Early Childhood Toys and Games Assignment

Introduction

I am starting with games and toys for three- to six-year-olds. I will test a range of toys and activities to discover if they’re good for kids’ development. Using evidence from class readings, I will describe, cite, and explain two games or toys for each age group. My research seeks to discover the greatest games and toys for young children.

Toys and Games Appropriate for Three-Year-Olds

For three-year-olds, two appropriate toys or games that could support their physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development are:

Toy 1: Melissa & Doug Wooden Shape Sorting Clock

1. The Melissa & Doug Wooden Shape Sorting Clock is a wooden clock with 12 removable pieces, each shaped like a different number and with different colored handles. The clock also has movable hands that can be set to the correct time. The toy can be found at Melissa and Doug’s wooden-shape-sorting-clock
2. This toy helps three-year-olds learn numbers, colors, and time. Sorting and placing shapes on the clock improve hand-eye coordination, fine motor abilities, and spatial reasoning. Learning to tell time helps them understand time and daily routines.
3. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory states that children learn from more knowledgeable people who can guide and support them. The clock helps the youngster learn, with the caregiver or teacher providing aid. According to Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, hands-on experiences help youngsters learn and understand the world. The shape sorting clock gives kids such experiences, as Gaylin (2020) illustrated.

Toy 2: Green Toys Shape Sorter

1. The Green Toys Shape Sorter is a colorful toy with eight shapes, each with a different texture and shape, and a shape sorting lid with cutouts corresponding to the shapes. The toy is made from recycled plastic and is free of BPA, phthalates, and PVC. The toy can be found in the green toy shape sorter.
2. This toy helps three-year-olds develop physically and cognitively. Children gain hand-eye coordination, fine motor abilities, and spatial awareness by manipulating shapes and putting them through cutouts. Colors, shapes, and matching help them develop cognitively. The toy’s recyclable elements also support sustainability, as RH Disney Staff and Random House Disney (2019) stated.
3. Ecological systems theory states that the environment shapes children’s development. Children may play and learn safely with the Green Toys Shape Sorter. Since children may modify and examine the forms, the toy fosters agency and autonomy. Constructivist learning promotes active exploration and inquiry-based learning.

Toys and Games Appropriate for Four-Year-Olds

Toy 1:

1. Melissa & Doug Deluxe Wooden Magnetic Pattern Blocks Set

This set includes 120 colorful geometric shapes and a magnetic board for children to create patterns and designs. Source: melissa-Doug-deluxe-wooden-magnetic-pattern-blocks-set

1. Given that it fosters cognitive and fine motor development, this toy is suitable for four-year-olds. Children can make designs while using their problem-solving abilities to investigate spatial relationships, forms, and colors. As kids control the blocks on the magnetic board, they practice their hand-eye coordination and fine motor abilities, as evidenced by Doug (2020).
2. Preschoolers’ cognitive development is defined by the growth of memory, attention, problem-solving, and symbolic representation, claims the textbook “Infants, Children, and Adolescents.” Preschoolers are inspired to apply their problem-solving abilities by this toy, which teaches children about patterns and shapes, two key ideas in math.

Toy 2:

1. Radio Flyer Classic Red Dual Deck Tricycle

This classic tricycle has a sturdy steel frame, chrome handlebars, and a ringing chrome bell. It is designed for children between the ages of two and five. Source: radio-flyer-classic-red-dual-deck-tricycle

1. This toy is suitable for four-year-olds since it promotes their physical development, particularly their coordination, balance, and gross motor abilities. As they pedal, steer, and balance a tricycle, kids can improve their leg muscles and coordination, as evidenced by Liwska (2019).
2. The textbook “Infants, Children, and Adolescents” states that preschoolers’ physical development includes improved balance, strength, and coordination. Kids are encouraged to become more self-assured as they ride independently on this tricycle.

Toys and Games Appropriate for Five-Year-Olds

Toy 1

1. LEGO Classic Creative Bricks Set

There are 221 different colored and shaped bricks and parts in the LEGO Classic Creative Bricks Set. Children may construct everything they can think of, including robots, buildings, animals, and cars. A robust storage container and an instruction book with model-building ideas are also included in the bundle.

Link to source: LEGO Classic Creative Bricks

1. Because it promotes the growth of a five-year-old’s cognitive and motor skills, the LEGO Classic Creative Bricks Set is a suitable option. Children use their critical thinking abilities to plan and solve problems while they construct using LEGO bricks. They also employ their imagination and creativity. The toy fosters fine motor abilities as kids move and connect the blocks. In addition, as LEGO play teaches kids to share, take turns, and cooperate with others, it can help them develop their social and emotional abilities, as evidenced by Elsmore (2019).
2. Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, which emphasizes the value of play in the development of children’s cognitive abilities, was covered in class. This idea is supported by the LEGO Classic Creative Bricks Set, which gives kids an enjoyable and stimulating opportunity to practice problem-solving and critical thinking.

Toy 2

1. Melissa & Doug Wooden Building Blocks Set

The 60-piece Melissa & Doug Wooden Building Blocks Set includes wooden blocks in various sizes and shapes. It inspires kids to create various structures, from straightforward towers to intricate castles, and comes in a robust wooden storage crate.

Link to source: melissa-Doug-wooden-building-blocks-set

1. Because it promotes the growth of a child’s physical and cognitive abilities, the Melissa & Doug Wooden Building Blocks Set is a suitable option for a five-year-old. Manipulating and stacking the blocks to make various constructions helps kids strengthen their fine motor abilities. Planning and experimenting with block combinations requires them to apply their critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. As kids collaborate to create buildings, discuss ideas, and interact with one another, building with blocks can also enhance social and emotional development.
2. According to Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory of development, children’s cognitive development is influenced by social interactions with others. This hypothesis is supported by the Melissa & Doug Wooden Building Blocks Set, which allows kids to work together and interact with others while creating constructions.

Toys and Games Appropriate for Six-Year-Olds

Toy 1:

1. LEGO Classic Creative Bricks Set

https://www.target.com/p/lego-classic-creative-bricks-set-10692/-/A-16372183

1. Because it promotes a child’s cognitive, physical, and social-emotional growth, the LEGO Classic Creative Bricks Set is suitable for a six-year-old. Children are encouraged to use their imaginations to create, solve problems, and cultivate critical thinking by playing with open-ended toys like LEGO. The LEGO Classic Creative Bricks Set is the perfect toy for six-year-olds starting school since it fosters their ability to think critically and solve problems. The bricks can create any object, including simple constructions, vehicles, and animals. As kids handle the LEGO bricks to build their designs, the kit promotes the development of fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and spatial awareness. Lastly, using LEGO bricks to foster communication and teamwork skills, which are essential for kids of school age, can help social-emotional development.
2. To Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, kids learn through interacting with others and working together. Children may work together and construct things using LEGO, which promotes their social and cognitive growth.

Toy 2:

1. Hape Quadrilla Marble Run

Hape Quadrilla-Marble-Run

1. The Hape Quadrilla Marble Run is suitable for a six-year-old since it fosters physical, cognitive, and social-emotional growth. Children must use their fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and spatial awareness to construct the run when playing with marble run sets. Building a functional marble run helps kids hone their problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. Furthermore, when kids cooperate to construct the Hape Quadrilla Marble Run and address any issues, playing with the marble run fosters social-emotional development by encouraging teamwork, communication, and tenacity.
2. To Piaget’s cognitive development hypothesis, children build their knowledge through firsthand exposure to the outside world. Children can construct and experiment with cause-and-effect relationships through marble runs, which is important for helping them grasp the physical world.

Reference

Doug, M. (2020). Poke-A-Dot: First Words. Yacht.

Elsmore, W. (2019). Brick animals: clever and creative ideas to make from classic LEGO. Barrons.

Gaylin, A. (2020). Eavesdropping in the Novel from Austen to Proust. Cambridge University Press.

Liwska, R. (2019). Red Wagon. Philomel Books, A Division Of Penguin Young Readers Group.

RH Disney Staff, & Random House Disney. (2019). Fun with Mickey. Golden/Disney.