Archive for May 19th, 2009
There are two considerations that are very important in choosing toys for children:
1. The safety of toys should be uppermost. Make sure that the toy is sturdy, and will not break in the hands of energetic youngsters. Toys should be free of sharp edges or protruding parts, should be made from materials that are not toxic (remember that young children like to explore toys with their mouths) and they should not have small parts that can be swallowed or inhaled. If in doubt about a toy, advice can be obtained from the local child safety centre (see p. 29).
2. Buy toys that stimulate the child’s learning and creativity, not those that encourage aggressive and violent behaviour. There is increasing community concern about ‘anti-social toys’. These include victim dolls or figures (which have often grotesque malformations or injuries), war toys, or violent toys such as guns or knives. There is increasing evidence that such toys can adversely influence children’s attitudes, values and behaviour. For example, a child’s language and play when using war toys is often very aggressive. Research shows that aggression established in childhood tends to be carried through into adolescence and adult life. Unfortunately, these toys are often promoted heavily during children’s television shows, so that children may ask parents to buy them. This should be resisted.
The careful choice of toys can have beneficial effects on a child’s behaviour and development, and also minimise the chances of potentially serious injury.
*115\90\8*
read comments (0)