The type of toys children play with can have a profound effect on their success in adult life, according to an academic report.
Dr Jacqueline Harding, a child behavioural expert, said repetitive childhood play can provide a long-lasting memory imprint and have the potential to subconsciously steer their career path.
And they can help develop and deepen problem solving abilities and improve imagination and creativity.
Dr Harding explained how joy in early life from playing with toys can become a strong driver in later life decisions.
It follows research of 1,000 parents, of 0-7 year olds, which found 75 per cent buy toys they hope will contribute towards their child’s future success.
More than half (51 per cent) deem their child’s playthings very important to developing their critical skills, crucial for everyday life.
The study was commissioned by Mattel, creators of Thomas & Friends, which has released a white paper from King’s College, London, revealing the social and cognitive benefits of train play for children.
The biggest benefit parents believe children get from toys when it comes to improving critical skills is the improvement in their fine motor skills (68 per cent).
Almost as many (67 per cent) said it was how toys drive imagination and creativity, while 63 per cent think toys can help with problem-solving skills.
While 86 per cent went as far as saying they think toys can have a large or moderate impact on improving a child’s chances of a successful career, in the future.
But when it comes to actually choosing toys for their children, the top priority is that it they are age-appropriate (59 per cent).
Others want to ensure the toy is safe (55 per cent) or more than its perceived educational value (47 per cent).
It also emerged 58 per cent have particular brands or toy lines they turn specifically for their developmental value.
But 21 per cent fear their little ones don’t play with educational toys as much as they’d like, according to the OnePoll.com data.
TOP 10 TIPS ON CHOOSING A TOY FOR A CHILD, ACCORDING TO JACQUELINE HARDING
1. Take time to watch your child playing and try to get ‘into their thinking’ – what appears to light up their brain?
2. Guide children towards toys and play experiences that meet the need for them at their stage of development.
3. Be aware of the types of play that can aid them in their future – toys that help them begin to connect with others (when they are developmentally ready and able to do so).
4. Play with your child in a way that does not take over but allows them agency - a little control.
5. At other times, sit back and allow your child space to think while they play - being mindful that in their brain so much is taking place.
Dr Jacqueline Harding, a child behavioural expert, said repetitive childhood play can provide a long-lasting memory imprint and have the potential to subconsciously steer their career path.
And they can help develop and deepen problem solving abilities and improve imagination and creativity.
Dr Harding explained how joy in early life from playing with toys can become a strong driver in later life decisions.
It follows research of 1,000 parents, of 0-7 year olds, which found 75 per cent buy toys they hope will contribute towards their child’s future success.
More than half (51 per cent) deem their child’s playthings very important to developing their critical skills, crucial for everyday life.
The study was commissioned by Mattel, creators of Thomas & Friends, which has released a white paper from King’s College, London, revealing the social and cognitive benefits of train play for children.
The biggest benefit parents believe children get from toys when it comes to improving critical skills is the improvement in their fine motor skills (68 per cent).
Almost as many (67 per cent) said it was how toys drive imagination and creativity, while 63 per cent think toys can help with problem-solving skills.
While 86 per cent went as far as saying they think toys can have a large or moderate impact on improving a child’s chances of a successful career, in the future.
But when it comes to actually choosing toys for their children, the top priority is that it they are age-appropriate (59 per cent).
Others want to ensure the toy is safe (55 per cent) or more than its perceived educational value (47 per cent).
It also emerged 58 per cent have particular brands or toy lines they turn specifically for their developmental value.
But 21 per cent fear their little ones don’t play with educational toys as much as they’d like, according to the OnePoll.com data.
TOP 10 TIPS ON CHOOSING A TOY FOR A CHILD, ACCORDING TO JACQUELINE HARDING
1. Take time to watch your child playing and try to get ‘into their thinking’ – what appears to light up their brain?
2. Guide children towards toys and play experiences that meet the need for them at their stage of development.
3. Be aware of the types of play that can aid them in their future – toys that help them begin to connect with others (when they are developmentally ready and able to do so).
4. Play with your child in a way that does not take over but allows them agency - a little control.
5. At other times, sit back and allow your child space to think while they play - being mindful that in their brain so much is taking place.
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FunTranscript
00:00 We were excited to find in our research that playing with toy trains helped to develop children's social and cognitive abilities,
00:08 such as their problem-solving skills, their cooperation, collaboration and social skills.
00:15 Based on the research, when some children were playing with trains, they were pretending.
00:20 This type of play, pretend play, has been found to develop children's executive function.
00:27 This includes skills like planning, self-control, memory and attention.
00:33 And these are all involved in the different stages of solving problems.
00:38 Secondly, children plan, construct and organise the tracks for their play.
00:44 This could help develop children's problem-solving abilities and spatial reasoning.
00:49 Joint play experiences, like playing with trains with other children, can help develop communication as well as understanding others' perspectives, preferences and thoughts.
01:01 These skills are really important for successful interactions with other people as well as an understanding of others.
01:09 As we saw in the research, when children play with other children, they were having pro-social and collaborative conversations about how they were going to play together.
01:18 This can foster communication, negotiation and turn-taking.
01:22 What is so exciting for parents to recognise is the value of play, and with this research, the value of train play.
01:30 Children are not only having fun, but also developing these vital life skills.
01:35 bills.
01:35 [BLANK_AUDIO]