Toys and Games - Reviews and News

The sun is out, the sky is blue, there’s not a cloud to spoil the view…. But an increasing number of people in the UK are contracting skin cancer.

As we enter the sunny summer months it is important that parents and carers ensure that the children they look after are thoroughly protected from the sun’s harmful rays. Statistics published by Cancer Research UK clearly show the effects of the fashion for what was once described as ‘a healthy tan’.

Many people who were sun worshippers in their twenties and thirties are now regretting having exposed their skin to the ravages of the sun’s rays. Ensuring that children are protected is one thing, but setting a good example is equally important. A child who sees their mother baking themselves on the patio is far more likely to do the same themselves when they get older.

The answer is using adequate and effective sun protection. Apply a good quality, high factor sun screen before venturing out doors and then re-apply, particularly if children are swimming or playing in water. Ideally avoid going outdoors during the peak mid-day hours. This is far easier said than done, I know, so try to keep yourself and your children covered up with good hats and long sleeved shirts.

I know from my own experience how difficult this can be. My own children are now old enough to head off to the beach without me and I always tell them to put on more sun screen after they have been swimming. But I know that this will often slip their minds. If they are playing in the back garden I’ll go out and chase them around with a big bottle of factor 16 sun cream but when they go off to the beach on their own I must rely upon them.

So do try to ensure that you and your children don’t become Cancer Research statistics. Get yourself some good quality sun protection and use it.

Helen Phillips has just been crowned the winner of Biggest Loser after shedding an incredible 140 lbs. She started out at 257 lbs and finally weighed in at an incredible 117 lbs at the finale, and she looked sensational.

A key element in her weight loss programme has been exercise. Something we could all do with more of. If you, like me, have a gaggle of sedentary youngsters who think that picking up a towel from the bathroom floor is hard work then you will know how hard it can be to encourage them to get their essential sixty active minutes a day.

I’ve tried everything from buying them a really expensive play system, taking them swimming three times a week and visiting the park as often as possible. Sometimes I am the only one waving my legs on the swing set while my offspring lounge around laughing at me. In fact I’ve been losing weight with all the exertion.

There are some strong opinions held by many parents regarding whether it is acceptable to allow or encourage boys to play with dolls.

Playing with dolls has been shown to have no effect upon a boy’s masculinity. In fact, playing with dolls actually encourages imaginative role play in which children, both boys and girls, act out various scenarios that they have witnessed. This type of play helps children to develop their sense of the world around them.

The following video shows an interesting discussion on the topic of gender-specific play:

The short answer to the question ‘Do boys play with dolls‘ is a resounding Yes! Baby boys, if given the opportunity, will cuddle and play with dolls and cuddly toys much the same as baby girls will.

The question is more of an issue for many parents who, if asked ‘Should boys be allowed to play with dolls‘ might answer, No! There are many parents who fear that their young sons will be considered a sissy or may be influenced towards being gay by being allowed to play with dolls. It is interesting to note how little girls who display boyish traits might be described as a tomboy, and this is not considered derogatory. Whereas if a little boy is perceived to display girlish traits and interests he may well be scornfully described as a sissy.

Whilst it is well known that allowing a boy child to play with dolls will not influence their genetic disposition studies have shown that a boys desire to play with dolls might be an early indication of that boys sexual orientation. Prohibiting a boy from playing with dolls will do nothing to change their genetic pre-disposition.

So, in answer to the original question, of course boys play with dolls, the same as girls will play with model cars and footballs. Considerate and thoughtful parents will not restrict their children from playing with any particular toys and will not try and force their offspring to be anything other than what they are.

Solutions Through Fun is an initiative started by the British Toy and Hobby Association (BTHA) as part of their ongoing campaign to highlight the value of play in child development. In the words of Oscar Wilde: ‘The best way to make children good is to make them happy’.

The BTHA have produced an immensely useful and informative booklet that is intended to provide parents and carers with help in improving the quality of the time that they spend with their children. Interestingly, all of the tips and suggestions in the booklet come from children themselves. (Download ‘Solutions Through Fun‘ PDF 982kb)

As noted in the booklet, in 1980 less than a third of mothers of young children worked whereas in 2004 around 55% of mothers of children aged between 1 and 5 were working. The amount of time that working parents can spare to spend playing with their children has fallen significantly and many parents and carers wish that they had more time to spare. The little time that is available is often eaten up by domestic chores, DIY and restng after a hard day at work.

The booklet provides some genuinely useful, practical ideas that can be used to make family life more fun. Even if you only have ten minutes to spare this valuable time can be put to good use in playing with your children by telling jokes, doing puzzles together, playing short games, reading together and even doing the housework!

Children learn a lot through playing with their parents or carers. Footballs, board games, puzzles and traditional childrens toys will all be familiar playthings that most parents will recall having played with when they were young. Sharing their experience with their youngsters can fulfill the childrens desire to interact and have fun together.

Children are learning even before they are born. Every event or experience they have is educational and this is why it is important for them to have access to play facilities and toys that will make a positive contribution to their ongoing learning. Play activities contribute towards a child’s educational development in many ways including:

• Psycho-motor skills development, hand to eye coordination, manipulation, dexterity.
• Language development
• Communication skills
• Cognitive skills (concentration, perception, memory and logical thinking)
• Creative thinking and problem solving
• Personality development

Todays toy shops are full of the latest whizzy electronic toys. Many are advertised as being educational but are really simply attention grabbing. Tests have shown that humans are predisposed to pay attention to rapidly changing events, loud and unusual sounds and the like. Many modern toys exploit these predispositions with loud, noise-making flashing toys that will grab the attention of any youngster but may actually provide limited educational value.

The right educational toys will be stimulating and fun to play with rather than simply being another form of entertainment. And the right educational toy for a baby is obviously a lot different to the educational toy that will stimulate a 10 year old.

Babys and infants need things to look at, to touch, to shake, rattle and roll. Varied colours, varied textures, varied sounds and varied behaviours will all provide immense enjoyment and stimulation to an infant and they will be learning whilst having fun. For example the Baby and Blankie is a beautifully made developmental toy for babies that won the Good Toy Guide Gold Award.

Toddlers in the 1 to 2 year age range are getting to grips with language and associations with the physical world. They like to stack things, build things up and then knock them down again. The baby walker is a well known traditional toy that is loved by toddlers taking their first wobbly steps. Equipped with a cargo of assorted bricks that allow the child to stack and build and knock down whilst encouraging creativity and achievement.

As they grow, toddlers begin to try and emulate the adults around them. They will enjoy dressing up, role play games and adopting personas such as a fireman, postman, nurse or doctor. They will also derive enjoyment from problem solving, puzzle games, building kits and fantasy play.

Many of us will remember having a toy castle when we were children. Building the castle encourages children’s language skills development and creativity as the child creates their own story, imagining their castle occupied by knights and princesses, fighting off dragons and invaders.

From a very early age children will enjoy creating things by drawing, painting, gluing and colouring in. As they grow their drive to create becomes increasingly sophisticated. They will want to have a go at all sorts of creative play, from painting pictures to building a volcano. Luckily there is no shortage of creativity toys from simple sets of crayons and colouring books to bead jewellery and flower gardens.

Don’t be deceived by the hype and advertising of modern, supposedly educational toys. Many have limited educational value and are actually entertainment devices that provide little stimulation or opportunities for learning. There are many traditional toys that make ideal, traditional gifts providing a valuable educational experience for growing children.

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I recently re-read this interesting article: Bringing up Brainy: A look at the educational toy market, in which Dr. Dimitri Christakis details some of the results of his research into attention problems in children. He has found that letting a baby watch television may actually cause them harm.

His study involved almost 1,300 children and found that TV may simply be too much for developing brains to handle. He states that:

“Our minds are conditioned to immediately stop paying attention to what we’re currently focusing on if we hear or see something that seems strange. Television actually explicitly exploits that, in the case of young children.”

Reading this I was prompted to reflect upon the way in which I have seen very young children sit in an almost mesmerised state whilst staring at cartoons on the television. The rapidly changing images and sounds exploit the brains inclination to pay attention to things that appear strange or out of the ordinary. In the wild this natural pre-disposition would have kept us from being eaten!

Dr. Christakis has found that a child’s risk of developing attention related problems increases significantly the more TV they are exposed to. He goees on to look at Disney’s Baby Einstein series of DVDs and videos which are aimed at infants. He found that Disney had carried out little or no research into the way in which the pace of the editing in the programmes and the rapidly changing imagery actually affects the development of a babies brain.

Child development specialists are pretty much agreed that too much TV is bad for children. Dr. Christakis recommends that children under two years old should not be exposed to any televsion whatsoever.

Developing infants need stimulation and interest. They need things to touch, manipulate, look at, shake, rattle and roll. Parents and carers of young babies will know how fascinating they can find things like packaging, kitchen utensils and everyday household objects. If you are looking for suitable toys for a baby or infant, maybe a gift for Christmas, try sticking to the more traditional toys and games that you will have probably played with as a youngster. Building blocks, dolls, crayons and simple games are all learning toys that will encourage investigation, support psycho-motor skills development and foster imagination and creative play. What’s more, they are unlikely to contribute towards your child developing attention related problems.
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This story from the BBC (No Outdoor Play Hurts Children) reports a worrying trend wherein parental anxiety coupled with increasingly popular sedentary activities, such as watching TV and playing computer games, are adversely affecting children’s health.

Play England is a project that has been established to promote play activities, to raise awareness of the importance of play and the provision of suitable play facilities and strategies. The fact that this project exists is indicative of how important this issue has become.

Outdoor play activities can make a significant contribution to a childs development. Children will begin to climb even before they can walk. Providing infants with safe outdoor play equipment which encourages them to climb and to discover their own physical capabilities aids the development of their psycho-motor and cognitive skills. When toddlers begin to walk they benefit from opportunities to develop their walking skills through balancing. Ladders, climbing frames, treehouses and other forms of outdoor play equipment can help them to develop their physical confidence.

As toddlers grow they need to encounter increasingly demanding challenges which will stretch their capabilities and help them to develop their physical skills. Slides, swings, ladders, trampolines and other garden and park play equipment can make a powerful contribution towards this development. Variety is crucial in ensuring that a child does not become bored by a challenge which is either too easy or too hard.

When children are very young they will need fairly close supervision from an adult. But as a child grows this requirement quickly diminishes and it becomes increasingly important that children are given the freedom to explore their capabilities in relation to the physical world around them. It is also important that they get the opportunity to interact with other youngsters of the same age. Appropriate outdoor play facilities can provide an ideal environment for children to learn through exploration and discovery and for them to share their experiences. It is up to the parent or guardian to facilitate their creative play by providing a safe environment for them to play in along with adequately stimulating and challenging props and outdoor play equipment.

This story from the BBC (No Outdoor Play Hurts Children) reports a worrying trend wherein parental anxiety coupled with increasingly popular sedentary activities, such as watching TV and playing computer games, are adversely affecting children’s health.

Play England is a project that has been established to promote play activities, to raise awareness of the importance of play and the provision of suitable play facilities and strategies. The fact that this project exists is indicative of how important this issue has become.

Outdoor play activities can make a significant contribution to a childs development. Children will begin to climb even before they can walk. Providing infants with safe outdoor play equipment which encourages them to climb and to discover their own physical capabilities aids the development of their psycho-motor and cognitive skills. When toddlers begin to walk they benefit from opportunities to develop their walking skills through balancing. Ladders, climbing frames, treehouses and other forms of outdoor play equipment can help them to develop their physical confidence.

As toddlers grow they need to encounter increasingly demanding challenges which will stretch their capabilities and help them to develop their physical skills. Slides, swings, ladders, trampolines and other garden and park play equipment can make a powerful contribution towards this development. Variety is crucial in ensuring that a child does not become bored by a challenge which is either too easy or too hard.

When children are very young they will need fairly close supervision from an adult. But as a child grows this requirement quickly diminishes and it becomes increasingly important that children are given the freedom to explore their capabilities in relation to the physical world around them. It is also important that they get the opportunity to interact with other youngsters of the same age. Appropriate outdoor play facilities can provide an ideal environment for children to learn through exploration and discovery and for them to share their experiences. It is up to the parent or guardian to facilitate their creative play by providing a safe environment for them to play in along with adequately stimulating and challenging props and outdoor play equipment.

This story from the BBC (No Outdoor Play Hurts Children) reports a worrying trend wherein parental anxiety coupled with increasingly popular sedentary activities, such as watching TV and playing computer games, are adversely affecting children’s health.

Play England is a project that has been established to promote play activities, to raise awareness of the importance of play and the provision of suitable play facilities and strategies. The fact that this project exists is indicative of how important this issue has become.

Outdoor play activities can make a significant contribution to a childs development. Children will begin to climb even before they can walk. Providing infants with safe outdoor play equipment which encourages them to climb and to discover their own physical capabilities aids the development of their psycho-motor and cognitive skills. When toddlers begin to walk they benefit from opportunities to develop their walking skills through balancing. Ladders, climbing frames, treehouses and other forms of outdoor play equipment can help them to develop their physical confidence.

As toddlers grow they need to encounter increasingly demanding challenges which will stretch their capabilities and help them to develop their physical skills. Slides, swings, ladders, trampolines and other garden and park play equipment can make a powerful contribution towards this development. Variety is crucial in ensuring that a child does not become bored by a challenge which is either too easy or too hard.

When children are very young they will need fairly close supervision from an adult. But as a child grows this requirement quickly diminishes and it becomes increasingly important that children are given the freedom to explore their capabilities in relation to the physical world around them. It is also important that they get the opportunity to interact with other youngsters of the same age. Appropriate outdoor play facilities can provide an ideal environment for children to learn through exploration and discovery and for them to share their experiences. It is up to the parent or guardian to facilitate their creative play by providing a safe environment for them to play in along with adequately stimulating and challenging props and outdoor play equipment.