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5 Benefits Of Building Block Toys

Written by toy review on April 6, 2012

Building block toys have always been a favorite among children thanks to the fact that they are both fun and challenging, especially for toddlers and preschoolers. However, other than just being an entertainment tool, building block toys offer several benefits for your kids. Here are 5 of those benefits:

1. Better Motor Skills – Using building blocks requires your child to put them in a position so that they do not topple over. As a result, hand-eye coordination improves the more the child plays. The act of grasping the blocks itself serves as good practice for gripping objects, and strengthens the fingers and hands of the child.

2. Mental Stimulation – Your child learns to think logically when playing with building blocks. After a few tries at building something and watching the blocks topple over, your child will learn that the blocks have to be arranged and placed properly to prevent that from happening. An older child will also realize that a stronger base can be made if you arrange most of the blocks at the bottom. Logical thinking skills are crucial in a child’s intellectual development.

3. Math And Vocabulary Skills – Studies have shown that the inclusion of building blocks in playtime helps develop language and mathematical skills among children. Language skills develop when the child learns the names of the colors, shapes and sizes of building blocks. Mathematical skills are sharpened when a child learns to add up or subtract the number of building blocks required to build a structure. As such, it’s easy to see why building blocks are a great preschool learning tool.

4. Improves Creativity – Children learn how to create different structures using building blocks, and this stimulates their creative mind. Thus building blocks offer a good base to encourage a child’s creative abilities and not just the logical.

5. Encourages Positive Social Interaction – Building blocks are the type of toys that a child can share with others. By encouraging them to play together they learn how to interact and cooperate. This is among the first forms of teamwork your child can engage in.

It may be difficult to comprehend how toys as simple as building blocks offer so many benefits, but it’s wonderful to know that age-old, simple toys can serve such good purposes.

5 Crucial Tips For Keeping Kids Safe In Your Backyard

Written by toy review on April 1, 2012

Our backyards are so close to our homes that it’s easy to feel a false sense of security as our kids spend time playing there. However, there are a few important measures you should take if you want your kids to stay safe outside.

1) If you have an open backyard, the first thing you should do is enclose it with a fence. However unlikely it may be, it’s easier for your children to get kidnapped or stray far away when you have an open backyard. The fence doesn’t have to be fancy – a simple wire fence will do the trick if you can’t afford a sturdy one. Just be sure that the fence doesn’t have an opening big enough for your kids to climb through.

2) Have a pool in your backyard? Then be sure that your pool is fenced up, too. The fence should be more than 4 feet tall, and should be locked unless you are there to supervise your children while they swim. If you can afford it, install an alarm that’ll warn you if your children have entered the pool area after unlocking the fence. Also, it’s important to tell your children to stay away from the pool and explain the consequences if they don’t listen.

3) While BBQ grills are a very welcome addition to any yard, and are great for family gatherings, it’s best not to leave equipment lying around when not in use. Take apart and store away grills and other dangerous equipment like lawnmowers and tillers in locked up garden sheds or your garage when you’re not using them. We all know just how imaginative kids can be, and you never know when they might decide to use them as a toy!

4) Playground equipment in the backyard (if you have any) should be kept well-maintained at all times. Ensure that there are no sharp edges or hooks hanging out of any of the objects. Also, a proper shock absorber beneath the playground is a must (this can be 12 inches of sand, or a thick padding material of any kind) to break any falls.

5) Last but not least, the best way to prevent accidents when your kids are playing in the backyard is to keep a close eye on them. Always ensure that an adult is around to supervise the kids when they play. If you can’t watch them, it may be better to bring them inside the house to play.

5 Tips For Spending Less Money On Toys For Your Children

Written by toy review on March 31, 2012

Anyone with children, or who has had to buy gifts for children, knows that the prices seem to be getting higher and higher while the quality seems to be getting lower and lower. During this period in our lives where toy companies want you to think that newer means better, there are ways to give kids great toys and still save some money in the process.

1) Buy Used Toys

One of the most obvious ways to spend less money on toys for your children is to buy used toys. Used toys don’t necessarily have to be taken out of the package in order to be considered “used”. Many times kids receive more than one of the same gift and parents tuck it away with the intention of returning it and never do. You can check out garage sales, thrift stores, flea markets and even online auctions for many new “used” toys in their original packaging.

If you buy a used toy that isn’t packaged, make sure that it is something washable if it is plush and surface washable if it is plastic. A stuffed toy with an electronic device inside is almost impossible to disinfect.

2) Recycle Old Toys

Children rarely notice a difference between something that is brand new and something that is just new to them. Older children can give toys they have outgrown to younger children or family and friends can recycle toys within the group. In some towns they have Mommy Groups that get together on the weekends and trade clothes or toys at not cost at all.

3) Have a Yard Sale

Before the gift giving occasion rolls around, have a yard sale. Not only can you get rid of toys you may not need, but you can recoup some of the money you’ll probably be spending on the new gift. Encourage your children to clean out their closets as well and donate any unsold items to a worthy charity. Most charities will also give you a donation receipt that can be used to deduct that amount from your income taxes.

4) Make Something

Most kids of any age love something handmade just for them. One of the cheapest methods is to make a photo album. Photos can be saved on a flash drive and printed out in almost any store when given enough time in advance. Color pictures printed on computer paper and bound with a nice cover can be an even more economical solution.

5) Give Memories

Almost any toy can be bought, sold, broken or forgotten but a memory can last a lifetime. A trip to the park or zoo, a movie night with popcorn, or even a family campout may be the best gift you can give any child and doesn’t cost you a thing.

A Guide To The Benefits Of Construction Toys For Kids

Written by toy review on March 31, 2012

Sometimes, the best toys for children are the most simple. In the years before electronic devices took off, and even in the years before we had electricity, children still enjoyed playing with toys like blocks, puzzles and, later on, Lincoln Logs. Don’t think that these toys are outdated: they still come with many benefits for children.

1) They’re Suitable For All Ages And Genders

Construction toys aren’t specific to any age group or gender. Infants may enjoy grabbing or pushing the oddly-shaped pieces, while older children can enjoy building replicas of cities or objects. Boys can build garages for their cars, airplanes, and army bases, while girls can use the same materials to build a farm for their animals, a castle for Barbie or a house for other small toys and dolls. Since most blocks and Legos can be purchased in neutral or gender appropriate colors, it makes it easier for children to play together and simple enough for adults to be able to join in on the fun.

2) They Help Develop Social And Verbal Skills

Kids love showing off their work. While constructing objects, parents can ask their children how they make it, what they used or ask for their child to give them instructions on how to make another one. Not only does this encourage social skills, but it also helps children give and understand directions, practice verbalization and feel like they are the teacher for once, instead of always being the student.

construction toys

When children build together, they obviously have to make a group effort to accomplish their project. By doing so, they learn how to work as a team, share and communicate without ever knowing it.

3) They Improve Motor And Problem Solving Skills

The act of grasping, snapping, clicking, stacking and moving blocks, logs, magnets or any other type of building toy promotes hand-eye coordination. Children will normally compare pieces before trying to connect or stack them, which will teach kids about depth perception, and help them practice recognizing “same and different.”

Older children must use math to count the pieces they will need, and reading skills when instructions are included to build a more elaborate toy. Children with a learning disability especially benefit from the development of these skills.

Whatever your reason may be for purchasing construction toys, you can be assured that building your child’s skills for the future is as simple as child’s play.

You can buy construction toys from Amazon