NIGERIAN TEACHERS TALK ABOUT TOYS IN THE CLASS ROOM

 Did you know that toys help children develop gross motor skills.

In early childhood, children develop and learn to coordinate the large muscles of their bodies.This is known as gross motor development.

 Some general examples of gross motor skills are:

1. Learning to walk

2. Throwing and catching a ball

3. Walking backwards and forwards.

4. Climbing up a ladder

5. Riding a bicycle or scooter

6. Balancing while walking along a low wall

7. Hitting a tennis ball over the net

8. Dancing rhythmically to music

9. Digging holes

10. Skipping

Did you know that toys help children build a fine motor skills?

In early childhood, children develop and learn to control small muscles of their bodies, including the hands, fingers, eyes, tongue and toes. This is known as a fine motor development.

Here are some examples of fine motor skills in children:

1. Playing with fingers

2. Clasping and unclasping hands

3. Grasping and holding toys

4. Putting objects in their mouth

5. Clapping hands

6. Following objects with eyes

7. Holding a bottle

8. Passing objects to someone

9. Feeding with a spoon

10. Pulling a toy with a rope

11. Picking up objects

12. Pointing at pictures

13. Placing rings unto a stacking toy

14. Holding crayons and paint brush

15. Building a tower with blocks

16. Placing pegs into a pegboard

17. Transferring small objects into a tray

18. Attempting to dress or undress

19. Manipulating play dough

20. Drawing,writing and cutting.

You may ask What is so special about toys? 

The fact is that kids already intuitively know what they need and always get to respond to it, whenever and wherever they see it.  They easily get stimulated by toys. This fact also prompts them to want to create a toy for themselves with whatever they have, when there is no toy around them.

Toys are of immense value to kids as they see it beyond just an object, they excite themselves with it while discovering its uniqueness and trying to understand its function, purpose and mode of operation. Hence learning mode is activated and the road to discovering their potential is started.

The question then is why should every child own toys?

The points to consider when it comes to every child owning toys are:

• Toys ignite creativity and imagination: kids play with toys in variety of ways that helps their brain develop and gears them towards thinking intuitively. This opens their sub consciousness to a better understanding of the world. Toys like building blocks, dolls, animal toys ,balls, small toy cars ,toy kitchen set ,toy fruits ,Play Doh, slime, Rubik cube, puzzles etc when given to kids serves as an invitation for them to start creating stories and painting pictures out of the imagination they possess in their mind. It is said that a child’s play is their first classroom.

• Toys help kids gain STEAM knowledge: Kids are like Bluetooth, they readily connect with information’s in their surroundings. Toys provide kids with the opportunity to learn about science ,technology ,engineering ,art ,and mathematics (STEAM).When a child builds a structure with Lego blocks and the structure accidentally collapse that is a lesson in physics. A remote car moving at the command of the controller amazes kids, making them curious to know how it works. A puzzle stimulates kid’s brain and helps them explore patterns. Never underestimate the power of education when it comes to toys. Kids learn more through creative plays because it is engaging their senses. This gives them a cognitive edge and makes them excited to continue to explore more about the world around them.

• Toys enhances kids motor skills: During the time of play, as the child makes contact with toys he/she try to hold and interchange the positioning of the toy, by so doing they are putting to work their motor skills and becoming more skillful in hand and eye coordination. Toys like trampoline, merry go round, bouncing castle, swing, hover board, scooters, toy cars, slides, mountain climber, play house, etc that kids manipulate with their whole body are equally useful in helping a child develop physically. Kids that master these skills are better able to handle harder tasks later.

• Toys make kids matured: Toys provide connection, positive memories and a way to interact with their feelings. Have you ever noticed how attached children become to their playthings? This is a phenomenon that generally promotes healthy and positive bonding. Kids associate their toys with love, attention and happiness. So when they bestow affection on their toys, they are cultivating and fostering sweet childhood memories. Toys also can provide a safe place or face if kids need to talk about anything that troubles or scares them.

 OUR TOYS

 ToysRLagos is a toy company that specializes in the sale of indoors and outdoors toys, which supports the developmental phase of the child. Our services also cut across toy renting, event planning, information presentation and consultancy.  

For more information explore our website at www.toysrlagos.com, 

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Call:09130432249.

Address: 50 Victoria Street, ogudu road ojota Lagos.