Have Fun with Toy Stuff

My son Jack had been quietly playing with his Meccano set when we heard him scream, sweet!

What a cool toy, my friend Dave said, it's a ferris wheel. It's a solar< /a> powered ferris wheel, said Jack. Dave asked me, How did you get him to play with educat ional toys, my son only wants to play video games. I asked Dave whether he had ever played educat ional games or built rocket s or space toys with his son. I'm not really a hands on guy was his answer. So I proceeded to demonstrate to Dave that educat ional toys teach skills that all successful adults use in everyday life. I told him that constr uction toys require imagination and planning. Robots require the use of logic. Strate gy games require competitiveness and forethought. And of course crafts require creativity. I think that's a bit too technical for my son, said Dave. Well, why don't you start with some magic< /a>. Most tricks are scientific illusions that require planning and practice. Or how about simply building a plane, train or automobile with him, a real mechan ical toy. This way he can see how all the pieces interconnect to achieve a common goal, like a team of components. My son likes to collect baseball cards, said Dave. Well how about starting a bug collection or rock collection. It just might inspire him to be a geologist or entomologist. Of course you could always get him some anatom y models, so he can be a surgeon like his dad.

About the author: Ted Moryto is a professional engineer and proprietor of Brain Waves Toys, a science and educational toy store. http://www.brainwavestoys.com

One Response

1. العاب on November 30, 2011:
   Every now and then I read something that gives me reason to think. Your article has provoked thought processes in me that have been dormant for a while. Thank you.