5 Toys Every Child Should Own

Blocks
Let’s begin with the basics.  Starting as early as one year of age, children use blocks to explore fundamental aspects of design and shape and connection.  I think blocks are amazing examples of “open-ended” playthings.  The moment children start playing with blocks, they begin noticing elements of size, shape, feel and color.  They build with them and classify them.  It’s hard fro me to imagine any other plaything that does so much to enhance spatial thinking.  Blocks are fabulous…and essential for every toy chest. 

Games
Like most kids I grew up playing games.  Starting with simple memory games and Go Fish moving up to checkers and Monopoly, my brothers and sisters and I learned how to compete according to rules each of us understood and take turns.  (Gosh, that wait time was terrible sometimes!)  Luckily, games are still a big part of family time today.  Many parents tell me they have dedicated game nights or rely on a game to get them through bitter cold or rainy days.  My guess is that families are once again beginning to appreciate the face time they have when they play together.  It’s kind of a joint workout for the brain and an opportunity to have a few laughs and enjoy one another.  I’ve observed lots of families playing games and I really think those parents and kids have a leg up on understanding one another.  In the short run, they’re enjoying each other’s company.  In the long run, they’re creating healthy, playful opportunities to compete and interact.

Figures/Dolls & Puppets
I love the three-to-five year-old preschool age because a child’s universe is so much about pretend play.  Their princess or warrior outfit becomes almost thread bare because they have held just too, too many tea parties or knocked off dozens of dragons.  Puppets fit a hand so well because they’ve performed for so many audiences over the years.  In trying to think that age again, I can only believe it is pretend play that ultimately unleashes a child’s imagination.

Crafts
Just one gift of a craft kit could start a youngster on a lifelong hobby.  My mom taught me to sew when I was little and by the time I was in middle school I had made entire wardrobes for my two dolls and outfits for myself.  I still can’t believe I mastered the art of button holes and putting in a zipper, but I did.  I was proud of my accomplishments and didn’t need a lot of coaxing to model my finished pieces when we had company.  Children gain so much satisfaction from creating things from scratch.  For myself, I found that learning how individual pieces fit together was also transferable to other things.  Knitting, beading, weaving or painting can offer the same feeling of accomplishment and mastery.

Ball
A ball is the most open-ended toy I can think of and is used by children in different forms all over the world.  In its simple form, a ball brings children together and amuses them when they are alone.  The cool thing about a ball is that the child is the one who determines how to play with it.  It’s a perfect example of a toy being powered by a child, not batteries or an electronic chip.  Naturally, children master fine motor skills when using a ball and that mastery can last a lifetime.