How to Choose the Best Toys For Kids

Choosing the best toys for kids can be fun. But beyond fun, toys offer children a whole host of learning experiences. To help kids develop, grow and learn, it is important to provide them with learning toys that best meet these developmental needs.

Here are ten tips to help you pick out the best learning toys for kids:

1. Look at every toy as a learning tool. When choosing a toy, consider the child's potential learning experience while playing with this particular toy. Does it encourage skills that are valuable to the child at this stage? Is it the best toy for the child at this age? Visit the Learning Centre to learn more about age-appropriate toys for your child.

2. Make sure it is fun to play with. Children are naturally attracted to toys that can teach them something. If a learning toy is also fun, a child will want to play with it more often and for longer periods of time - the best of both worlds.

3. Choose the correct level of complexity. Help children build confidence and self-esteem by choosing toys to help them feel successful. The best toys will have a level of difficulty that is challenging enough to require some effort, but not so difficult as to be frustrating or intimidating. Remember, a little work on their part results in a greater sense of accomplishment. And determination to succeed is greatly enhanced when a child feels confident about their chance of success. As they get older, they will learn to stick to a task until it is completed even when difficult.

4. Match toys with the child's interests. Children's preoccupations differ. Some kids love to make believe, turning every toy and object into something else. Others are focused on the real world, wanting to do 'real' things with 'real' tools. Still others are fascinated with how things work - absorbing every detail and tidbit of information, dismantling toys and objects to try to better understand the world around them. Knowing a child's interests will help you to choose the best toys.

5. Consider the child's attention span. Kids who can sit and draw or do puzzles for hours may need some encouragement to get outdoors and be active. On the other hand, if the child is as busy as a little bee and rarely sits still, initially introducing quiet activities that take only a few minutes to do, and gradually presenting some that are more time-consuming, will help develop the child's ability to concentrate. Keep in mind that it is completely normal for young children to have short attention spans. Attention spans increase naturally as a child develops.

6. Encourage independent play. Some of the best learning toys are those that children play with on their own. As kids play and figure things out on their own, they not only develop independence, they also learn to solve problems, creating a sense of satisfaction and pride. Puzzles and building blocks are ideal for developing independent play.

7. Select open-ended toys that a child can play with in several different ways . Toys that allow for open-ended play help children develop creative thinking and imagination and keep children interested for longer periods of time. Discovering new ways of playing with an old toy can sometimes be as much fun as getting a new one.

8. Help children develop social and communication skills. Look for learning toys that promote cooperation, sharing, and turn-taking. For little ones it may be toys that encourage any kind of group play. For older children these valuable skills are easily encouraged with board games.

9. Promote fitness and overall health. Toys that get kids moving and burning energy are exhilarating. Developing confidence in their muscle strength, coordination and balance gives kids a leg up when attempting unfamiliar physical tasks.

10. Keep other family members in mind. Is there a baby or toddler in the house? If so, watch out for toys consisting of small parts. Are there other children that may want to join in on a group game or activity? Do Mom and Dad have time to help with instructions or provide guidance to accomplish a particular creative project? Choose games and learning toys that take family dynamics into account.

Pre-Trip Check List

Do you need a pre-trip check list?

Here are my suggestions to get you started...

One month ahead:

If you don't already have one, set up an email address to stay in touch. To stay in contact world-wide, I use a Yahoo email address. Since Yahoo is accessible from any computer in the world, so is my email. If you are setting up a new account, use only letters and numbers for your ID and password. Build your Contact list. There have been times I've had problems finding symbols on foreign keyboards including the @ sign.

I scan my important documents and email them to my Yahoo address. If I need a copy, I can access them through my email account

Make sure your ATM card uses a 4 digit pin. And learn your pin by the numbers, not letters. Many international ATM machines have only digits on them.

Call your bank and credit card companies and let them know you'll be away and where. Carry more than one credit card in case of an emergency.

For a money pouch, I use Magellan's Deluxe Secret Waist Wallet. I find it very comfortable and easily accessible.

Be sure to check the condition of your luggage and replace it if necessary. Distinguish it in some way: yarn bow on the handles, colored tape along the sides, neon luggage straps

Make copies of your itinerary to put into your suitcase.

Learn how to make overseas calls from the country you will be visiting. If you want to take your cell phone, call your cell phone provider for information.

If you have a pet, make pet sitting arrangements.

Confirm all your reservations. If this is a car trip, take your car in for a checkup.

Check your wardrobe. Do you have the right clothes for your trip? If not, time to go shopping

One week ahead:

Put your newspaper on vacation stop.

Put your mail on hold or arrange for someone to pick it up.

Prepare emergency contact information to leave with friends and neighbors.

Check your medications. Do you have enough for the trip plus any emergency delays?

Traveling by public transportation? Arrange your ride to the airport/train/port/etc.

Gather all of your documents into one place. Put copies in another place.

Get your camera and accessories ready. Include your camera manual and extra batteries or rechargeable batteries with the charger. Read the small print on the back of your charger.
Most charges will now work with dual currents and you only need to bring outlet adapters.

Two days ahead:

Attach your lights to timers.

Put together a 'keep busy' kit for you and everyone traveling with you: books, puzzles, toys, etc

Check out the weather, at your destination, to make sure you are bringing the right clothes.

Eat or give away the perishables that are in your refrigerator.

Your carry on bag should be packed with medications and anything else that will not be easily replaceable at your destination.

Prepare the cash for your trip. If traveling domestically, traveler's checks are OK but internationally they can be very hard to convert. The ATM machine, in general, is the best way to get local currency

One day ahead:

Take your pet to the kennel, or if staying in the house, confirm arrangements with pet sitter.

Water your plants.

Adjust the a/c or heat appropriately

If traveling domestically, print out your boarding passes.

Include some snacks in your carryon, especially if traveling in the US where the airlines don't feed us anymore.

Set your alarm and get a good night's sleep.

Melissa and Doug Toys Built a Toy Empire Using Old Principles

Melissa and Doug is the name of a line of very popular educational toys for children named after its founders, Melissa and Doug Bernstein. The couple has earned praise and recognition for their commitment to producing safe, high quality toys for children. At a time when product recalls are frequent due to toys being manufactured overseas with toxic plastics and paints, Melissa and Doug have carved a special niche in the very competitive toy industry with their colorful wooden toys and puzzles. The meticulous care that goes into producing each Melissa and Doug toy has made their products consistent top sellers and favorites of both parents and children alike.

Their wooden easel, for example, has been one of the fastest selling toys since hitting the market. The colorful wooden easel boasts chalkboards and dry erase boards on each side, a locking paper roll holder, a child-safe paper cutter and a plastic tray to hold art supplies. It's height adjustable, allowing children to grow with their easel and enjoy years of fun. The popular easel has even become a popular fixture in day care centers and pre-schools because of it's durability.

The Bernsteins started making toys in 1988 in Doug's parents' home and in the short time since, have grown their company into one of the biggest and most successful toy makers in the world. Melissa and Doug toys have been honored with many prestigious awards, including the Disney Family Fun Toy of the Year award, an All Star Award from FunFare magazine and a Top Pick award from Today's Parent magazine.

Taking great pride in the fact that their toys bear their names, Melissa and Doug go to great lengths and spare no expense in making sure that their toys meet or exceed government safety regulations for toys. In addition to testing their toys for safety not just once, but during several stages of the production process, they voluntarily submit their toys' passing test results for verification to third party independently accredited testing laboratories.

Wooden Toys

For one of the most durable, long-lasting and high quality materials, choose wooden toys. Since they are virtually indestructible, they can withstand any abuse that a child can dispense. This also means that your children can pass them onto their own children someday. The fact that they will stand the test of time makes them an environmentally friendly and responsible choice. Because they are a natural material, they can be painted if the original paint starts to chip or if you just want to change the color.

Wooden toys are not commercial vehicles for a movie or a restaurant that will be soon be forgotten. Instead, they are timeless educational vehicles that will never go out of favor. With their simple forms and bright colors, wooden toys attract the attention of children and allow them to use their own imagination, creativity and skill set when playing. While perfect for any age, they are especially good for very small children because there are not a lot of tiny parts that will break and become a potential choking hazard. Another advantage is that they do not need batteries.

Developmental toys, like building blocks, puzzles and musical instruments, aid children in developing their skill sets. They put into motion things like hand and eye coordination, spatial awareness, shape recognition, balance, color awareness, problem solving skills and motor skills. The wooden toys can be extremely simple, such as a board with three different shapes that fit into specific holes, or they can be more complex, like an intricate maze where the child must navigate from beginning to end.

Owning An African Grey Parrot

Owning an African Grey Parrot is just like owning any other pet; they need regular cleaning, feeding and lots of attention. They can be very affectionate and form a strong bond with you. They have a fantastic character and it is said that King Henry Vlll used to keep African Grey parrots as pets.

I have owned my African Grey (Henry) for 22 years; they can live for up to 80 years believe it or not. Henry speaks in my voice, he can count, sing, (very loudly), whistle and when the phone rings he mimics how I would answer the phone. The latest thing he does is the sound of a cuckoo, which baffled us for a while until we realized he was mimicking the new front door bell!! He is really cheeky especially at our meal times he bangs on his door until he has something to eat too.

African Greys do need quite a lot of stimulation and like to be entertained, we moved Henry's cage from the living room to the kitchen but he did not like it at all as I think there was not enough going on in there, so he has been moved back. You can get some really good puzzles & toys to keep their minds busy. These toys work best if rotated to keep these highly intelligent birds happy. Although saying that when we put anything new in Henry's cage he will not touch it for about a week until he gets used to it.

The cage you are going to keep your bird in is quite important as it needs to be very sturdy and be big enough for your parrots needs. I brought a lovely about six months ago: this was a real high-quality parrot cage made from finest steel and is finished with a non-toxic, powder coated paint. It has a slide-out tray with grill across for easy cleaning and easy access feeding. It also has a large front and top access door for easy access. It took Henry a few days to get used to it, but he loves it now.

I feed Henry on dry natural seed and nut mix; he especially loves monkey nuts, he cracks the shell open seems to enjoy them very much. I also give him fresh fruit & vegetables to ensure he gets all of the vitamins he needs. I do let him out and he sits on top of the cage watching what everyone is doing and occasionally asking for a biscuit!!, But I always make sure the door and windows are shut as this is how I lost a previous bird.

I have now insured my bird which is great. So if one of my animals needs vet treatment now at least I know I won't have to re-mortgage the house!!! visit http://www.pet-insurance4you.co.uk for great deals on exotic pet insurance.

Owning an African Grey Parrot is very rewarding and can be a friend for life.

Traditional Wooden Toys

It seems that unless a toy lights up, makes noise or is an exact replica of something real, or realistic as possible, then the toy is considered inferior. Or so toy manufacturers would have us believe. But does a babies doll need to have realistic crying, produce tears, to need changing, to be loved? Can more traditional toys still have a place for our generation of babies and children to play with?

This article explores the benefits of traditional toys against modern toys, with some surprising results. The question is what the objective of the toy is, is it for play, or is to simply something to be sold for play? Branding of toys is becoming more and more fanatical, with TV shows settings trends for toy manufacturers who effectively tell us what toys to buy for our children, and our children regularly voice their opinions as well!

Traditional toys help to focus on how children learn and process information. The development of the mind involves language, mental imagery, reasoning and problem solving, and memory development. These skills are all needed at this stage as your child grows and develops, and educational, traditional toys are shown to assist with this development.

Cognitive development, the name for this type of learning - is not a natural development, and needs nurturing. Such toys can be of real help here, allowing babies to recognize and choose shapes, colours, sizes and play with toys and puzzles that develop their cognitive skills and abilities. You simply can't beat traditional toys for this; they by definition have all the branding, all the flash and distraction removed, to just leave the raw toy and the raw objective, with little distraction.

Fine Motor Skills

Often discussed but rarely explained; fine motor skulls are the small muscle movements that occur in detailed hand to eye co ordination. People with poor motor skills are often referred to as clumsy, but that is not always the case. For a baby picking up things form the floor, stacking blocks and reaching for things requires motor skills. Teaching these skills takes an element of patience and understanding.

Traditional toys that help babies and young children to develop their motor skills include wooden puzzles, shape sorters, puppets on string and similar toys.

Social skills

Social development is perhaps the most important thing in education. Confidence to fit in and experiment by definition leads to a greater experience of life as we try and interact with new things and get new experiences. And this development may start at a very young age, and so should be encouraged. Imaginative role play allows for this, with toys that help your child pretend to be a builder, shop keeper, parent, look after a dog, look after a baby, dress themselves and use the telephone are great examples of how toys help our children to understand and interact with the world at large.

Of course, many modern toys also help with this interaction, and provide a level of realness and are by definition more related and relative to our modern world. So in conclusion we recommend that your child should be playing with a mix of traditional toys to develop their essential skills and senses, and modern toys to help with their social skills and understanding of the modern world that we all live in.

A toy box with a mix of such toys is bound to give your child a great start in life, and ensure some favourites remain favourites for years, not just fad toys that change.

Jigsaw Puzzles - Developing the Cognitive Skills of Your Children

Jigsaw puzzle has been with people for a couple of centuries. It had served as a tool for education then, but now it serves as one of the pastimes of children and families. Furthermore, presently, most some of the parents indulge their children with this puzzle to develop their cognitive skills.

It is better to introduce these puzzles to children at a young age. It is a good way for them to develop their coordination skills and physical skills as well as memory. The advantage of these puzzles goes on from preteen, teen and even adulthood. With puzzles that have more intricate color patterns and a large number of puzzle pieces, they could develop their logic and attention details, analytical skills, communication and collaboration well.

Puzzles also develop the reasoning and problem-solving skills. They may have to flip the pieces or rotate it to see if it fits with the other pieces. In this way, the problem solving skills of the children are enhanced. As the children successfully solve this problem, they would gain the confidence in exploring new and harder puzzles.

Solving jigsaw puzzles also improve the spatial skills of children. This game lets the children to visualize the whole picture of the puzzle as well as rotating the puzzle piece mentally that the puzzle pieces would fit into others. This puzzle lets the children to imagine the result of rotating the puzzle pieces together and would let them turn to abstract thoughts rather than just remaining with their concrete thoughts.

What other people failed to look into is the importance of the picture of the puzzle when it is being formed. It is yet another cognitive benefit! A great array of different designs and pictures nowadays are available in the market or on the internet. Solving jigsaw puzzles would attract the children to solve more problem solving tasks as well as other puzzles and would let them explore in the various fields of their life.

Baby Toys for Life

When a baby comes into the world, it is important to get it toys after the first few weeks. The toys not only keep the baby occupied, they also play a great role in the baby's development. There are different types of toys; some of which include educational toys, development toys and even play toys.

The choice of baby toys should depend on the age of the baby in question. It does not make sense to get a one month old baby crayons and puzzle toys. Instead, newborns should be bought soft and light toys which come in different attractive colors to keep them occupied. By the time the baby is attaining his first year on earth, you can start bringing in toys like puzzles and those that produce different sounds. These toys are really helpful in the development of the baby.

As the baby grows, you can incorporate block puzzles and let the baby play with them. You can even show them how to go about arranging them and then let them do it on their own. The types of toys should change with age. The toys are meant to stimulate the five human senses of touch, sight, sound, smell and taste and in turn this will create attention, curiosity, memory and also help the development of the nervous system.

When getting baby toys, it is important to go for those which will last for a longer time so that they can be passed from one baby to another as they grow to new toys. Before your baby is strong enough to write anything, you can get cloth books which normally come printed with different shapes in different colors. Such kind of toys help in the long term development by encouraging pre reading skills while the different shapes assist in learning things like animal names, alphabets as well as numbers.

Other important toys can include stuffed dolls and animals which teach the baby how to do simple tasks such as buttoning and tying shoe laces. It is also easy to learn how to put clothes on and how to change. This is very important in the baby's development.

There are toys meant for baby boys and those for girls, so have this in mind as well as you do your choosing.

Unplugged Fun - Non-electronic educational games for children

Games have always been one of the most fascinating and reliable ways to teach and reinforce new children so that they are not forgotten. The children want to play, of course, if they are so capable of something at the same time you can learn at different levels of benefit.

In modern society, the "games" is a synonym for computer games. And while computer games can have their strengths, they are not to commit the only kind of games and education.

Board games, logic> Puzzles and educational games are designed mind the work of children. Also works for other art of the mind as computer games and can have the land development and the ability to help. For children learning toy company Lamaze is educational for the youngest child. Straight from the birth of their range of soft toys and colorful attracts the interest of children and begins to tap his senses to develop the listening and viewing.

Since children in this agelook very good, is healthy and has highlighted the different responses toys sound development can begin with awareness, concentration, and cause and effect. Their toys, children from 0-2 years. Toys in recent years emphasize motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

For older children, winner of the series offers a wide selection of toys for ThinkFun, logic and concentration are designed to engage the brain in order to increaseProblem solving skills. These games are commonly known as Puzzle Puzzle and electronic games can be played as a person. As with all puzzle games, creative thinking is required - it is not distracting or time-passers.

Their games are simple, consistent and brilliant. In Rush Hour, a popular example, a player must move their cars packed game pieces around a small circuit board with another vehicle and maneuver from one side of the city boardothers. Players can challenge their own and, when more experience to the game can be more difficult.

If you travel fibrillation to engage the mind of a child on a screen then it may also occur Puzzle (Puzzle try one with a picture of your child's favorite character), or sandbox, play sets, kits for creating mosaics, puppets and most games are designed for the child's creativity and improve with a little 'to your fingertipsfirst to "pull" the child is recommended.

Wooden Educational Toys

Wooden Educational toys add fun to learn. Unlike battery-powered toys to move by themselves, wooden toys encourage a child to think of education and come up with creative ideas for the game. Puzzles are extremely useful for children of all ages. Young children can be given pieces of a puzzle with a small number. Look, it's amazing how with every use, it is something else until they do the master of the puzzle. At first, their actionsare random, but after a couple of uses, which rotate the pieces and try to be correct in their seats, finally, master of the puzzle and are ready for the next. Solving a puzzle is a constructive learning for children. Parents should make sure that the puzzles are appropriate child is this. While large pieces suitable for small children, are required piece of the puzzle challenge for children older than them.

Educational toys come in many types of woodof music, math toys. Some of them help children learn the names of different colors, while others help them learn the names of animals and birds. There are also toys for preschoolers learn the alphabet and basic numbers.

They help a child develop creativity and improve some innate abilities. This can be extremely useful in later life. Musical toys such as wooden drums base or a small stringed instrument of wood may also helpChildren develop their musical skills. They not only foster a sense of rhythm and chords in a child, but also expose him to a wide range of sounds. Development of hearing loss occurs automatically when a child plays with musical toys.

Puzzles and kits to ensure the growth of logical thinking of a child and problem solving skills. Their natural curiosity is channeled positively. This type of learning is not difficult and very comfortable for the child. MemorySkills and mathematical skills are maintained in a playful manner using these types of toys.

These toys are made of wood, gives the duration of childhood through the rigors of ups and downs. This educational wooden toy can also be used in schools and in schools. These toys stimulate a child's intellectual ability and broaden their sense of imagination to improve their creativity.

Kids wooden puzzle for the development of cognitive skills

As children grow and develop, their growth spurts. During this time, develop their body and mind to a surprisingly high speed data transfer and their appetite for wanting to understand and seems to be insatiable. They start a lot of questions about the world around them. One way for parents, most of this phase and their children with educational wooden puzzles.

puzzles for children offer many important advantages. They may be to promote cognitiveDevelopment in these important early years. Puzzles for children to stimulate their natural curiosity and engage them with new problems to solve. Problem solving and reasoning skills are just two of many cognitive skills are affected positively when children play with wooden puzzles. For example, if a child tries to form in their respective openings in the form of a toy sorting, using arguments and be sure to remember where each piece belongs. If a piece does not fitcorrectly, they use their thinking skills to identify the problem and solve the riddle to find the piece that fits.

wooden puzzles are a great way to introduce colors for babies and children the letters of pre-school children, numbers, shapes, e. By physically placing the shapes in the form of numbers, letters or pieces of the puzzle color matching positions, they can contact these letters to write before they are able and with the numbers beforecount.

Wooden puzzle Because children are generally of little use for the pieces are usually small enough to fit in a small hand big enough to manipulate them and for every move. The pieces are too large to fit in your mouth, so there are no security risks. Because they are made of wood, the pieces are thick and bulky for the taking right for small hands to hold. The natural wood construction is easy to design, so the children do not feelintimidated.

Grabbing and putting the pieces of the puzzle helps children develop hand-eye coordination and dexterity, improving motor skills. When you have successfully completed these tasks, they acquire self-confidence and trust. The children develop an "I can do" attitude when it successfully completed a puzzle.

Another advantage of wooden puzzles is last. Parents should not worry about wearing the puzzle, because they are made of wooddifficult to destroy children. Some families are spending this kind of puzzle, their children 1 year of age or younger, because they know that these toys are virtually indestructible.

To the best of the wooden puzzle, parents should know that not all children are ready encouragement to play with these toys immediately and call a few. In some cases, children want to play with puzzles, but they are handicapped, for they know not what to do. The cure forthese two problems is the involvement of parents, play with your child and show them what they show to the puzzle together, colors, shapes and interact, even if they want to find out how the new toy and its capabilities.

There is a wide selection of different themes and puzzles for children. The most popular type is the type of block rule is simple in nature and in the square, or other easily recognizable form. There are puzzlesshow the cute animals like a dog or a cat or a picture of a stable structure as a house or an inanimate object, the child is familiar. With all these options, parents should have no problem, the puzzle right for your child.

educational benefits for children's puzzles

The puzzles are preferred to traditional children's educational toys, not only among children, parents and teachers use.

You can make your child's early learning at home and at school, giving them toys to play puzzle.

Puzzles help children develop the ability of a range of, including cognitive skills, motor skills, eye-hand coordination and social skills.

Improvement of cognitive puzzles - problem solving - skills and reasoningto help children see the relationship between the whole and its parts.

You can also visual spatial perception and to teach subjects like the alphabet, counting, colors, shapes and sorting objects into categories such as animals or vehicles.

Motor skills such as grasping and handling (not the type of monetary or emotional) are like puzzle game created by mystery, or those which bring the child to require pins or holes in blocks or add an object to another.These skills are essential for writing and drawing, but children begin to learn a lot before voting at all, a piece of chalk.

Similarly, infants and young children learn hand-eye coordination skills as picking up the pieces of a puzzle, and the right place.

Playing with puzzles can also teach your child social skills in children with other facts. Children learn to share the work of tasks, how to discuss and exchange pieces of the puzzle, where they should go. You can alsoLearn with frustration when dealing with do not fit a piece.

In short, fun puzzle, stimulating, educational toys for children and adults of all ages.

Educational toys for children

3D puzzle IQ test

The concept of 3D puzzle has increased the reader's imagination. The effects of three-dimensional objects project a more realistic compared to non-3D stuff. Articles such as this that some optical illusions specifically for the width depth and height. These are factors that make up the three-dimensional approach to three-D.

There are different presentations of 3D puzzles, such as games, puzzles and the game on the Internet some very popular and loved by the youngAdults. It is possible in classic pieces that can be a pastime for some fans of the puzzle. These guys are perfect accent wall to be over. Other species are putting the puzzle pieces or be completely glued together into a whole object. These species are used in various shapes and sizes with different types of materials such as foam or wood.

3-D puzzles are brain power that can play really well to tickle the mind of another individual and place the pieces together.They can also develop patience and perseverance to get things done. Children who are exposed to this type of toy to be imaginative and clever. These things are great puzzles for children and adults.

The fundamental vision and touch are toys in a good year with them. There are puzzles 3D, which are also made of magnetic pieces provide adult entertainment and fun, not only for small children, but for. A child playing withToys, like this situation to develop in his mental capacity to resolve a question as simple as the execution of the pieces together and to improve the recognition of shapes and colors.

Schools and homes can consider these toys as a child to develop appropriate tools, the ability of an engine. It 'very interesting and enjoyable to watch a small child to solve them. A child is logically part of the brain is tapped and brought to this mental exercises. A child's IQ can be testedwith some materials as good as the 3D puzzle.

The choice of robust and durable dog toys

Finding the right dog toys can be daunting. Pet parents looking for long-lasting and durable dog toys most of the money can buy for yourself. It 's always the brand of dog toys such as Tuffy Bowmerang and Sport Tug-O-War.

We tried to see the toy dog ', the most difficult and most fascinating. We have a labrador puppy from pulling the stuffed toy he loves it all. As in PET, we had access to many> Toys and test them all.

Now we can recommend to remove the toys that the dogs were tested about one of the most aggressive chewers and filling.

HuggleHounds dog toys are exceptional in terms of duration. Their toys are made with proprietary technology Tuffut. Tuffut Technology is a patented 3-step process that bonds the three heavy-duty coatings outside of the toy. Hugglehounds also uses extra-strength thread and more dots per inch. EvenAdd special effects for all stress points to a genuine security. There are no external sutures that can be easily opened by aggressive chewers. There is so much more protection or a toy was used to its lightness and play. These toys are tested to withstand over 100 pounds to pull and pull. This process promises to deliver the biggest toy in the pet industry.

The Moose and Bunny Knotties are some of the springs, but super-strong toy around adorably.

L 'The legs have large knots in their squeaking feet. The stomach has built a strong Grunter.

Other toys that will surely note, toys, Kyjen. We like their H2O Aqua toys for the beach and swimming pool. They are made of a lightweight neoprene that squeaks, and neon colored float. These toys seem to be against a lot.

We must not forget the Canine Genius Leo Mike and toys. When our dog was a puppy, Leo was theto get a little 'too much for them and make up, but he knew that if I brought it, he would try to fill the snack and knock-out to get. These toys are made of rubber in the United States with high quality and durable.

Canine Genius Dog Toys are durable, chewable, configurable puzzles that it's stuff. You can use a few different toys or Mike Leo dogs and hook them together to make riddles.

This toy has been with our dog in aA year and a half and still looks as it did from day one.

Planet Dog toys are high on the Chew-o-meter. Most of the balls such as football, soccer, Diamond Plate Ball and Glow for Good Ball all have at least 4 out of 5 evaluated for their hardness scale.

The Orbe Planet Dog balls are the highest rating 5 out of 5 Chompers.

All these toys are in the United States are just some of the most durable on, flexible, buoyant and bouncy dog toys on theMarket.

In Mickey's Pet Supplies, we test our toys for the hardness of the dog. http://www.mickeyspetsupplies.com

Educational Toys For 10 Year Olds

Today we live in a good age because there are so many educational toys available, far more then previous decades. The growing interest of combining entertainment and education is on the rise. There are educational toys for any subject and interest your 10 year old boy or girl has. Developing a child's analytical, linguistic, and motor skills as early as possible will be highly beneficial for them in the long run. Some of us hated or disliked studying when we had to, but if we had some of the educational toys and games like today we might have taken a different more open approach to studying.

Kids would like to play sports, ride bikes, and play with their action figures or dolls most of the time, but just like in the adult world, work and studying has to be done. A great way to build a 10 year olds vocabulary is through word association games and verbal puzzles. When learning is put in game form it becomes more fun and interesting for young kids. typically, when young kids are having fun and are interested they will remember more of what they learned.

Learning math can be relatively boring for some children with many of us hating math as kids. Multiplication mosaics combines math with art. How so? When a correct answer is given the child fills in the chart and as they continue a mosaic of an object appear, thus, creating some type of art. Not only are they learning their multiplication tables but creating pictures at the same time. Not just multiplications can be used with this type of game but division as well.

For those future engineers a paper airplane making book would be ideal. Not only does it combine technical with artistic skills, but also give the young child to see what the efforts have created. For more detailed and difficult projects model airplanes, ships, and cars would be a challenge for any 10 year old. Do-it-yourself chemistry sets and rocket sets would be very valuable also.

Another game that promotes creative thinking and problem solving abilities are divide and spatial games. These games typically have images you must separate using sticks so each image has its own individual space, it sounds easier then it actually is.

If you would like to teach a 10 year old financial responsibility so they know money doesn't grow on trees there are games that can achieve this also. It is never too early to teach children how to budget and manage money.

this is the time when kids really start to know what they are interested in and it is important to nourish there education and creativity with the proper games and learning tools.

Toys and Games - Different Types of Toys and Games!

Toys are certainly every child's delight. No matter how many toys do you give to a child, it would always be less. Such is the charm of these little gadgets which are so much popular in the market. Toys and games would always have consistent market share and their popularity can never be undermined in anyway. Let us have a look at these toys and games which have become so much popular in the market and they are also going strong with each passing day.

Remote controlled toys are a rage in the market. They can be cars, helicopters and other such things which have become so popular in its niche group. These toys can be easily controlled and comes with a lot of features that prove attractive for the kids. Then comes the puzzles. They can be varied and provide a good mental exercise for the kids. Also, these puzzles can be played by kids of all age groups and they come in accordance with the certain age groups. So much so, the adults can also play these games with utmost ease and convenience. These toys therefore have been one of the most important sources of entertainment and puzzles are one of them.

You can also give active toys to your kids which would keep him/her physically active as well. The child tends to relax more than to involve in the physical activity. So, if your kid is becoming fatter day by day and is less keen in doing some physical exercises, the best that you can do is to involve him or her in one of these exercises which are so helpful in providing him physical fitness as well. Then, the stuff toys can also be an important source of entertainment for these kids. They can be easily made at home as well and they are very cute and cuddly which would be loved by the kids of all age groups.

Choosing Educational Toys

How do you ensure that the educational toy you buy will be right for your child? As with everything there are no guarantees with children. There are a couple of things to consider when selecting children's educational toys that can improve the chances that your choice will be well received. First, evaluate the developmental stage that your child is at. Select educational toys that target skills and abilities for that stage. An educational toy that is too advanced may cause frustration, and one that is too simple will not be challenging enough to warrant attention. Below is a general guideline for what types of children's educational toys are better suited for developmental stages from newborn through 3 years old. This is only meant to be a guide to start you thinking in the right direction. Use these guidelines and your knowledge of your child's interests to you help make your educational toy purchases.

Newborn to 3 Months: Babies cannot do much at this stage but their senses are eager for stimulation. Children's educational toys with high-contrast patterns and bright colors will capture little ones' attention. Babies can see color from birth but have difficulty distinguishing between similar tones. Educational toys designed with bright and distinctly different colors like red, green, black and white help babies differentiate shapes and patterns. Babies spend a good deal of time on their backs and sides at this age making colorful mobiles that play music a great educational toy choice. Babies are fascinated by their reflection in safety mirrors. They are not able to recognize themselves but the activity is great visual stimulation. Baby gyms are excellent educational toys because of the variety of stimulation they offer. Baby gyms have bright colors, a variety of attachments with different shapes, textures, and sounds. Most gyms now play music and have lights as well. These educational toy gyms require baby to pull, kick, or bat something to set off the stimulus helping to develop motor skills.

Suggested toys for this age: Galt Paynest and Gym, Busy Bear Mirror, 2 in 1 Smart Gym, Farm Friends Mobile, Jumbo Gym, and Farm Linkies.

3 to 6 Months: During this stage your baby will gain better head control and have better movement of arms and legs. They generally grip onto anything they can get their hands on and put it directly into their mouth. Educational toys like rattles promote motor development and provide sensory stimulation. Since everything ends up in the mouth, educational toys that are chewable or soft plush are favorites. Babies need to experience different textures so vary the materials educational toys are made of. Activity centers provide lots of stimulation at this age. These educational toys normally have lots of buttons that produce sounds, lights, and give a variety of textures to explore. Hand-eye coordination will improve as babies explore the activity center. Parents are often on the move more with babies at this age. Activity bars that fit across a stroller, car seat, or bouncy chair that have dangling, squeaky toys and mirrors keep baby stimulated while on the move. Motor skills develop as baby reaches, hits, pulls, and kicks at the accessories on these educational toys.

Suggested toys for this age: Tummy Play Trainer, Curiosity Cube, Toe Time Infant Car Toy, Musical Arch 'N Play, Jungle Pals Pushchair Arch.

6 to 12 Months: Your baby has much better control over arm and leg movement. By 9 to 10 months, your baby should be able to move around by some means- either pulling, crawling, or scooting. By 12 months they should be able to stand by themselves and many will even start walking. Educational toys including wooden blocks that baby can stack and knock down, throw, or bang together to make noise are good choices. By 12 months, educational wooden blocks can be used for early construction play to promote development of motor skills, cause and effect, sensory and visual stimulation. Educational toys like the Sensory Ball from Edushape, provides great stimulation with different textures. Once babies learn to sit up, they will enjoy rolling a ball and trying to catch it as you roll it back. Letting your baby chase the ball will encourage movement. Trying to figure out why a square block won't go through a round opening will help develop problem solving skills- though it may cause some frustration in the beginning. By the time your baby is 12 months, they will start to enjoy stacking activities, though they will need help in trying to get the right order. More interest in books will be noticeable now. Try to buy books that have pages with different textures and simple flaps. This will help to develop their sense of touch.

Suggested toys for this age: Frog in the Box, Activity Cube, Farm Friends Stacker, Soft Books, Hug a Bug, Textured Blocks.

1 to 2 years: With each step your baby becomes more independent and confident. Little ones at this age spend every waking hour exploring and experimenting. For those still a bit unsteady walking, educational toys that promote mobility such as a walker or push car are great choices. Pushcarts and wagons are a great way for children to tote things around- another favorite activity at this age. Educational toys including soft plush toys and dolls remain favorites at this age. Children often become very attached to one or two and use them in creative play. Toddlers can find many ways to make loud sounds. Musical instruments like drums, maracas, and tambourines are educational toys that will help them learn to appreciate music while they make noise. Inset puzzles require toddlers to lift out pieces and find the right places to put them back. These first puzzles improve problem skills and fine tune motor skills. Puzzles are educational toys that your children will play with over and over again.

Suggested toys for this age: 4 in 1 Walker, Galt Wooden Baby Walker, Little Hands Music Band, Mini Edublocks, First Blocks, Baby Puzzles, Wooden Shaped Puzzles, First Puzzles.

2 to 3 Years: Your toddler's motor skills are now well developed. They can run, jump, and climb. The area of explosive development in this stage is speech and language. Imaginative play becomes the focus for this age group. Educational toys that children use as props in pretend play help build language and communication skills. Great educational toy choices for this age include character toys, puppets, dolls, toy vehicles, and animal figures. These educational toys foster creativity and imagination by allowing your child to create wonderful adventures, model adult behavior, and role-play. Large piece puzzles are great educational toys for this age. Children at this age should be able to complete a 4 to 6 piece puzzle on their own. Puzzles are a great activity to build hand-eye coordination, problem solving, and fine motor skills.

Suggested toys for this age: Table and Chairs, Wooden Stacking Train, Airport Blocks, Maggie's Friends, Shaped Puzzles, Play and Learn Puzzles.

Melissa And Doug Educational Toys

The Melissa and Doug Company is a Westport, Connecticut based company formed by husband and wife team Douglas and Melissa Bernstein. The business was started in 1988, and now has over 20 years behind it of providing sought after, quality children's products that have helped form lasting memories. Many of the products in their line of toys provide a valuable educational experience for young minds just learning about the world and their place in it.

There are several collections of learning mats. These are laminated maps that children can draw on which show images of common educational themes that children learn. There's an Alphabet and Numbers set of learning mats, which support their reading and numerical literacy. There's also a Basic Skills set of learning mats, which help children learn and reinforce such important skills as telling time, phonics, and handwriting. There's also a Math Skills set of learning mats, which help children to learn addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Many other mats are also available, including mats to teach about geography, the solar system, past US presidents, dinosaurs, and more.

Also available to stimulate young minds is a large selection of puzzles and other toys such as alphabet blocks and numbers blocks, as well as interactive toys like the alphabet puzzle book or the magnetic number maze. Chalkboards and Dry-Erase Boards are available to help children practice their writing, and there are a lot of wild animal shaped toys that allow children to learn about the animals in the world from far off places.

Also available from Melissa and Doug are classic games that encourage thinking and strategy like Chess and Checkers. Arts and Craft supplies are also available to help excite budding young minds. They also carry accessories to help young minds discover nature, such as binoculars, magnifying glasses, bug nets and bug houses, and little plastic snakes, bugs, and lizards. The Melissa and Doug Company are committed to helping young minds learn and grow in a variety of ways, and this is seen very clearly by the types of toys that they offer.

The Melissa And Doug company also carries several other lines of toys that are very popular, including Trunki, the adorably painted trunk on wheels that can be used as a storage bin, or as a piece of luggage that children can ride on so that they can have more fun in airports. Also available are stuffed animals, puppets, pretend kitchen utensils and tools, dolls, doll houses, memory frames, door plaques, castle sets, farm sets, rattles, sand box toys, picnic and camping accessories, and more.

All these wonderful lines of children's toys that support growing young minds make the Melissa and Doug Company a great source for any parents looking to provide their children with the best start possible. Laughter, learning, and fun are never in short supply when you've got toys made by the Melissa and Doug Company, helping families grow together for over 20 years with no end in sight.

Please see our Author's box below for Melissa and Doug toy photos, offers, and other exciting news about Toys from Melissa and Doug.

Review Melissa and Doug Toys

Melissa and Doug Toys have been in business for the past twenty years. Their line of wooden toys has been expanding every year until they are one of the top makers of wooden puzzles. ALL of their toys either meet or exceed the US governments standards for safety in toys.

I love these toys! Many of them bring me back to my own childhood and that of my children. The wooden puzzles are fantastic. Besides the usual ABC and 124, wooden puzzles, they offer animals, cars, trucks, and shape puzzles. Many of the wooden puzzles have sounds to help your children learn their shapes, numbers or alphabet.

The shape sorter selection is great. Solid wooden boxes with cutouts for standard shapes and even one for the shapes of animals, will delight your younger children. They also offer the cutest assortment of push clacker" toys I've ever seen on one place. There is a duck clacker, an elephant clacker even an alligator!

If your children are budding artists, they will love the assortment of arts and crafts available. A particular favorite of mine is the wooden treasure chest that your child can decorate themselves. Everything needed to make an imaginative and original item is included. Their easels are solid and sturdy and either come alone or with paint, chalk and crayon accessories.

Dollhouses?? Oh yes! beautiful wooden dollhouses, some furnished and if they aren't, their are room packages available. Wonderfully detailed and not just doll houses! There is a barn and a stable for all the horse lovers; a castle for your knight in shining armor or your little princess.

Doll furniture like cribs, beds and even a high chair are made to take years of loving abuse!
A particular favorite of mine is the Tree House. It has a pulley systems, working trap door, porch swing, hammock and retractable stairs. It's about 20" high and is sure to please even the most discerning youngster.

Plush Animals are a favorite of the younger children and Melissa and Doug Toys have not left them out. There are wonderful white tigers, bears, dogs of all breeds and even a huge giraffe. These plush animals will delight your toddlers and offer that extra ounce of comfort when needed.

Interactive Toys For Learning

It's unfortunate that more people don't know this, but toys and playing are absolutely vital for a person's development. This isn't only true for babies and children, it's just as true for adults. Yes, even adults need to take some time to goof off and indulge their curiosities now and then if they hope to continue growing and changing as human beings (or have you never spent hours and hours researching random topics on the internet, just for fun?).

With the right developmental toys, playtime can be a whole lot more than something kids do for amusement. With the right toys, playtime can be a productive learning process. Every toy a child might become interested in has some potential to teach, as the child experiments and, well, toys around with it, but some of the best toys are the ones that capitalize on a child's tendency to experiment and aim to teach valuable life skills.

Most obviously, we all recognize on sight such educational wooden toys for babies and toddlers as the ring tower, which uses circular, wooden rings of various colours and sizes to teach children about, well, colours and sizes. These toys are excellent for babies and young toddlers still learning how to interpret and interact with the world around them on the most basic levels. There are also the traditional wooden shape blocks which can be dropped into a box through the corresponding holes, and various other classic toys used to teach basic interaction skills.

If you're looking for baby learning toys or toddler learning toys, you may also want to look into baby walking toys to encourage, well, learning to walk. Bath toys are another excellent form of educational baby toys to encourage basic life skills.

For the slightly older child, these kinds of toys are, of course, kind of boring. Once a child becomes interested in learning mathematics or learning to read, it's kind of hard to find tiny wooden blocks all that amusing anymore.

For the child who has surpassed the need for such basic learning toys, there are, of course, toys like Intellective toy laptops, which teach a variety of reading and mathematic skills, and of course, the classic puzzles and kids games, creative toys, such as Lego sets (check out the Star Wars lego toys if your kid's a real space nut), Duplos, Mega Bloks, and build-it-yourself castle and doll house play sets. Sorry for the run on sentence, but the list really does go on and on.

For the yet MORE advanced child, who might consider all that stuff to be children's toys, between the ages of say, 8 and 12 (though each child advances at his own age, so use your own judgment), there are more advanced toys, like model kits and remote control cars toys. Such toys aren't generally seen as being educational, but they do require a degree of construction and maintenance (which can encourage the kind of habits most of us wish we had when we bought our first used car as a teenager).

It's important to know what kind of interactive learning toys are right for your child, based on their level of development and their own personal interests. Most toys will have a suggested age group, but that's all that that really is: A suggestion. Nobody knows your child like you do, so look to provide them with the toys that seem custom built to their specific needs, and remember that, as helpful as playing can be, the best way to nurture a child's growth is by taking time to help them learn basic life skills and indulging their curiosities.

Jigsaw Puzzles

Jigsaw puzzles are a great way to entertain oneself. They increase concentration and patience and the end product is always very beautiful. Jigsaw puzzles are great for all kinds of people, of all ages. Since they are available in different levels of difficulty, they can be played and enjoyed by anyone, and any number of people can take part. This makes it all the more popular.

Jigsaw puzzles are now available in many designs and patterns. Some are so complicated that they have thousands of pieces to create the most intricate and challenging designs. Some of the most common patterns are: autumn, Christmas, dinosaurs, dragons, Easter, earth day, Egypt, fantasy, flowers, food, Halloween, homes, landscapes, people, ocean, plants, school, space, sports, summer, traveling, weather, and movie-based puzzles like Mickey Mouse, Finding Nemo and Winnie the Pooh.

There are also online jigsaw games available. These are also provided with different difficulty levels--some of them with as many as twelve levels. These also have attractive graphics and animation options to make them look more realistic as well as interesting. They are very easy to play, with simple click and drag movements of the mouse. You can also design your own jigsaw puzzle with the given options. These are available as downloadable programs or in CDs. Some of them are also free. These can be played online or they can be downloaded onto the PC. Some sites allow a few free levels and the rest of them have to be purchased. The CD games require certain minimum software configuration like: Windows 95/98/2000/XP or ME; 32 or 64 MB RAM, Microsoft-compatible mouse; 2X speed CD ROM; 800X600 (16 bit colors) video and display; Netscape or IE version 4 or higher with Java enabled; and a Pentium 166 or 266 MHz processor.

Some manufacturers are providing jigsaw puzzles with special effects such as those with built-in lights. You can have an aerial picture of your own house or a picture of your loved ones made into a puzzle. Another interesting advancement is the three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle. These are also shaped in interesting patterns, and they make great display items when done. Jigsaw puzzles are available at most games and sports stores. They can also be ordered and bought from online stores.

Melissa and Doug Puzzles

One of the popular activity products are Melissa and Doug puzzles. There are several kinds of these puzzles and all designed not only to entertain your little angels with something to do but also as an aid in educating them. These puzzles can positively introduce or reinforce positive social principles and values that will be beneficial to a child's well-being.

One of the puzzles that will certainly entertain and educate the little angels in your life is the Sea Life Puzzle Set. This is a delightful set of six wooden jigsaw puzzles that feature some popular underwater friends such as the sea turtle, sea star, sea crab, and more. All it takes to assemble these bright and colorful puzzles are two to eleven pieces. Because they can easily be completed, it helps in building confidence, hand-eye coordination, and motor skills of kids 2 years and older.

Another jigsaw puzzle set that kids, especially boys, will love to play with is the Dinosaur Jigsaw Puzzles in a Box. The set includes four wooden, 12-piece dinosaur jigsaw puzzles that include a triceratops, an apatosaurus, a stegosaurus, and a T-Rex. Each is stored in separate compartments of a sturdy wooden box, with the slide-on box lid doubling as a convenient puzzle board. Each puzzle piece is shape-coded on the back for easy sorting. Perfect for kids 3 years and older, this puzzle is great to bring along when you are travelling with your little angels to keep them entertained during trips.

These are just some of the Melissa and Doug puzzles that your kids will certainly have a fun time with.

Organizing Toys

Before we begin, I wanted to share some startling statistics with you. I found them in Every Child has a Thinking Style by Lanna Nakone. Keep them in mind when you are organizing toys with your kids.

Children from the age of 4-12 have tripled their purchases since the 1990's.
Children's homes have 50% more things in them since the 1980's.
Since the 1920s toys have been marketed directly to children.
In 2004, 15 billion dollars were spent on advertising to children.
In 1981, kids had 40% time for play.
In 1997, kids have 25% time for play.
Children have a third less downtime than they did a generation ago.

YIKES!

Isn't it interesting that kids have MORE toys now and LESS time to enjoy them? Something is wrong with this picture.

In this article we are going to explore simple ideas for organizing toys, games to make it fun for all, as well as become more clear about your role and your child's role in organizing toys.

Simple Ideas for Organizing Toys

Create one room that is the play room. This may mean children will have to share a bedroom. This allows for their sleep room to be a place of tranquility, peacefulness, and rest. It also keeps toys in a space that is every kids dream--their own play room! Create zones such as a game zone, reading zone, doll zone, car zone, missing pieces zone, etc. The special zones will make it easy to know where things belong. Plus when the kids are inspired, they can easily find the toy that will take them to never-never land.

Use clear baskets and bins for kids to visually see where their toys are and where they belong when it is time to put them away. Empower the kids at all ages to develop this life skill of putting things back. Use pictures for kids who are not reading yet by cutting out pictures from magazines, drawing the toys, or taking a digital picture and using it as the label. Turn it into an art project and have the kids make their own labels.

Practice the "One-In, Two-Out" rule. For every toy that is brought into the home, have the child choose two to donate or give to another friend. This is a marvelous habit to get the kids into. (Well, for us adults too!) The other beauty of this rule is when you are at a store and your child asks for a new toy. You can ask them, "Are there two toys you are willing to let go of to allow this into your playroom?" If the answer is NO, then it is easier to say not now. If the answer is YES, then ask which toys they are thinking about to make sure they are somewhat comparable in size and value. I bet some kids would be more than willing to let go of a fast food toy for a race track! Creating this new thought process with purchases will allow the kids to be an active part of the decision.

Let go of the big, bulky toys that take up tons of space. Trade them in for a bicycle or even a wagon. Kids have flourished with simple toys that enhance their creativity and their physical fitness in the past. Why not do the same now?

Get creative with games and puzzles. Games and puzzles add a special challenge by having different shaped boxes. One solution is to get rid of the boxes and have a clear plastic container for game pieces, a binder for the rules, and a box for all the game boards (with a label on the outside of the board). You may also be interested in using GameSavers to keep each game in its own box. For puzzles, use ziplock bags for the pieces and color the backs so you know which piece goes with which puzzle if they get mixed up. Remember, you have the power to make games and puzzles work for your space, rather than making your space fit your games and puzzles.

Create a way for the play space to be portable. Kids may want to play in an area that is close to you. You may even want them where you can see them. So, have a basket in each room where toys migrate. Throughout the day these baskets can collect the toys and allow for easy pick up to be returned to the play room.

Get in the habit of putting toys to bed. This turns the kids space into a clean slate for new fun to be had!

Rotate toys. As adults, we know what it is like to have too many choices. It can paralyze us! The same is true for kids. If you find them being overwhelmed with their toy selections or becoming bored, place some in a storage box to be brought out on a rainy day or in a couple of months. This will extend the life of the toy by having them feel new again!

Slow the toy flow. If toys are coming into your life at unmanageable speeds, or if you find you are not receiving appropriate gifts for your children, it may be time to offer other suggestions to your family and friends. For example, you can suggest money for your child's college fund, gift certificates, or experiences such as museums, parks, music lessons, trips, etc.

Change your language. Organizing toys instead of cleaning toys can make all the difference in their excitement level. For some reason, kids respond to "Let's organize your toys!" instead of "Hey, let's clean up the play room." I know which one sounds like more fun to me! Ha!

Games to Make Organizing Toys Fun

Out of Place Game

Once a home for their toys is created, ask your kids to close their eyes while you move things around. Their goal is to find all the items out of place and put them back in their home. This encourages kids to look for misplaced items, think about where they belong, and take action to put them back. Using a timer can add another level of challenge! You can even use this for other items in the house such as books, clothes, and school supplies.

Timers

Timers are wonderful tools to add a little excitement and motivation to any project--even organizing toys! By having one near the play area you can:

Set the timer for 15 minutes and when it goes off, it is time to put the toys away.
See how long it takes the kids to put the toys away and race against the clock.
Set the time for a certain amount and what ever is not put away gets placed in a donation box or a safe box (to be let out after a certain time.) Okay, this may seem a little mean, but you could use this if the kids are not cooperating and need an extra incentive.

Field Trip to Donation Center

If your kids are donating toys, take them to the donation center and let the employees share how their toys will be used. If you let the donation center know you are coming in advance, they may even have a little celebration for your kids to reinforce how special their gift is. This could make it even easier next time you are going through your toys.

Toy Hunt

Add a twist to clearing out the toy clutter by making it into a scavenger hunt. Make a list of all the things you want the kids to hunt for, or better yet, ask your kids to come up with their own list. Items could include:

toys that are broken
toys that are too young for me
toys I don't like to play with anymore
toys that are missing a piece

Now set a timer and see how many items they can find for the entire list, or for a specific topic, such as broken toys. You can have the kids race against each other or work together as a team effort and give them different zones to hunt.

Yard Sale

This could be a fun way for your child to learn a ton of different skills--money management, marketing, sales, and of course--organizing toys! By making money from their toys, they will see a different kind of value attached to the toy and may be willing to let go of them a little easier. Plus, they can use the money to buy something else they desire.

Your Kid's Role in Organizing Toys

I am a firm believer in having the kids be a part of the decision on what toys are given away. I get a lot of grief from parents on this one, but think about it. On some instances, your child may not know their toy is missing and YES, it is easier for you to do it when they are not around. But just like anything, it is a habit and a way of thinking about their things that can be taught and will take some time. It is possible for kids to develop a lack of trust and hang onto their toys even harder if they fear they will be taken away without their input. This is another fabulous way to teach them how to make choices that reach far beyond toys.

Get the kids involved in their own space. How do they want it decorated? What zones make sense to them? What does organizing toys mean to them? What would motivate them to clean up their space? When given the chance, kids can come up with the best ideas.

Kids also have their own organizing style that is important to embrace. So, how you would organize their space may not work for them. I recommend reading Every Child has a Thinking Style to help identify your child's own style to empower and understand them.

Your Role in Organizing Toys

In my opinion, your role is to be a guide, a support and creator of a safe place for your children to learn. Simply being a great role model with your own stuff and learning how to organize will also empower the rest of the family.

Now is the time to be honest with yourself. Are you more attached to the toys than your kids? I have seen it time and time again. Your attachment may come from the amount of money the toy cost, to who gave it to your child, to the memories you have of your child playing with it. When you have a heart palpitation when the kid picks out the train set he no longer plays with, ask your self where it is coming from. You may find that you have more resistance with letting go of toys than they do AND you could be passing that along to them unknowingly.

It is especially important that you organize WITH your child, and not do it FOR them. They will enjoy having you as an organizing buddy.

Take time to really play with your children. This will give you a better idea of why they like certain toys and connect deeper with you child. Plus we all need more playtime in our lives!

Benefits of Educational Toys

Every parent loves to think that they can help their child to achieve the skills they need to cope in the world as they grow up and buying them educational toys is a large part of this. An educational toy is one that helps the child to develop skills of some kind. It could be something like a building or craft set that will help to develop small motor skills or it could be a soccer ball or other sporting equipment that will aid in producing sporting skills or increase the ability of the child to interact with others, a vital skill needed both for play and work.

Toddler toys or preschool toy are often required to be educational. Parents like to think that their children may perhaps get a jump start on life if they develop certain skills at a very young age. This could be true, but it is just as important for children who are very young to simply play and have fun with their toys.

Educational toys need not be fancy and expensive. Children can develop small motor skills and also observe the force of gravity simply by playing with a clean tin or plastic bottle and a dish of water. And it won't matter if they leave it on the floor where the dog can chew it after they have finished.

Most children have wonderful imaginations; they just need to have plenty of time away from television and organised games so that they can learn to use it. Old clothes can be used for dressing up and empty packets can be used to play shops. But games such as puzzles and building toys both stimulate the imagination and develop small motor skills. So it is important to have a good mix of both free play time and time with educational toys.

Preschoolers particularly can benefit from such preschool toys that teach them the alphabet and counting skills. Toddler games and preschool games all need to be strong, safe and stimulating for the best value.

The Rationale Behind Childrens Educational Toys

Children have this natural character to learn. They have this ability to absorb new information and react to a stimulus almost like a sponge. Daily experiences, for instance, are excellent avenued in which children can learn. In this regard, games and play, and consequently the toys that they play with, are very helpful for this purpose. Children's educational toys therefore, are critical in every child's learning and development.

This almost insatiable hunger for learning in children, expressed in their natural propensity to play, should not be wasted on toyd without much relevance to their educational development.

While it is true, as some child experts would assert, that any play will serve its purpose in developing the child's brain and total development, it is equally unassailable that maximizing this natural learning process, is not a bad idea. In fact, it is now an accepted maxim that children's educational toys should be considered by any couple or individual contemplating of raising a kid.

Regular play will not only give the children their needed physical activities, as would the need of adults to have a daily chore or regular work, but also a venue to develop their personality, emotional capability, and even overall traits, that will help them in coping with the world that they live in as they grow. It is also during play that children develop their creativity, imagination, speech, reading, thinking, problem solving, and even their motor skills.

But children's educational toys come with a specific purpose, at least in terms of a child's age. Children up to the age of three will benefit greatly from creative play. Make-believe games are very common in this age-group, so it is best to provide appropriate educational toys. Costumes of their favorite cartoons heroes or heroines should be an opportunity to use as accompaniment for their educational toys.

Educational toys for this purpose can take the forms of teddy bears and other stuff toys, dolls, toys that reinforce arts and craft materials. Toys and other articles that somehow imitate the children's environment are also beneficial.

Children within the range of four to five years age are more cognitive and need toys that would help in the development of their thinking, problem solving skills, and decision making capability. Educational toys that would serve best this need are arts and crafts with considerable difficulty, like Lego and other construction toys. Puzzles also belong to this group of educational toys.

Help Your Child Play And Grow With The Educational Toys And Games

As a strong tool for education and learning process, the educational toys and games prove to be very effective. If you give your child the proper educational games and toys, you are bringing in better intelligence and emotional stability for your child.

There can be basically two types of education, one is formal, the other informal education. Now, formal education will include entry to a school or any other educational institution. Informal education occurs outside school guided by people and resources outside the classroom.

Introduce educational toys and game to your child and voila, an informal learning ambience is created. Children are natural learners, so your task as a parent will be to provide them with toys that have the fun as well as the educational quotient. The ideal toys and games will help the all round development of your children. However, there are differences in the emotional and reasoning development of different children.

Remember that the educational toy and game should be compatible with the child's individual personality. As the children grow older, they require educational games and toys that are appropriate for their age. For instance, a child in the adolescent stage may be going through emotional turmoil, as a parent, you can engage your child into chess or sports. Informal education is a way to strengthen formal education.

Educational games for children at various stages of their development

A baby learns to experience taste, touch, smell, hearing and seeing right from infancy. Make use of this. Use the language games and for this you need to talk to your baby repetitively. The baby recognizes a particular word and learns to utter it.

As your baby gets older, you can gift them educational toys and games like crayons, blocks, hand puppets, mobiles, stacking toys, easy puzzles and more. All these toys help to develop spatial awareness, motor skills, recognition of different sounds and language skills, if you keep talking to the baby. No matter, what toys or games your baby is playing, make it a point to talk to your baby always. Just talk, talk and talk, it will be fun for your baby and simultaneously help in learning the language.

Maintain the fun element when teaching your baby. Be sure to clap and applaud when your baby points out to an object and calls it by its name; this further encourages your baby to learn and makes the entire learning process an enjoyable one. Therefore, never think that the child's playtime is merely a pass time, but make use of the opportunity for the better of your child.

Some of the best educational toys for your child

· Fisher Price's Laugh and Learn Home: This is an essential educative toy for children above 6 months. The product teaches your child a number of things that will really keep your child interested till the age of one year.

· LeapFrog's LeapStart Learning Table: This educational toy provides your child lots of fun and has different games in only one fajita. The child comes to know music, colors and alphabets.

· LeapFrog's Fridge Phonics Magnetic Letter Set: Your toddler will love this educational toy that features interactive alphabet figures coupled with a magnetic reader. This is attachable to any surface that can hold magnets like the refrigerator. It can also play a song to entertain your baby.

If you are confused regarding which educational toy to opt for, just ask the toy store attendant for his/her advice. Also get a demonstration of the toy and then decide finally whether you think your child will love it.

Most Popular Wooden Toys For Children

We live in a day and age where technology has overruled the innocence that children once possessed. Even at the youngest ages, children are susceptible to television, computers, and all other forms of technology around them. Thankfully, toy companies continue to provide wooden toys for children that occupy children with hours of fun while stimulating a sense of learning and creativity in children of all ages.

Among these are the very-popular Lincoln Logs. From their invention in 1916, Lincoln Logs have remained a cultural institution in homes across America. Consisting of miniature "logs" that can be linked together to form works of art, they're simple to use and enjoyable to play. Lincoln Logs can be picked up at a cost-efficient price in any toy store, providing children of all ages hours of fun to occupy their time.

Wooden cars and train sets are also popular among toddlers ages 2-4. Children that age are so young that anything occupies their attention - wooden cars that kids can move and play with build imagination and creativity. Coming in all shapes and sizes, children can build an entire universe around wooden cars and trains. The minute you give a child a wooden car, watch as their eyes light up and their excitement reaches new heights.

Toys like simple wooden building blocks and shapes can also bring joy to a young child's face. While the toy itself may look simple, it's what the child does with the toy that's unique. Children can learn how to build simple to complex structures while making use of shapes and details.

If you're looking to buy your child an exact wooden toy currently on the market, a suggestion would be the "Pyramid of Play." Although more expensive (around $200), it includes 4 walls with different games and activities to give your child endless possibilities. For the younger children, the inexpensive "Ball Popper" is another great wooden toy in which toddlers pound balls through a hole. Simple, yet amusing.

Framing Jigsaw Puzzles

Nowadays, jigsaw puzzles can portray every imaginable scene. You can find jigsaw puzzles that depict countless images such as beach scenes, mountain scenes, portraits, famous works of art such as the paintings on the ceiling of the Sistine chapel, cartoon characters, and everything in between. You can find a puzzle that fits the different tastes and preferences of people. As a result, jigsaw puzzles have now become a very popular gift choice. Apart from the fun that solving them offers, some of these jigsaw puzzles are very nice to look at, which has led many people to frame them and give them as gifts.

Picking a frame for a jigsaw puzzle

Preserving and giving a jigsaw puzzle as a gift can be comparable to giving a picture or a painting to someone. You need to be careful in picking a frame for the puzzle, as a frame could either enhance or diminish the value of the puzzle. In buying a frame, you could opt to buy a frame and frame the puzzle yourself. Instructions on how to do so are readily available, especially on the Internet. Another way would be to go to a professional frame maker and to get a customized frame for your puzzle. Although the second option can prove to be more expensive, the advantages that this option brings more than makes up for its price.

One of the advantages of getting a professional to do the job is that he can advise you on color schemes, the texture, the shape and the design that would best fit the jigsaw puzzle that you want to frame. Another advantage is that you would be able to select from a wider selection of frames and designs as custom frame makers are very flexible and they can accommodate any specifications you may have. More importantly, getting a professional to do the job can assure you that the framing would be done the right way, which is a good thing especially if you are giving the puzzle as a gift.

Given that jigsaw puzzles have now become a very popular gift choice, more and more people are choosing to have them framed. However, getting a professional to do the framing can be considered the better option, as compared to doing it yourself. This is because doing so allows you to benefit from the expertise of the frame maker, which can help you come up with a wonderful gift that your friends or relatives would surely appreciate.

Educational Benefits of Jigsaw Puzzles

It is a well know fact that children learn through play. One toy that helps your child develop and practice a number of skills are jigsaw puzzles. From babyhood through adulthood these toys can provide a variety of learning opportunities. Starting with simple puzzle blocks and building up to extremely challenging 3d jigsaw puzzles these toys offer learning opportunities and fun galore!

Infant and Toddlers

One of a baby's first toys once he is sitting up is a puzzle ball or block. Infants and young toddlers love these toys because of all the different shapes that they can handle and play with and eventually when they are ready begin to fit into the appropriate holes. This activity helps develop their fine motor skills and the first beginning ideas of shapes and even colors.

Older Toddlers and Preschoolers

Older toddlers and preschoolers also love jigsaw puzzles and love to work first those alphabet and number puzzles and later simple 5 and 6 piece puzzles. While they are playing they are learning several developmental skills that they will need all their life. They are learning to sort and match and also increasing their hand eye coordination and their improving their fine motor skills.

Elementary Age Children

Elementary age children love doing more intricate puzzles especially simple 3d jigsaws in which the finished product resembles a model. Their fine motor skills increase by leaps and bounds and they begin to understand how to problem solve as well as cooperation as often at this age children love working these puzzles with one or two friends.

Junior High Through Adulthood

From Junior High age on upward working 3d jigsaws or a puzzle 3d as kids like to refer to them becomes more and more challenging as children complete one and ask for a more demanding one to complete. This gives rise to increasing problem solving skills, cooperation and also aids emotional development as children learn perseverance and have a feeling of accomplishment when they complete a really difficult masterpiece.

Unfortunately this is also the age where sports and peer pressure makes demands on a child and these vital learning toys fall by the way. Parents can encourage the use of these toys during quiet times in a number of ways.

· Buying challenging puzzles that holds a child interest. The great thing about puzzle 3d is that they come in a wide variety of interesting designs. There are puzzles that are planes, train cars, cars, motorcycles and various types of heavy equipment. There are also various animal, insects, houses, castles and even bridges to choose from. Choosing something a child is interested in will make him more likely to spend the time putting the puzzle together and increasing his skills.

· You can also make it a family activity with the entire family working to build the 3d jigsaw from the bottom up. Doing a puzzle 3d together is a great way to spend quality family time together while encouraging cooperation and problem solving techniques and skills. Besides it is fun.

Jigsaw 3ds or puzzle 3d can make a wonderful gift for someone of any age allowing them to work alone or share an activity with friends and family. They offer a host of learning opportunities and can be challenging and fun for all ages.

Stress Relief Toys - Fun and Relief!

There's high demand for stress relief toys today. And that's no wonder since life is so hectic these days. There are many toy products out there that can help relieve your stress in the middle of your stressful schedule and lifestyle. Here're some ideas on that.

Massage Toys

Who doesn't know that a good massage is great for stress relief? Message toys actually use the idea of stress message. Just get a handheld mini-massager and it'll provide you with instant relief. You can also find some relief with the wide variety of plush toys that are meant especially for stress relief.

Meditation Toys

Mediation toys like puzzles are highly effective when it comes to relaxing your mind. Apart from that, they help distract your stressing thoughts by involving your brain in solving the fun puzzles. Another idea is Rubik's Cube, which made its way back in the 70's. But there's one word of caution here... if the cube feels too unsolvable, then you might actually get caught in further stresses! These days, toy makers are trying to be more realistic, artistic as well as creative with the toy products they make. For instance, the puzzles they make are pretty challenging, yet soothing and fun!

Interactive Toys

Do you love gardening? Then you would surely enjoy relief toys like Zen Garden. It's made of tiny boxes and come in different styles. A typical toy comes with an enjoyable backyard garden, construction zone, and a sandbox. And you can expect much more! For freeing yourself from the stress, you'll just focus on designing a unique scene! This type of games involve stress-free, yet fun tasks like cleaning pebbles, hauling rocks or moving sand.

Funny Toys

Since laughter happens to be the most effective medicine, it's also good for your stress relief. Many toy makers try to put this idea into their toy solution. So you see those hilarious, funny toys that you will have lots of fun using. An example of famous hilarious toys is the stick-on toys that are made out of rubber. They come in a wide variety of comical shapes and you can simply work them out by flinging those against walls, doors and ceilings. The fun is in seeing how long these things manage to stick to those surfaces. Even more fun is that, when these things land in odd and erratic positions, this gives you pure fun and entertainment at the same time!

These were just a few instances of the stress relief toys you can find in stores. There are more waiting for you to explore! Just pick the ones that interest you!