No Battery Gifts
Play Up Your Child’s
Imagination
|by Amity Hook-Sopko
Remember your favorite toy from childhood?
It was most likely with you from sun up till
sun down. You didn’t buy it at any toy store…
it was free. And it’s what could turn an empty
box into a dollhouse or a broom handle into a
light saber.
Where can you find this long-lost treasure?
It’s still with you – if you take the time to encourage it…
Your imagination – would your childhood have been the same without it? And do
you ever feel like our children’s generation is
really missing out on the simple, creative joys
of life?
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From the day your child is born, you’re bombarded with singing, blinking, interactive toys
with slick marketing campaigns to convince you
of the advantages of “starting education early.”
I wasn’t immune to the claims. When our son
was a few weeks old, we asked our birth doula
her opinion of black and white toys for visual
stimulation. She kindly told us, “He’s been in a
dark, quiet place for nine months… the world
itself is enough stimulation for him right now.”
It’s amazing how a little perspective can add
wisdom and common sense to your whole
parenting mindset, isn’t it? Her response gave
us the confidence in ourselves as parents to
trust our own instincts rather than the commercials and magazine ads. It also gives us
the strength to stand firm when our boys ask
for the latest handheld video game or toys that
walk, talk, and require no imagination on their
part.
Many parents don’t realize that no battery
toys contribute to early childhood education.
Wooden shape-sorters and kid-sized puzzles
are a great way to boost critical thinking as
well as problem-solving skills. They also foster
a sense of satisfaction in doing things “all by
myself,” as the independent toddler likes to
announce.
For kids with autism, battery-free toys encourage pretend play and can give them an
edge with their social skills. Also, babies and
children tend to play longer with a no battery
toy as compared to one that does everything
for them. Try this experiment with your child
and see for yourself.