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"Let's Play!"Mar 20 '01 Write an essay on this topic.
Popular Products in Toys
The Bottom Line Your decision on how to choose toys for a girl should be based on her own individuality and learning style.
The first thought that came to my mind before writing this review was ' why did Epinions create a topic geared towards girls and not towards boys? ' Seems a little onesided if you ask me. Could it be that perhaps they felt that girls were harder to buy for? Some questions will be left unanswered I suppose. As a mother of two girls, I have found that choosing the right toy is a decision that is based upon the child's personality and learning style (more on that to follow) and not their gender. The gender labeling of toys, which some people do adhere to, has grown to be quite a controversial topic nowadays. As an example, one parent may be strongly against allowing their daughter to play with toy trucks and finds it repulsive that the mother next door allows her son to play with dolls. What ever happened to allowing a child to explore and have an imagination? Isn't that what childhood is all about? What is my child's learning style? An important aspect to consider when deciding on a toy to purchase for a girl(or boy for that matter) is their learning style. Child development researchers have stated that children will more than likely fall into one of the following types of learning styles. I will list them with a brief description following each one. If you have a child (or a child in mind) think about which one pertains most to their style of learning. They may fall into multiple categories, as my oldest daughter does, but finding their dominating style can assist you greatly when deciding on what types of toys are suitable for her. Auditory A child with this learning style grasps ideas best by hearing them first. These learners are usually musically oriented and very articulate. As babies, they were probably soothed very easily by music or by being sung to. Kinesthetic A child with this learning style understands best by actually participating. These learners are the hands-on type and understand best when they are able to be an active part of the experience. They may enjoy physical activities, as well as activities such as creative free play. Visual A child with this learning style tends to understand best when they are able to see or atleast make mental pictures in their minds of the idea that is being presented to them. These learners are both creative and constructive. Reading books or playing with puzzles are a favorite activity for them. Now that you've found your child's learning style, you want to assess her personality and choose a toy that suits her needs. Let us say for instance that your daughter is a predominantly kinesthetic learner who happens to be a very 'frilly' type of girl. She likes to be able to move around while she plays and you would like her to have a stimulating experience while she plays. A wonderful idea would be to purchase a dress up kit, which could contain some 'girly' outfits, play jewelry, play make-up and some hair accessories. (of course, this can be created for almost nothing at home if you have some old clothes or shoes in the closets). You are providing the tools for her to create endless scenarios which would enrich her in a number of ways. There are of course other factors in deciding on the right toy for a girl. As parents, we want to raise our girls to be strong individuals who uphold morals and the toys we purchase for them do play a role in achieving this goal. Any toy that conflicts with our values in any way would obviously not be a good purchase. We should always keep in mind that a toy should be viewed as a learning tool in the child's play experience rather than just a makeshift babysitter, noisemaker, or time waster. This should assist us in choosing what is appropriate for our girl. Whether your girl is into Barbies and tea parties or Matchbox cars and playing baseball, choosing toys for her should be just as simple as knowing and understanding who she is as a person and then letting that be reflected in the toys you purchase for her. Your ultimate goal for her is to have fun-and learn from experiences along the way. Happy Playing!  |
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