New Product Offerings

As the new year gets underway we begin to see new products arrive in stores. Well, ours is no different! We will be adding a large new selection of toys and furniture over the next few weeks. One of our product lines are all new and are based and manufactured in England. The products contain no phthalates or PVC and are produced using environmentally friendly processes. Orchard Toys and Dantoy toys will be offered very soon! We will also be adding Fiesta Crafts, also based in the UK, hign quality fabric puppets to our large selection of children's toys. In addition to these great assortment of new product lines, we will also be adding the full line of GuideCraft children's toys and furniture. Look for these new offerings on our site in the coming weeks!

Quality, Educational Toys

Often the question is asked, what is an educational toy? I have seen a large number of toys on the market, and even purchased some, that claim to be educational. I bring them home to my child who plays with it for a few minutes and then discards it to play with his train set or his building blocks. What is an educational toy? It is an object that provides fun, laughter and enjoyment, all while teaching much needed skills and abilities. Yes, a train set can offer all of these things! This holiday season, do not get caught in the trap of purchasing, sometimes very expensive, "learning toys" only to have them pushed aside by your child for the really cool doll house or train set. Realize that the toy does not need to sing the alphabet to be a learning toy. Most importantly, do not purchase the toy as a replacement of your own involvement in your child's development!
I recently read an article that stated high quality, educational toys can take the place of a parent; that while traditional toys are great, they require a tremendous amount of parents' time and that can take away from work and other areas the parent needs to focus. I could not believe my eyes! Do we as parents truly believe that a toy was designed to take our place? I understand that many families have both parents working, that there are a number of single parent families and so on. But, the idea that electronic toys can replace parent interaction is just absurd. I see this growing problem in the classroom, children cannot focus for long periods of time, they require technology to be stimulated to learn, and they have delays in learning. I feel that many of these problems could be avoided if time in front of the television and the electronic games were limited and research supports this view. Children need time to be creative, to stimulate portions of their mind that lay silent while watching TV and playing electronic games. I believe the intent of electronic toys should be to foster learning with parental reinforcement, and that children should have an equal opportunity to experience the joys of playing with toys that spark imagination and creativity.

Balanced Fun-Electronic Toys vs. Classic Toys

By The Tiny Toy Shop
Parents are faced with such abundant obstacles when beginning the journey of raising a child. In the beginning, the mother carries the burden, making sure to eat the right foods, drinking enough water, taking her vitamins, and staying away from those things that can cause a threat to the unborn child. After the baby is born, the burden hopefully becomes a shared duty and now it is making sure the baby is safe in the home, feed and bathed.
As babies grow, toys become an integral part of their daily life. The types of toys parents have to choose from today are endless, and making the right choice can be confusing. So many toys on the market today claim to be educational…which ones do we choose? Do we choose the ones that light up and sing songs? Do we choose the ones that teach colors and letters and numbers and shapes? Or, wait….maybe that is our job!
Toys are so very important to children and their development, but equally important to a child’s development is the emotional bonds they form in their early years. The most important relationship children form is the one that children have with their parents. When looking for toys for children to play with, it is important to remember that while the toy is important, it is also important that a parent is part of the package. Take the opportunity when it arises to play with your child, it will be good for both of you!
Children learn valuable skills through play and therefore toys should be chosen carefully. Children need toys that encourage them to solve problems, toys that teach sorting and shape recognition, cause and effect, textures, and inspire imagination. Electronic toys are fun and have their place, but just remember your child’s teacher is not going to light up and sing the lessons. Make sure your child has a balanced toy selection and a balanced expectation for learning.

Child Development Ages Birth to One

By The Tiny Toy Shop
During this stage of a baby's life, a tremendous amount of brain development is occurring. Their cognitive development, that is, the development of language, thinking and reasoning, and memory, is rapidly developing. Talking to your baby, and singing will help your baby begin to recognize the sound of your voice. Keep in mind that language development encompasses more than just the development of words and sounds; listening and processing an understanding for the names of people and objects are also critical parts of language development. Below are some activities that you can do to encourage language development:

• Talk and sing to your baby
• Read to your baby - this does help with cognitive development and its fun!
• Play music - there is research that shows classical music is not only soothing, but encourages interest in math and improves concentration
• At the earlier stages, these tasks should be done in very short intervals. As your baby grows and develops you can increase the length of time spent on these activities. Take cues from your baby.

Some great books to read to your baby are listed below:

• Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
• Maybe, My Baby by Marilyn Janovitz
• Guess How Much I Love You by Sam Mcbratney
• The Very Hungry Catepillar by Eric Carle
• Baby Bear, Baby Bear What Do You See? by Bill Martin and Eric Carle
• Time For Bed by Mem Fox and Jane Dyer
• Moo, Baa, La, La, La by Sandra Boynton
• Touch and Feel books are great for baby too!

Is Your Child On the Right Track?

by The Tiny Toy Shop

Many parents wonder what their children are learning at school and are they learning the "right material". Many parents and educators will look at the indicators set fourth by their state. Another great resource to check out is http://www.worldbook.com/wb/Students?curriculum. This resource provides curriculum standards across North America. Whether your child is attends public schools, private schools, charter schools, or receives an alternative education; this can be a great place to compare your child's education with that of the nation and continent.

Educational Toys: Making Kids Smart By Having Fun

by: Rony Pollock

Kids are like sponges. They absorb. But the similarity ends there. While sponges absorb, they shrink and disintegrate before long. Kids, on the other hand, soak up day to day experiences and when the right mindsets are instilled, they continually thrive. That’s why it’s important for parents like you to carefully select the toys they play with. Associating fun and play with learning is a fundamental aspect of every child’s growth. And one of the best ways to make this happen is through educational toys.

It All Starts at Home

The home front is crucial to a child’s development. This is where curiosity is first explored. This is where a child learns about colors, shapes, and sounds, what Yes and No mean, and that asking “why” can almost always generate an explanation. The first lessons brought about by childhood generally come from the people around the household. That’s why all activities of your kid should be carefully selected. The right books, appropriate TV programs, and educational toys can supplement and enhance your child’s learning process, making the early stages of learning easier and enjoyable.

Lessons of Playtime

Playing is every child’s first priority. Playtime may only seem to provide pure entertainment, but it is also an integral part of your child’s mental and emotional growth. While it’s good to provide children opportunities for skill formation, such as music or art classes, it’s also ideal to give them ample time to play. Doing so, would provide the following benefits:
- Personality development
- Awareness of their potentials
- Promote independent thinking
- An avenue for creative thinking and problem solving
- Improvement their motor skills
- Enhance their ability to think and communicate
- Value-formation

Guidance is essential to bring out the best in children. But it doesn’t mean that you should totally organize the whole experience for your child. The important thing is to provide supervision and the appropriate tools for play and let your child take it from there.

Toys that Fit

Giving your child high-quality educational toys will liven up and enhance the process of sensory and learning development. The right toys for the right age needs to be considered too. A rattle wouldn’t capture the interest a five-year-old kid. Here’s a quick guide on what educational toys children may enjoy at a certain age:

Infants – The keywords are soft, safe, and colorful. Vividly colored rattles and squeaky toys will stimulate their sense of touch, sight, and hearing.

1 to 2 years – This is a stage where children start learning how to maneuver the things in their hands. They are also beginning to discover that some things are paired together. Toddlers will enjoy building blocks and toys that will allow them to identify and match shapes.

2 to 3 years – Children are beginning to get more creative at this age. They like role playing with other kids or by themselves. Puzzles, Play Cubes, and educational toys that stir their imagination are the best options.

4 to 5 years – Kids are into creative thinking and decision-making by this age. Educational toys that can help enhance these developments include puzzle games and constructions toys.

As children grow older, they become more independent in their choices of what toys to play with. They usually forego free play for games that involve rules and friends. They learn to be competitive. This is the time where parents’ guidance is most crucial. But if you’ve established the foundation by providing your child with educational toys early on, then you may have a child who’s well-developed emotionally and smart to boot.

Educational Toys to Improve Attention Deficit Disorder

by anutt
Children with attention deficit disorder often struggle in school because of their short attention spans. Many quickly decide that they are "dumb" or "stupid" when the simple truth is that their condition is causing them to fail in the traditional school setting, which requires children to focus on one activity for an extended period of time. If you are a parent of a child with ADD or ADHD, you can actually use toys to help improve your child 's attention span and, in turn, performance in school. Here are some ways to use educational toys to improve attention deficit disorder.

What Your Child Needs from You

As you consider toys to use to help improve your child 's attention span, keep in mind that your child needs to be able to focus on one activity or task for about 25 minutes in order to survive the first year of school. This number increases as the child advances through the educational system. If your child is a preschooler, take the time now to help her increase her attention span so that she can succeed in kindergarten. If she is an older student, talk to her teacher to learn what her attention span should be, and work slowly towards that goal.

Remember, your child needs to feel as though play time is play time. While you can, and should, reward good attention, you need to avoid making play time into school time. Keep it fun, even as you focus on improving the signs of attention deficit disorder.

Use Books to Help with ADD

One of the best educational toys to use with children with ADD is a book. Choose books that are interesting to your child. Even if you do not like a particular book, use it if it appeals to the child with ADD. Even if your child is old enough to read, read aloud to him. Read as long as his attention allows, and then let him move to another activity. Gradually try to increase the amount of time spent reading.

Play a Game with Your Child

Another way to improve ADD with educational toys is to play games with your child. Any game that your child can understand is a great way to improve attention span. Your child will love the play time, as she likely relishes special time with mom and dad. Be sure the games require some thinking or concentration, rather than just allowing the child to move a piece after spinning a wheel or rolling a pair of dice.

Pretend with Your Child

Because pretend play allows them to get up and move while focusing on one thing, it is perfect for children with ADD. Buy educational toys that will encourage your child to pretend. Fake food, doctor 's kits, and dress up clothes are great additions to the ADD child 's toy box. These do not have to be complicated. Simply choose toys that will get his imagination flowing.

Puppets are more great toys to use with these kids. Because they allow the child to use his imagination and create crazy scenarios, puppets are very appealing to an ADD child. Also, you can stretch your child 's attention span with puppets, as it takes time and effort to put on a puppet show. Be a good audience and reward and praise the effort!

Parenting a child with attention deficit disorder is frustrating at times. The energy level of these children is simply exhausting for most adults. By finding ways to play with your child that require him to focus for longer and longer periods of time, you can help curb the energy a little while still enjoying one on one time with your child. In this way, both of you win, and your child will also benefit from increased performance in school!

About the Author

Educational toys from A-brand provider Mastermind Toys amount to an investment in your child 's future.

Article Source: Content for Reprint