| Parents might not spend a lot of time thinking | | | | and acting. Playing with puppets helps kids define |
| about the make-believe learning toys they provide | | | | and explore relationships in a safe environment. |
| to their kids, but maybe they should start. A | | | | Unlike other toys based on established characters, |
| closer look at play time shows that different | | | | most puppets are based on unknown characters, |
| types of toys stimulate different types of child | | | | which provides a blank slate for kids to use their |
| development. | | | | own imagination to develop and define the |
| For kids, play time is more than just fun and | | | | character and its relationships with others. |
| games. Play time provides kids with a safe way | | | | 4. Transportation toys such as cars, trucks, trains |
| to experiment and learn about the real world | | | | and airplanes allow kids to take their imagination |
| without all the risks associated with the real world. | | | | on trips across town or across the globe. |
| Play time is actually productive time proven to | | | | Transportation learning toys remove geographical |
| develop talents, character, social skills, language | | | | boundaries to expand imaginative play into new |
| skills, creativity, emotional strength, intellectual | | | | frontiers. Kids can enjoy adventure-filled trips to |
| capacity and self-discipline. | | | | new places without leaving home. |
| To help parents consider the impact of different | | | | 5. Play kitchen and house toys such as a pretend |
| types of make-believe learning toys and the | | | | vacuum cleaner offers kids a greater sense of |
| impact those toys have on child development, | | | | self-esteem as use the same heavy-duty |
| here is a list of different learning toys that are | | | | equipment and tackle the same jobs around the |
| known to stimulate make-believe play. | | | | house as mom (and dad?). |
| 1. Dolls and dollhouses available today can be | | | | 6. Costumes are the ultimate make-believe toys |
| amazingly life-like, which helps kids to imitate real | | | | for role playing. Costumes such as cowboy |
| life and role-play with members of their pretend | | | | clothes for boys and ballerina costumes for girls |
| doll family. The emotions and bonds developed | | | | take them directly into the pretend realm where |
| during this play time are real. Little girls can get | | | | their dreams all come true. |
| very much attached to their dolls as they practice | | | | 7. Theme sets provide a pretend setting for |
| loving and caring for another person. | | | | real-world situations such as grocery store cash |
| 2. Stuffed toys are great tools to teach | | | | registers, ATM machines, play food sets, and play |
| imaginative play and role playing, especially during | | | | doctor sets. Theme sets help kids to understand |
| the toddler years. It is during these years that | | | | the world around them and motivate them to |
| kids begin make-believe play where their stuffed | | | | learn more about these real-world encounters. |
| toys come alive. Many kids develop strong | | | | Perhaps the best way for young kids to learn is |
| emotional relationships with their stuffed toys, | | | | by reading books aloud to them allowing them to |
| which makes it a warm, significant relationship in | | | | interact and participate in the stories. However, |
| their early years. | | | | after books, make-believe learning toys promote |
| 3. Puppets are designed to facilitate role-playing | | | | child development in many different ways. |