The presence of conventional and technology toys poses a dilemma for parents on what are the best toys for children. Each and every toy has its own advantages and disadvantages so before deciding on what to get, it is imperative to examine the pros and cons of the different toys available so you may decide on what toys are best for children.
The following discusses the pros and cons of both conventional and technological toys and the recommendations on what to get for your child:
Conventional Toys
Conventional toys consist of wooden toys, active play toys, puzzles and the like. Proponents say that these kinds of toys are more beneficial for children because of the reasons they come imitating the natural world.
Pros
They promote active learning
Conventional toys allow children to play physically and with other children promoting active play and active play is the best form of exercise for kids.
They enhance communication and socialization skills
As children play with their peers, they engage in communication and socialization better. They learn the virtue of sharing; saying please and sorry and they also learn to establish relationships with children of their age.
They create an avenue for increasing children’s gross and fine motor skills
Since children get to hold the toys in real time and manipulate them, their gross and fine motor skills are enhanced. When they play tag and sports with their peers, they significantly improve their gross motor skills such as hopping, jumping, running and the like. In the same line, manipulating blocks can enhance their fine motor skills.
Cons
Some may pose choking hazards
Some toys contain small parts that can be a choking hazard for smaller children.
Some may encourage violence in children
Toys that are not carefully chosen for kids can create a sense of violence in children such as toy guns, swords, and others
Technology Toys
Like conventional toys, gadgets can also provide benefits for children such learning math skill, drawing and visualize the matter that is not visible to the naked eyes naturally.
Pros
Enhance their learning potentials
Technology toys are able to provide excellent learning for children because they usually offer learning in small packages. For instance, tablets can allow children to play apps related to science that they can never appreciate without the graphics, sounds or videos.
They promote technological awareness
Children need to be exposed to technology early because they are already living in the new age where everything is operated automatically. Through the use of computers and other gadgets, they learn computer literacy that can help them in the future.
Cons
They promote sedentary lifestyle
Since children are able to play in the comforts of their couches or beds using gaming consoles and computers, they tend to reduce their active play promoting sedentary lifestyle and increasing the incidence of childhood obesity.
They can pose a risk for electrocution
Gadgets may require electricity to function so whenever children try to plug them, they can be a source of accidents at home. Make sure to assist children, when there is a need to plug something in.
All of these benefits and disadvantages of conventional and technology toys pose a challenge for parents to carefully examine the toy before getting one for their child. The safety and learning of children are the utmost priority so make sure to only get them educational toys and gadgets.
