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What makes a toy "Educational"?

Home » Early Learning » Educational Toys » What makes a toy "Educational"?
Posted by Your Guide on March 14, 2006 4:18 PM

If learning can happen while playing with a toy, that toy is an educational toy. A generation or two ago, a six-shooter might have been considered educational. When children played “Cops & Robbers,” they learned not to hide out in the open. They learned to watch carefully for the robbers to make a mistake so the cops could catch them. They learned that if they broke the law they went to jail. They also learned that before long it was time to get out of jail and maybe they could choose to be the cop next time.

Today toys are designed to achieve a certain goal. For infants, educational toys have different textures and sounds. Educational toys for babies are safe to put in their mouths because their tongue is what they use to explore all the surfaces, sounds, and shapes a toy might display. On some toys, a bell sounds when the baby pulls the lever. Wanting to repeat the sound, the baby will try to duplicate the action that caused the bell to ring. When the baby can recreate the sound consistently, learning has occurred.

Educational toys for toddlers and preschoolers have more complex expectations. These toys can be pushed, pulled, ridden, and even taken apart. As the child learns to ride without falling, or how to put a toy back together, learning occurs again.

Board games and computer software are available in many formats for young children and are designed to be fun, but with a learning component. Educational television shows and the mass-market appeal of their characters have proven to stay true to their educational purpose in most of their board games, reading pal toys, and software programs.

Children will learn with toys, even if they are not designed to be “educational.” However, toys that have an educational purpose built in can strengthen abilities and create opportunities for other games and educational purposes.



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