WHAT’S TRENDING:
Toys & Games That Sharpen Kids’ Minds
BY KEN SEITER
F
rom the first wheel to the Big Wheel, play has been an important
part of children’s lives for generations, helping them think outside
the box, cope with their emotions, and build a variety of lifelong
cognitive and physical skills. But despite the well-researched fact that
play is integral to children’s development, play has been on the decline
in America for several years.
Why? Families are leading very
hectic lives, and parents have become
increasingly focused on their children
achieving good grades in school and
mastering a number of extracurricular
activities. Of course, these are worthy
pursuits — but good old-fashioned
playtime is just as important for their
kids’ well-being. In fact, the American
Academy of Pediatrics recommends
that children spend at least an hour a
day engaged in open-ended play.
To support play’s key role in society,
28 essentials | summer 2017
The Toy Association spearheads The
Genius of Play, a national movement to
raise awareness about the importance
of play in childhood development and
encourage families to spend more time
playing together. Over the past couple
of years, the initiative has really taken
off. Parents and educators are begin-
ning to recognize the value of play, and
how toys — the “tools” of play — help
transform children into happy, healthy,
and well-rounded individuals.
Different types of play help build
different types of skills. Take a moment
to think about your favorite childhood
toy, and how you learned from it.
Maybe it was a toy train that sparked
your interest in mechanics, a building
toy that taught you about engineering,
or a science kit that inspired you to
learn more about the world around
you. Read on to learn more about how
learning-based play helps children
explore new possibilities, innovate, and
come up with creative solutions to the
challenges they face.
IMAGINATIONS RUN WILD
Toys that encourage personaliza-
tion, customization, and creativity
are on the rise, whether they are
traditional arts and crafts or tech
toys that allow children to create and
control worlds of their own. In recent
months, there has been a surge in