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Since the tendency to label toys because"educational" continues to grow, parents may wonder whether the hype associated with these types of toys is authentic and if they're worth the money. Below are five tips from education and toy experts on what to consider when picking an educational toy to your child:
Remember low-tech

The link between education and toys has always existed but with the continuing wave of high-technology educational toys, many of the toys parents and teachers used to associate learning might no longer be recognized because of their instructional value. "The best toys are easy and open-ended," says Ellen Wild, chairperson of the Early Childhood Program at Dutchess Community College.
Wild suggests giving children crayons, markers and plain paper, along with envelopes and stickers to promote considering writing. She also points to blocks, Legos, and manipulatives (believe: stacking toys, shape sorters) to help build small muscles in the palms and fingers in anticipation of writing and to help with perceptual motor skills. https://online.unisc.br/seer/index.php/cadpesquisa/comment/view/13013/8069/342258 does see kids which were entertained too exclusively by toys and electronics with"bells and whistles". "Many of these children haven't learned persistence, an ability to focus without being entertained," says Wild,"(They) haven't enjoyed being creative in their own and are not excited by books and learning."
READ MORE: The argument on educational toys
Individualize your approach
"Toys are tools in creating the learning environment," says Natasha Kravchenko, representative of Educational Toys Planet, an internet merchant since 2002. Kravchenko states it's important to pick the ideal toy for your child's age, interest or stage. And to not buy exactly what you want or exactly what you wanted as a kid but to buy the toy that is suitable for your child's personality. She suggests considering which toys can make your child want to find something new, enhance their skills, and promote independent learning. "You can check consumer's testimonials and manufacturer's age recommendations, but your selection should largely depend on your kid," states Kravchenko,"not other people's opinion about the toy"
Go to the land of make believe
"The best toys are ones that foster imagination and pretend play," states Nancy Werner, Kindergarten teacher at Traver Road School at Pleasant Valley. "These toys also develop with the child and they can use them for many functions."
Werner, who has a four-year old, indicates dress up clothes, play dolls and food to foster imagination, production of language and stories which lead to reading comprehension and writing skills. She also recommends creative games that be performed with adults or other children, such as Candy Land, for developing counting, collaboration, turn taking and problem solving.
READ MORE: Toys to promote learning
Be realistic

Parents should be cautious about the promises made by instructional toy advertisements. "Children's development can't be accelerated," says Jim Taylor, Ph. D, Psychology, author of"Your Children are Under Attack: How Popular Culture is Destroying Your Kids' Values, and How You Can Protect Them." "Children can only grow at the pace they are capable."


Taylor says that trying to speed up a child's development can actually slow down it since children are forced to do things for which they aren't developmentally ready. The outcome is that children are prevented from doing exactly what they should do at their stage of development.
Be your child's first educational "toy"

"It's more important to have conversations with children and ask them questions to help them explain and think than to spend countless dollars on a toy or movie that will be only a 1 way'dialog'," says Werner.
Werner and Wild both point to books, either bought or borrowed, as being among the best educational assets your child can own. And among the greatest tools parents can use to teach their children. "Among the best educational'toys' for a kid is the adult who spends time talking, reading, and enjoying the marvels of the world with (these )," says Wild.