted with permission from the National Network for Child Care - NNCC. (1994). Play is the business of kids. In *Better Kid Care: A video learn-at-home unit* (pp. 3-18). University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State University Cooperative Extension.
Any additions or changes to these materials must be preapproved by the author .
COPYRIGHT PERMISSION ACCESS
Better Kid Care Learn-at-Home Video Project
Penn State University
305 Armsby Building
University Park, PA 16802
FAX:: (814) 865-3746
Michele Marchetti
Discovery toys Group manager
203-672-0681
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