Do Preschool Toys Need to be Educational?

Today, there is too much pressure on the children and parents compete for a comfortable niche professionally. For this purpose, parents try their best to orient their children academically as early as possible; sometimes, even forfeiting their right to enjoy their childhood. Right from the time the child is born, some parents try to shape the child’s life towards academic excellence.

Preschool Toys and Academics

It is true that toys can be the first and the best means for leaning for children. However, the question here is whether it is necessary to have ALL the preschool toys as educational toys. Some parents would not buy anything for their children unless it has some educational value. Is this really beneficial to the child? What would happen if the preschool toys are not all educational or with academic value?

Well, to answer the question, nothing would happen. Children would not be at any loss whatsoever if they are not exposed to educational preschool toys; while those children who are, do not project any special or added learning abilities. So, why do parents insist in having (only) educational preschool toys for their children?

Looking carefully at this trend shows that most parents who choose educational preschool toys are worried that they are not doing enough to provoke and promote leaning in their children. In their panic to have their children “walk the right path,” they exclude the other toys from their repertoire. Fortunately, children apply their innate curiosity and thirst for knowledge the same way to educational and non-educational preschool toys and hence, the overall result is almost the same.

Studies show that children learn better when they are involved in day-to-day activities/ chores along with their parents. Toys or no toys, children are excellent learners and normally use their environment to learn their lessons; they do this effortlessly and without guidance.

This is not to discount the role of educational preschool toys in the lives of children, because they are helpful in many ways. However, children manage to learn most of the basics from whatever tools they have at hand. These types of toys are great, but it does not mean that without them the children are at a disadvantageous position. The basics, such as sensory stimulus, recognition of shape and color, numbers, adding, subtracting, matching, and predicting, can still be taught though normal day to day life chores.