How Toys Stimulate Learning

What seems like simple play is actually an important part of development for your baby.

Play is essential for your baby's development and toys play an important part in stimulating your baby's various senses. Introduce your baby to the wonderful world of colourful toys or objects, and play with him often.

Texture

Provide your baby with toys of different textures. Play with soft toys or larger toys with a younger baby, as these are easier for your baby to reach out for. Let your baby feel the various fabrics like cotton, velvet, furry textures and so on. At this age focus on letting your baby realise how different materials feel different against his skin.

Colours

Colourful toys hanging from a mobile help give your baby an insight into the world of colour and stimulate sight.

Movement

Parents often wonder whether their babies are following their movements, and if not, when will they start doing so. Stimulation helps a great deal at this age and a gadget like a rotating mobile will help teach your baby to follow a moving object with his eyes. Once your baby starts reaching for the toys, he will develop hand to eye coordination - and who knows - this may be his first step towards becoming a world-class tennis player!

Mouthing

Once your baby starts reaching for toys, the first thing he is going to do is try and put it in his mouth. It is thus important that you don't give your baby anything that may present a choking hazard, to play with. Thus once your baby starts reaching for toys and picking them up, remove furry soft toys from around him. In fact, it is best to keep all objects that your baby may choke on or that may be dangerous for him, out of reach. Everyday articles that may not strike you as dangerous, could injure your child. Many children have been injured by jabbing themselves with forks or chewing on batteries.

Sounds

Get your baby toys that squeak when pressed. Your baby will then learn how when a particular toy is pressed, it makes a sound. He will thus be able to see a pattern in cause and effect, and will understand that when a particular action is taken, it brings about a particular reaction. This stimulates his thought process. In any case, once your baby is around three months old, he would also be able to understand that his cries bring about a certain reaction from you.

Hiding

When playing with your baby, take a toy and hide it under a sheet. Then, bring it out again. Doing so will give your baby an understanding of permanence, and he will begin to understand that just because something is not visible, doesn't mean it is not there. You could then encourage your child to search for something that you have hidden while he watched. Pretty soon, your child will start throwing toys out of sight, and wait for you to bring it back to him. Although constantly retrieving your child's toys will tire you out, doing so will help your child understand not just permanence, but also cause and effect.