| What greater joy can you give a child than a toy? | | | | components in their arsenal of things to in their |
| It wipes away the tears, distracts from pain, | | | | day. Daddy has now built them a play house in |
| overcomes boredom and loneliness, is a means of | | | | one of the trees where the imagination and fun |
| interacting with others be they child or adult, and | | | | will forever increase. |
| it teaches them to become people. | | | | Both children go to day care as their parents |
| The pleasure of watching children at play and of | | | | work, which is the norm these days, Here they |
| observing them handling and mastering their toys | | | | go to town with toys that cause them to explore |
| is something every adult benefits from. Their little | | | | avenues with peers their own age. Castles are |
| fingers are mastering co ordination and artistic | | | | built, ride on toys get a bashing, stories are read |
| design while building their brains into the complex | | | | to them and playing outside is a whole new |
| computers they need for their survival later in life. | | | | adventure with mates they rarely meet outside |
| Toys are the greatest of assets when teaching | | | | the center. Their vocabulary improves as they |
| them the basics for their education. | | | | are forced to communicate during play. |
| These instruments of early life need not be the | | | | Toys make up a their world and fills their days |
| bought toys or be the manufactured pricey gifts | | | | with joy and their dreams with expectations. How |
| that many possibly feel are essential to a happy | | | | they play and what they pretend to be is |
| childhood. If such are not available the child will | | | | governed by what they see in their environment. |
| make its own. A stick becomes a sword or a | | | | Unfortunately many children are not given toys or |
| gun, maybe a tool for exploration, perhaps an | | | | encouraged like my grandsons and that is the |
| airplane or part of kite. The imagination is endless. | | | | saddest thing to witness. They see and hear |
| Anything that floats can be a boat, a raft or an | | | | violence, drunkenness and probably watch |
| animal in the make believe world in which children | | | | television or spend their time alone which leads |
| live. But give them the things that resemble what | | | | many to throw tantrums for attention. That is |
| parents use around the house or in the shed and | | | | not to say that other children don't have |
| you make their day. What child doesn't imitate | | | | tantrums.and my eldest grandson turns on some |
| mum at the stove cooking when given pots to | | | | beauties. But they are usually manageable in a |
| play with. Give him a toy drill or screwdriver and | | | | few minutes with the right discipline. |
| he is transformed into dad at work building | | | | How we rear our children and what they become |
| something. | | | | depends on what we do for them in the first few |
| My two youngest grandchildren of just 2 and 3 | | | | years of life. Encourage brain development and |
| can already do complex puzzles with a jig saw | | | | you will gain a student for life. Discourage their |
| type animal letter combination. The eldest can | | | | ability and he or she will struggle with everything. |
| count to 20 and when books or toys encourage | | | | Most of all he or she may lack self-esteem and |
| him he is a different person. Suddenly he takes on | | | | confidence in themselves. |
| the air of a grown up wanting to assist with the | | | | Its not only toys that are important in the early |
| chores. He helps his younger brother accomplish | | | | years as this is the time for programming the |
| things and he can be spotted sitting down reading | | | | brain and interacting with adults is vital but it is a |
| to him from one of his books just as mum, dad | | | | necessary part of growing up. The careful |
| or grandma does. | | | | considerate parent is aware of these things but |
| These children have a blackboard and are learning | | | | many who never have had this kind of attention |
| to draw and write their names on it. They have | | | | in their young lives may struggle to understand |
| drawing pencils and colored markers and are | | | | how to help their own children during their |
| occupied for some time sitting quietly coloring in | | | | formative years. But its never too late to learn |
| books or making magical pictures on drawing | | | | about the benefits of toys and playful interactions. |
| paper. Their sand pit and trampoline are vital | | | | |