Archive for the ‘toys’ Category

The Best Choice of Toys For Your Bath

Thursday, July 23rd, 2009

Kids and baths either mix very well or go very badly. Kids don’t often enjoy being cleaned and unless bath time is made to be fun, they will make such a fuss you’ll regret putting them in the bath in the first place. There are some fantastic bath toys that can supplement bathing perfectly and get everyone enjoying themselves, here are the best 3.

Rubber ducky. These toys should be given out as standard whenever people buy a bath. It’s still the best selling bath toy around and it’s easy to see why. Its stand-out yellow colour and interactive qualities such as a squeaker or water spurter make them endlessly enjoyable. They will go down so well with children that they will soon want a whole family.

Squirters.A lot of rubber ducks aren’t able to spurt water, which is a shame but their are plenty of alternatives out there like water guns. Kids love squirting water around and there is no better place to do it than in the bath, although you have to be careful they don’t get you. On top of this, if your struggling to get your child to wash themselves in the bath, a squirter is a fun way to get them wet and get them clean. Just keep filling it up and soaking them down using it.

Stick on numbers. Not all bath toys are simply for play. Kids learn best when they are relaxed and enjoying themselves so it’s good to have some learning toys or educational toys that can be used in the bath as well. There are a number of such toys that are suitable for water such as the box of shapes that teaches children how to select the right hole for individually shaped block. Those sticky number made from foam are definitely the best on the market though. These not only help with mathematics but also teach kids about surface tension and friction when the stick the number to the side of the bath.


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Kids Toys Affect Adult Psychology

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

There are not many people who didn’t have a favorite toy when they were growing up. This is usually the one that you took to bed with you or carried with you wherever you went. You probably had a favorite type of toy as well, maybe a dolls house, toy cars or maybe just a ball and a cup. These choices may have affected you more than you realise, as new research from the London Psychology Institute suggests we are strongly influenced in later life by our childhood toys. Lets take a better look at the main 3 findings from the study.

1. Those children who were encouraged to play with educational toys did not become more intelligent, but were more analytical in their approach to problems in later life. The research showed that learning toys developed patience and taught people to break down a problem into its simplest parts in order to overcome tasks

2. People who often played with dolls or toys that toys that had human qualities, developed better communication and interaction skills in later life. It is thought that by having a face that children could talk to whenever they wanted encouraged them to vocalise their thoughts and share their problems with their toys.

3. Probably the most controversial of the research’s findings was that the adults who accrued the greatest wealth and had most confidence, where those who had access to toys at all times when they were growing up. This means if children played with bath toys, took toys out and about with them and had access to toys at friends houses etc, they became more successful in later life.

An important point to note with this research however is that it is not clear which way round the influencing factors occurred. What is meant by this is do children become influenced by the toys they play with or do they pick certain toys because of the type of people they already are? The answer is probably a combination of the two, but the report is still very interesting.


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Educational Benefits of Train Sets

Sunday, July 12th, 2009

Young and old alike can enjoy building model railways. Both parents and children can get a lot out of building and operating model rail systems.

Hornby railways have been with us since the end of the first World War. This early guage ‘0′ model was originally powered with a powerful wind up clockwork motor. These were soon replaced with an Electric model that required a high mains voltage of 100 to 250 volts. Hornby subsequently developed a far safer system that used a potential of only 6 volts.

There is a Hornby model train set for every level, from beginner to rail enthusiast. Building a railway system with your children is a great way to interact with them. It will provide stimulus for communication, promote cooperation and will be an effective aid to education. When parents play with their children they reinforce the parent-child bonds.

Once built a model railway provides a fantastic stimulus for creative play. Children can imagine all sorts of stories unfolding around the railway system. Add a few trackside accessories like model people and buildings and you can really bring the train system alive.

All children need to play, its an essential part of the natural learning process. When parents play with their children it is particularly good for developing bonds. By playing with your children you will learn a whole lot about them. There is much that you will learn about your child including what interests them and what they are good at. Encouraging your child to make up stories that involve their model railway system is a great way to stimulate their creativity. It’s also an excellent way to see how your child is developing.

I recall the fun I had building a model rail system with my father. He clearly enjoyed the process of setting up the track and getting the system working and his enthusiasm was infectious. He and I would make up elaborate stories involving the people around the track, the stations and the trains.

So if you are looking for a way to interact with your young children I suggest that you consider a little train set.


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