Toys are not just a way to keep your kid distracted or pointlessly occupied. They are one of the best tools available that gives them the opportunity to explore the world while playing at the same time.
As your kids have fun, they undergo a process called “Neural Circuit Development” in which their brain creates connections between brain cells. According to the American Academy of Pediatricians: “Play allows children to use their creativity while developing their imagination, dexterity, and physical, cognitive and emotional strength.”
Here you can find the best toys and games that you can find for your kids if you want to help them improve their cognitive development throughout each stage of their lives.
INFANT
While they’re this little, there aren’t many things they can do by themselves. That’s why at this stage, you ought to provide ways that they can learn by observation.
The best example is mobiles – you can attract the attention of your baby with this colorful toy. Mobiles also help develop focus, which may reduce the stress that comes from so many new experiences in an unfamiliar world.
Books with a lot of pictures in them can help foster identification skills. You can tell them about the animals and colors that are illustrated in the books, plus they’ll learn the names of plenty of new things!
At this stage, infants develop “Object Permanence” and it can be achieved by hiding toys and things under a blanket, challenging them to look for it. If your child understands that something is gone and he or she needs to look for it if they want it back, that means that they have mastered this ability.
TODDLERS
When your kid is a toddler they probably will want to discover and explore the world. They’ll want to walk around and see what the world has to show them.
At this stage, they’ll able to see the relationships that exist between objects. The best way to develop this skill is through shape sorting toys or puzzles. Your kid will see how two or more things can work together if they put them in their proper places.
Your little one can learn a lot through role-playing games, since it will help them improve their imagination and understand the world that surrounds them through a lens other than their own.
Playing “I Spy” is a nice way of establishing problem-solving skills at an early age, since your child will have to process all the things he or she already knows to guess what you are thinking.
You can also use things that are already at your home to help them develop their cognitive abilities. The American Academy of Pediatrics recognizes wooden spoons, cardboard boxes, plastic containers, and empty egg cartons as ordinary objects that promote cognitive development.
You don’t have to spend an obscene amount of money on new toys that will help your kid achieve the peak of cognitive development – work with what you already have and make time to play with them wherever you can!