Toys again: for 2-year-old

Gia wrote:
Thank you for the suggestions! I might go with the play kitchen. They
have a number of choices at the local Toys R Us. Somehow, I wanted to
escape the stereotype of girls cooking, I guess.

I think that's a trap, too. Many little boys
enjoy play kitchens tremendously as well. Stereotyping
doesn't start there. And really, when you get down to
it, the solution isn't to stop girls from cooking anyway.
It's to get boys *to* cook, so that both boys and girls
are competent cooks by the time they need to be.

As for books and blocks, we have tons of them already, so I was
wondering about something else that might give us a better start in
preschool. She is interested in letters and shapes, and I don't think
I'll be pushing these too forcefully

Any preschool worth its salt won't be pushing those
things either. If you have to "get ready" for a preschool
(other than by providing appropriate social opportunities
and a rich environment for your child), it's not a developmentally
appropriate preschool.

My husband was considering a toddler laptop, but I didn't see one that
I liked yesterday at the store.

Most of them are really abysmal, largely because
most are developmentally inappropriate. Truly, there's
no silver bullet here. It may seem like all these wonderful
toys will make your child a whiz kid, but they don't. And
even if your child enjoys them, for most of them the fun
is very short-lived. Best to let your friends and neighbors
spend the money and get the few moments of enjoyment
while visiting ;-)

Best wishes,
Ericka
(whose kids have an embarrassing number of toys, including
the so-called educational ones, and is thus very familiar
with this phenomenon)

On 24 Nov 2006 22:05:53 -0800, "Gia" wrote:

(Having said what I wish, though, my child has recently become very
interested in pretend-cooking, so the thought of a play kitchen crossed
my mind. This is not as educational as I'd like it to be, but it's a
possibility.)

A play kitchen is actually extremely educational for this age.

By playing in a pretend kitchen, children:

learn what the roles of mothers and fathers and children are.
understands what it feels like to play at being somebody other
than himself.
learn how to use his imagination.
learn how to cooperate with other children.

Pretend play comes in several stages and it is a very important
part of childrens' cognitive learning.

The first stage is where kids pretend by mimicking... feeding
dolls, talking on the phone, etc. The average for this is 12m
- 21m.

Symbolic pretend may be a second stage of pretend.
If a child is pretending with a prop, and the prop is something
completely different... then are they mimicking or truely
pretending? I almost think it depends on the situation.
A child that picks up a block and pretends it's a piece of
food, or telephone... yes, it's more elaborate than just
using a toy phone as a phone, but at the same time it seems
closer to the first stage than the third, and probably falls
into something inbetween. Now, if someone uses a prop such
as a sippy cup to be a tree for a terradactyl and her nest....
that seems far more elaborate. How about a backyard is a lake
that a child is swimming in? Again, both are using 'props',
but both seem to be 'true pretend'

"True" pretend, is what is referred to as starting at 3 years.
That's where a child is pretending something is completely
different. A child gets on all fours and barks like a dog,
is a basic example. A child pretends to be a princess, and
develops an elaborate story and plot around it. Some kids bypass
this phase.





--
Dorothy

There is no sound, no cry in all the world
that can be heard unless someone listens ..

The Outer Limits

"Nan" wrote in message
...
I also vote for the play kitchen! So-called "Educational" toys, while
looking good to parents, tend to be booooring to kids once they've
pushed the buttons and heard all the sounds.

Play, play, play is more educational than any electronic teaching toy.

This is being echoed so many times, I must put my two cents in. DS loved
educational toys. He couldn't get enough of them. He learned his numbers
and letters all from the toys. I even had him tell me about the "bowels."
I said, "bowels?" He said, "Yes, _bowels_ -- a, e, i, o, u accompanied by
the associated sounds." I was in shock, since I never taught him letters,
numbers, and I never heard his toys teach him vowels. I asked him where he
learned them, and he said Leapster, at his daycare. He was 3 yo. DD, OTOH,
didn't care much for his educational toys, hasn't learned a thing from them,
so it is very individual. She learns everything from books. I'd say not
every kid thinks educational toys are boring, but go with educational toys
only if the kid likes the stuff.

"Gia" wrote in message
ps.com...
I am trying to find a good educational toy for a 2-year-old girl.
Ideally, it would help with the numbers, letters, and shapes in a fun,
interactive way.

(Having said what I wish, though, my child has recently become very
interested in pretend-cooking, so the thought of a play kitchen crossed
my mind. This is not as educational as I'd like it to be, but it's a
possibility.)

In any case, please suggest good toys that will entartain, but also
teach a curious 25-month-old.
Gia

It's curious to me that I have trouble remembering what my kids played with
at age two.
The only thing that they really enjoyed and played with for a long time,
was a good value for the money, and I didn't end up donating or throwing
away, was Duplo. All Hail Duplo! (and Lego)

In article ,
"Sue" wrote:

Everything is educational to a 2-year-old. Just get her things that she is
interested in and don't worry about the educational aspect because she
learns something with everything she does.

Beaut summary!

applauds

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Parenthood is like the modern stone washing process for denim jeans. You may
start out crisp, neat and tough, but you end up pale, limp and wrinkled."
Kerry Cue

In article ,
"toypup" wrote:

"Nan" wrote in message
...
I also vote for the play kitchen! So-called "Educational" toys, while
looking good to parents, tend to be booooring to kids once they've
pushed the buttons and heard all the sounds.

Play, play, play is more educational than any electronic teaching toy.

This is being echoed so many times, I must put my two cents in. DS loved
educational toys. He couldn't get enough of them. He learned his numbers
and letters all from the toys.[...]I'd say not
every kid thinks educational toys are boring, but go with educational toys
only if the kid likes the stuff.

I am getting confused here. What is an "educational toy"? Is it just
anything marketed as "Educational" to the Great Unwashed Masses?

I thought an "educational toy" was something like Duplo, wooden blocks,
nesting cups, or a Shape-O. Things That Beep And Flash normally don't meet
the criteria for me -- they can usually only be used in limited ways, and I
think one of my criteria for Educational Toys is open-endedness.

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Parenthood is like the modern stone washing process for denim jeans. You may
start out crisp, neat and tough, but you end up pale, limp and wrinkled."
Kerry Cue

I think in this instance, educational toy, is an electronic one that teached
the child something, like letters, numbers, colors, etc. Of the type that
when you push a button it says, "A" , or "blue" to correspond to the button
pushed.

such as this
http://www.amazon.com/VTech-Alphabet-Electronic-Fundamentals-Reading/dp/B00000IRU2'


"Chookie" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"toypup" wrote:

"Nan" wrote in message
...
I also vote for the play kitchen! So-called "Educational" toys, while
looking good to parents, tend to be booooring to kids once they've
pushed the buttons and heard all the sounds.

Play, play, play is more educational than any electronic teaching toy.

This is being echoed so many times, I must put my two cents in. DS loved
educational toys. He couldn't get enough of them. He learned his
numbers
and letters all from the toys.[...]I'd say not
every kid thinks educational toys are boring, but go with educational
toys
only if the kid likes the stuff.

I am getting confused here. What is an "educational toy"? Is it just
anything marketed as "Educational" to the Great Unwashed Masses?

I thought an "educational toy" was something like Duplo, wooden blocks,
nesting cups, or a Shape-O. Things That Beep And Flash normally don't
meet
the criteria for me -- they can usually only be used in limited ways, and
I
think one of my criteria for Educational Toys is open-endedness.

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Parenthood is like the modern stone washing process for denim jeans. You
may
start out crisp, neat and tough, but you end up pale, limp and wrinkled."
Kerry Cue

"Chookie" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"toypup" wrote:

"Nan" wrote in message
...
I also vote for the play kitchen! So-called "Educational" toys, while
looking good to parents, tend to be booooring to kids once they've
pushed the buttons and heard all the sounds.

Play, play, play is more educational than any electronic teaching toy.

This is being echoed so many times, I must put my two cents in. DS loved
educational toys. He couldn't get enough of them. He learned his
numbers
and letters all from the toys.[...]I'd say not
every kid thinks educational toys are boring, but go with educational
toys
only if the kid likes the stuff.

I am getting confused here. What is an "educational toy"? Is it just
anything marketed as "Educational" to the Great Unwashed Masses?

I thought an "educational toy" was something like Duplo, wooden blocks,
nesting cups, or a Shape-O. Things That Beep And Flash normally don't
meet
the criteria for me -- they can usually only be used in limited ways, and
I
think one of my criteria for Educational Toys is open-endedness.

I think you know what it means in this thread. Just because a kid has
Leapfrog toys doesn't mean he doesn't have other toys. DS had Megabloks and
nesting cups and wooden blocks, but his great thrill was Leapfrog toys.
Nothing wrong with that. He liked to learn from them, just like DD likes to
learn from books, and there's nothing open-ended about a board book. She
sees her ladybug book with numbers and she counts through them every day
just like he had his Leapfrog bus and he said the letters every day. Does
this mean DD doesn't play imaginatively because she likes to study the
numbers in a book? Of course not. The same with DS.

Is a board book with one number and picture per page educational? Yes. Is
a block on the Leapfrog train with one letter and picture per side
educational? Just as educational as the book.

"deja.blues" wrote in message
news:f46ah.7646$7a2.6953@trndny06...

"Gia" wrote in message
ps.com...
I am trying to find a good educational toy for a 2-year-old girl.
Ideally, it would help with the numbers, letters, and shapes in a fun,
interactive way.

(Having said what I wish, though, my child has recently become very
interested in pretend-cooking, so the thought of a play kitchen crossed
my mind. This is not as educational as I'd like it to be, but it's a
possibility.)

In any case, please suggest good toys that will entartain, but also
teach a curious 25-month-old.
Gia

It's curious to me that I have trouble remembering what my kids played
with
at age two.
The only thing that they really enjoyed and played with for a long time,
was a good value for the money, and I didn't end up donating or throwing
away, was Duplo. All Hail Duplo! (and Lego)


My daughter still loves her Lego, and she's now 11. Her imagination never
fails to amaze me. She often gets the sets with where you're supposed to
make the specific things, but she constantly changes them into her own
creations. And she loved Duplo when she was little.

Jen

toypup wrote:

I think you know what it means in this thread. Just because a kid has
Leapfrog toys doesn't mean he doesn't have other toys. DS had Megabloks and
nesting cups and wooden blocks, but his great thrill was Leapfrog toys.
Nothing wrong with that. He liked to learn from them, just like DD likes to
learn from books, and there's nothing open-ended about a board book. She
sees her ladybug book with numbers and she counts through them every day
just like he had his Leapfrog bus and he said the letters every day. Does
this mean DD doesn't play imaginatively because she likes to study the
numbers in a book? Of course not. The same with DS.

Is a board book with one number and picture per page educational? Yes. Is
a block on the Leapfrog train with one letter and picture per side
educational? Just as educational as the book.

I totally agree with everything you've posted. I don't know anyone who
gives their child only "old fashioned" open-ended play toys. If they
did, I'd feel sorry for their kid because he's missing out on some
really fun toys. There are times when DS will focus on his wooden
blocks for hours, and other times, it's his kiddie lap top. He
benefits from both types of toys. Right now his favorite toys are his
Hot Wheels and his guitar (a real guitar) but in the past it was his
LeapFrog bus or his V-Tech barn which teaches colors, numbers, animals
and their sounds. They all have value.

-L.