Tuesday's Tidbit: Wooden Blocks

The BEST developmentally diverse toy for children is a classic:

WOODEN ALPHABET BLOCKS

Seriously!  They don't need batteries, or have plastic parts that break, and kids will be entertained for an eternity.  As you're getting ready for Christmas, I'd HIGHLY suggest putting this $15.99 (give or take a few dollars depending on the store) toy on your list.

You may think they're boring compared to a Leap Frog computer, or Buzz Lightyear talking action figure...but kids won't. 

So, what can you do with alphabet blocks?  Here area few ideas:

- Teach a child how to spell their name, recognize letters and numbers, do addition, or simple subtraction

- Identify the pictures of items on the blocks

- Build castles, homes, cars, anything and everything

- Learn colors

- An individual block can end up being Buzz Lightyear, Cinderella, the grandma next door, a dog, a flower, dinner food to use with the little kitchen they have...anything! 

What kinds of development are these good for?

- Pediatricians will ask you if your child can stack items, and how many high.  That's because it's a key milestone in fine motor skill development.  Wooden blocks are ideal for learning this skill.  At first stacking one on top of the other is good.  By the time your child is in pre-school...watch out for tall towers around your home!

- Imaginative play

- Spacial and Dimentional development...being able to recognize dimentions from different angles.  These are important skills for many jobs such as architecture, software design, and even in art classes.

-  The list is nearly countless as you play with your child in recognizing letters, numbers, etc.

As you're shopping for toys this Christmas pay attention to Classic Toys.  Not just the ones that are back for a 20 year anniversary edition, but the ones that never left.  They never left because they are the toys kids love, and the interest in them doesn't wear out after Christmas Day.  And interestingly, they are almost always great for development as well. 

Happy Shopping!