Can Toys help develop Science and Technology (STEM) skills in children?

One of the hot topics on social media this holiday season is finding gifts that can help children, especially girls, develop science- and engineering-related skills.

Beth Holloway, director of the Women in Engineering Program at Purdue University, says toys that help children figure out how to turn their ideas into reality - toys that let them design and build something, for instance - are a great first step in inspiring them to consider a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) career.

"Toys like that will help children realize that they can make an impact on the world through their ideas," she says.

As for girls in particular, Holloway says they should have a range of toys and experiences.

"Parents need to provide girls with toys that indulge their feminine side but also those that allow them to feel the sense of accomplishment that comes from designing and building something," she says.

"Those accomplishments will encourage them to continue to stretch their imaginations."

Holloway says research shows that girls tend to become interested in what they are confident that they are good at doing.

STEM-inspired toys can help foster that confidence in designing and building while reinforcing their existing interests.

For ideas on STEM-related toys, Holloway suggests the websites www.amightygirl.com/ and www.modernparentsmessykids.com

Reyn Guyer Dyslexic Inventor of 'Twister' - "How I Made My Millions" - YouTube

Because "all of our family have dyslexia", Reyn started an educational company Winsor Learning based on the approach that his children's dyslexia tutor used to help with reading.

"We found some of the problems were that school systems were huge, running $500 million businesses, and a lot of it done by teachers who hadn't been trained. So we focused in on that, too, helping them be more efficient and productive.

It began by helping us be more productive in our program and then it grew into, well, you know efficiencies you are not using are X, Y and Z.

So it's morphed into being broader than just teacher training and student remediation. I'm very pleased we've been able to, as a family really, to do that and make a go of it."

Is LEGO for Girls a Stereotype too far?

The first female minifigure, those 4-centimeter people with the yellow heads, to appear in the January 2012 LEGO catalogue is a doctor ably holding up the back end of a stretcher with her male colleague in a new ambulance set.

Unfortunately, she doesn’t show up until page 12 of the catalogue, after dozens upon dozens of male ninjas, firefighters and all manner of villains. This is the paradox of LEGO for parents, especially parents of girls.

Lego, the famous Danish toy maker could provide an oasis from the anachronistic gender stereotypes so rampant these days, especially in its City line, where women might be employed in all sorts of capacities, as they are in real life and yet the fantasy lines such as Ninjago, Kingdoms, Hero Factory, and of course, Star Wars, are relentlessly male, with the rare exception of Princess Leia.

According to a recent article in Bloomberg Businessweek, focusing on boys was a specific business decision to get the LEGO Group out of a major financial crisis back in 2004 when they were losing $1 million a day. The strategy worked so well that revenues increased by 105% from 2006 to 2010, and sales in the U.S. topped $1 billion for the first time last year.

Laugh & learn: Put your iPhone in the hands of your baby

Placing an expensive bit of electronics in the hands of an infant is never a good idea, but with its Laugh and Learn Apptivity Case, Fisher-Price appears to disagree.

The $15 colorful plastic contraption acts as a cradle for the iPhone or iPhone Touch, allowing young ones aged from 6 months to 36 months to poke and befoul the devices’ pristine facades without the risk of destroying them.

The device also features coloured rattles on its handles and a mirror on its back, allowing it to retain its status as a somewhat entertaining (albeit not as exciting) children’s toy even when the iPhone isn’t present.

Fisher-Price will start selling the Laugh and Learn Apptivity Case this October.

Toys for Children with Special Needs - Blog link

I would very much like to connect you to another blogger, Max's Mum  She has put together a very comprehensive list of toys that would be suitable for children with special needs and, to assist the reader, she has categorised them into different skills development sections.

The picture shown is of Rody the Inflatable Hopping Horse and it is recommended by Kerry, a mother with two boys who have cerebral palsy. She says, "It's great for balance and strengthening muscles."

If you wish to see the full list of toys, games and books shown on Max's Mum's website, click here.

NB: This site does not recommend products or services but does provide links to other websites for information only. Caveat Emptor - Use normal levels of caution when purchasing items over the internet.

The Sensory University - Toys and gadgets to Stimulate young minds?

Quoting from the home page of the Sensory University:

"The Sensory "U" is owned by a group of independent investors, and operated by Peach State Pediatric Therapy Inc.

Being managed by the largest sensory intensive pediatric therapy facility in the southeast gives our company the cutting edge insight that most pediatric supply companies do not have.

When our store initially opened, our primary focus was on special needs products and toys for the children treated in our facility.

Over the years, our inventory has increased to cover a full spectrum of educational items and pediatric fitness products, as well as a library of over 100 titles dedicated to improving the lives of children with many different forms of developmental delay.

While we maintain our core special needs product line, we now offer many products geared towards the everyday cardiovascular, gross motor, sensory, and strength development of all children. We invite you and your family to explore the learning possibilities of the Sensory University"

To view this Triton Ultimate Bike Click on the picture or the link.

We invite you to browse their extensive catalogue but in no way endorse their company, the website or any of their products.

Rewarding Children and Playing is not about Toys

Xmas is over and your purse is empty. So now you can forget consumerism for another year but how are you going to keep the kids happy now?


Well, forget trying to buy the happiness of your children with stuff because that does not work.

No amount of shiney beads and fluffy toys can replace the love and enjoyment they get from just being with their parents. They crave your attention. Do they not smile and run towards you at every opportunity.

They want to feel that they are a vital part of your life. They want to be with you and they want you to simply play with them. They want you to help them grow, learn new things from you and to grow up more like you or is that something given over to the 'nanny.'

Fun and Adventure
The greatest pleasure your children get is when you sit down with them and play a game or read them a story. OK, it can be difficult to get them to fit in with your busy schedule or to get them straight off to sleep at the first chime of the clock but believe me when I say, a child who feels loved, secure and embraced by a loving family or parent, is going to sleep better, have good dreams and wake up refreshed the next morning. They will start every day by looking forward to another fun filled adventure in your world.

Quality Time
It's a much used and abused phrase, 'quality time' but it's still an important concept. It is vitally important that you spend time with your children, fully involved in their activities, being a part of their imaginative and exploring play.

Attention substitutes
It is not good enough to simply give your children toys and expect them to go away and play with them and not give them your attention as well. Remember, supplying them with toys is a great way of avoiding the responsibility of playing with your children.

The same thing applies to sitting them down in front of the TV. Is that really what you intended?

Down and dirty
When was the last time you got down on the floor with your children, entered their world and actually played with them. How often have your children had more fun with the packaging and boxes that presents came in, than with the very expensive toy that was in it.

Remote view
If you do not spend time playing with your children then you are disconnected from them. You don't really know who they are, what they really want or what they are experiencing on a daily basis.

Teenage angst
This may not seem to be an issue now but wait until they grow into teenagers and you discover that you have no 'history' or relationship established with them.

You're missing out
There is a big piece of the puzzle missing, preventing you from being a 'complete' parent. You are not fully experiencing the 'joy' of being a parent and arguably, you cannot have a full grasp on what it is to be part of a 'complete' family.

The way ahead
Don't panic! There is hope for you and your children but you will need to make time for them and you will need to play with them.

Start by sitting down with them and asking them simply what their favourite toys are and why. This will spark off a whole series of stories and conversations with them.

Add value
The next thing is to add value to their play. Help them do something or make something that they cannot do on their own. This can be as simple as making cardboard or paper cutouts of animals and pasting them together to make 'disposable' toys.

This can be great fun at this time of year with plenty of Xmas cards to be recycled, there are a number of websites that offer free templates for toys and games. Another simple activity is painting and decorating clay flower pots and it brightens up a dull terrace or winter garden.

Projects
More complicated things like treehouses, bird tables, squirrel feeders, etc. or my particular favourites; water rockets and soapbox carts made from scrap wood and old pram wheels. These can be easily knocked together with a little effort and some simple tools.

The great joy for the kids is to see a 'project' come together, to be a part of it and to 'share' and be involved in the experience. Under no circumstances do you exclude them. At the very least, let them name it and paint the name on it. After that, it's all about playing and having fun with your parent(s).

Remember, the end result is of little concern. The level of 'sophistication' is of no interest to the children and should not get in the way of that special time spent 'playing with Mum/Dad.'

Teenagers 'n Geeks
If you are really feeling adveturous and have a geeky hi-tech streak in you, try some of the DIY projects from the MIT. I particularly like the Sea Pearch - underwater ROV with on-board cameras. It puts a whole new slant on rock pooling and fishing off the end of the pier.

Summary
So, the next time you are looking for a way to 'reward' your children consider this; spend some time with them. Take them to the Zoo, the beach or a play park and kick a ball or throw a frizbee for them. Your family will be healthier, happier and fitter for it.