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Best Early Learning & Educational Toys for Kids 2021

Dec 26, 2023

With COVID-19 showing no signs of slowing down, and more children being at home for longer periods than ever before, play has taken on a whole new meaning in 2021. Parents are constantly looking for new ways to engage their children within the home environment, especially with activities that have educational value.

Good educational toys provide a means for parents to occupy their children and encourage their physical, cognitive, and emotional development. For a toy to be considered educational, it doesn’t have to only be related to literacy or numeracy. Rather it will assist in the development of the whole child.

The best educational toys for kids in 2021 consider the specific needs of children and families living through a pandemic. Before, we get to the specific toys we recommend during these challenging times, we will explore further what pedagogical toys are exactly.

What Are Educational Toys?

An educational toy is used to teach a child a particular topic or skill, promote critical thinking, and foster physical or emotional development. Educational toys allow kids to have fun, whilst learning at the same time. Whether they are open-ended and let children follow their own direction, or they have a specific focus or end goal, they provide children with a pathway to learning.

Many classic educational toys, such as wooden ones, have the added benefit of being screen-free. This is vital in 2021 when children are spending more time in front of screens than ever before due to COVID-19. Extended periods spent being sedentary and staring at a screen contribute to poor physical, mental, and emotional health. Screen free playtime ensures the overall wellbeing of children.

The Best Learning Toys for Children in 2021

So, what are the best educational toys for kids in 2021 that incorporate the key benefits of educational play then?

Toys that Promote Outdoor Play

Since children are spending more time indoors and sedentary than ever before – educational toys that get kids outdoors are a big winner. Living a sedentary lifestyle is a leading contributor to many serious physical and mental ailments, such as heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and depression. The human body is not designed to sit still for long periods of time. While not everyone may have a backyard, even a balcony or a visit to a local park with a favourite outdoor toy, can do wonders for children, and at the very least will get them moving.

Qtoys Ladybug House is a great example of an outdoor educational toy that will get children outside, to see their favourite creatures. It will spark questions and investigations into the natural world, which are of great educational content for growing minds.

Toys that Teach STEM

STEM toys encourage innovation and problem solving. They are a group of toys based on principles in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. They represent a growing trend in recent years as parents attempt to prepare their children for real life professions that incorporate STEM. With many children unable to attend physical school due to COVID-19, STEM play is a fantastic way to gain practical skills in a fun way.

STEM toys can be very simple for younger learners, like with workbench sets or even simple, well-designed building blocks, which allow toddlers and pre-schoolers to develop the motor skills they need to move and manipulate objects. As they grow older, STEM toys become more complex like with motion kits, robotic sets and science kits, which teach very specific skill sets.

Toys that Encourage Active & Imaginative Play

Toys that get kids imagining and moving, especially when they are stuck indoors, will help with mood, health, and social/emotional development. These includes play items like doll prams, market toys and train sets.

Qtoys Bamboo Ball Run is another excellent idea to get children using their minds and bodies. It can be used indoors as well as outdoors. This fantastic set will teach children how to experiment with new things and solve problems, keeping them busy for long periods of time.

Learning Toys that Bring Families Together

With families spending more time together indoors, multi-generational toys or those that can be completed together, such as games and puzzles are what we believe are the best educational toys for 2021 .

Valuable Benefits Of Educational Toys

Overall, there are many valuable benefits to educational toys. There's a reason why so many professionals in childhood development, education, and psychology rave about them. Here are a few of the reasons:

Promotes Independence

One of the foremost benefits of using learning toys is that they help teach your child independence. These toys encourage children to figure out how to do things themselves without the need for adult intervention.

Autonomy is a basic human drive and one that children crave in their often over-scheduled, over-controlled lives. Play is the place where kids can lead and when they do, so they can learn on their own grounds through self-directed play.

Certain educational toys, especially those with a Montessori bent, foster very specific independence skills. For example, the Montessori Clothes Hanging Set , encourages children how to do the everyday task of hanging up washing – they have the opportunity to learn how to use clothes pegs (albeit toy ones) and space out clothes on a line, eventually leading to an interest and the ability to hang clothes up in real life.

Development Of Senses

Educational toys that stimulate a child's senses assist with healthy development. In infanthood and early childhood, children use their five senses to explore the world around them. Through stimulation of the different senses (touch, smell, taste, sight, hearing, as well as movement and balance), different neural pathways in the brain are activated which is crucial for brain development.

Sensory toys, such as kinetic sand, playdough or even rice or sand play in a tub or bowl with balls or figurines are simple yet wonderful way to engage in sensory play.

                         


Development Of Emotional and Social Intelligence

Often play is a social activity. A good educational toy will develop social and emotional intelligence. Role Play Educational Toys, for example, help foster healthy and smooth relationships with adults and fellow children. They encourage children to explore roles which develops empathy and communication skills.

A great example is Hape’s Doctor on Call Set . This allows children to explore and learn about being a doctor, increasing vocabulary and social interaction, and encourages care for others through social play.


                                  

Development Of Motor Skills

Another benefit of using educational toys is their positive effect on a child's motor skills. There are two types of motor skills: fine motor skills and gross motor skills. Fine motor skills involve using hands and fingers to control smaller objects. Gross motor skills involve the coordination of larger muscles in the body to make larger movements.

Many educational toys involve either one of these skills. A great example of a toy that encourages motor development is a Pikler Triangle. While an excellent example of a toy that encourages fine motor skills is Hape’s Healthy Salad Pretend Play Set , where kids get to simulate cutting up veggies, just like in real life.

Encourages Creativity

Educational toys, specifically open-ended ones, such as blocks and loose parts provide a safe avenue for imaginative play, whereby kids can create, design, build and experiment, as a means of learning new skills and coming up with creative solutions and ideas.

Improves Concentration

Kids are infamous for their short attention span. They can become disinterested and disengaged reasonably quickly. This is magnified greatly when they engage in extended periods of screen-based activities, which are scientifically proven to decrease concentration levels.

Therefore, the best educational toys in 2021 involve getting them moving and playing screen-free. Giving children the opportunity to play with toys that challenge their mind , also builds their concentration levels.

Enjoy The Wonders of Educational Toys From KindtoKidz

KindToKidz is a great place for an array of quality and fun educational toys, with an emphasis on natural and affordable options. KindtoKidz offers a wide range of kid-safe, sturdy, and wooden educational toys for children at discounted prices.

To learn more, don't hesitate to contact us on 0411099277 or send an email at info@kindtokidz.com.au.