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Since the trend to label toys because"educational" continues to rise, parents may wonder whether the hype associated with these kinds of toys is authentic and if they're worth the cash. Here are five tips from education and toy experts on which to consider when picking an educational toy to your child:
Remember low-tech

The link between schooling and toys has always existed but with the continuing wave of high-technology educational toys, lots of the toys teachers and parents used to associate with learning might no longer be known for their instructional value. "The best toys are simple and open-ended," states Ellen Wild, chairperson of the Early Childhood Program in Dutchess Community College.


Wild proposes giving children crayons, markers and plain paper, together with ribbons and envelopes to promote thinking about writing. She points to blocks, Legos, and manipulatives (believe: stacking toys, shape sorters) to help build small muscles in the palms and fingers in anticipation of composing and also to help with perceptual motor abilities. Wild says that she does see kids that were entertained too solely by toys and electronics with"bells and whistles". "A lot of these children have not learned persistence, an ability to concentrate without being entertained," says Wild,"(They) have not enjoyed being creative on their own and aren't excited by books and learning."
READ MORE: The debate on educational toys
Individualize your strategy
"Toys are tools in creating the learning environment," says Natasha Kravchenko, representative of Educational Toys Planet, an online merchant since 2002. https://online.unisc.br/seer/index.php/cadpesquisa/comment/view/13013/8069/342258 states it's important to choose the right toy for your child's particular age, attention or stage. And not to purchase what you would like or exactly what you wanted as a kid except to purchase the toy that is suitable for your child's character. She proposes thinking about which toys will make your child want to find something new, improve their skills, and promote independent learning. "You can assess customer's testimonials and producer's era recommendations, but your choice should largely depend on your child," states Kravchenko,"not other people's opinion regarding the toy."
Visit the land of make believe
"The best toys are ones that boost imagination and pretend play," says Nancy Werner, Kindergarten teacher at Traver Road School in Pleasant Valley. "These toys also grow with the child and they can use them for many purposes."
Werner, with a four-year old, suggests dress up clothes, play dolls and food to foster imagination, creation of stories and language which result in reading comprehension and writing abilities. She also urges creative games that be played adults or other kids, like Candy Land, for developing counting, cooperation, turn taking and problem solving.
Parents should be careful about the claims made by educational toy commercials. "Children can only develop at the speed they are capable."
Taylor claims that trying to speed up a child's growth can actually slow it down since kids are forced to do things for which they aren't developmentally ready. The result is that kids are prevented from doing exactly what they ought to do in their stage of growth.
"It's more important to have conversations with children and ask them questions to help them explain and believe than to spend hundreds of dollars on a toy or video that will be only a one way'dialog'," says Werner.
Werner and Wild both point to books, either bought or borrowed, as being among the best educational assets your youngster can own. And one of the greatest tools parents can use to teach their kids. "One of the very best educational'toys' for a kid is the adult who spends time speaking, studying, and appreciating the marvels of the world with (them)," says Wild.