| Alright, it is almost that time of the year. You | | | | water, a shovel or spoon and a lot of imagination |
| know, time to get the kids out of the house. You | | | | is all that is necessary for a day of creative |
| want your children to have fun. You want your | | | | learning. |
| children to be safe. You want your children to | | | | Baby dolls are another low-tech educational toy |
| have an educational experience. Most of all, you | | | | and are great for promoting nurturing in both |
| want your children outside. For older children it is | | | | boys and girls. Baby dolls can be feed, bathed, |
| easy. That is, if you can get the controllers out of | | | | dressed, kissed and hugged. Baby dolls listen and |
| their not so tiny hands. But let's begin with the | | | | understand what we adults do not. Baby dolls are |
| little ones, specifically, those children ages 12 to 24 | | | | loved and love unconditionally. Children can also |
| months. Most children 12 to 24 months will have | | | | learn the names of body parts, clothing and |
| fun just by being outside and exploring their | | | | activities while playing with their baby dolls. All that |
| environment. | | | | is needed with a baby doll is imagination and |
| Educational experiences are not necessarily limited | | | | creativity and, perhaps, a stroller for your child's |
| to those experiences involving wires, cords and | | | | baby doll so that both your child and your child's |
| high-tech gizmos. For example, a child can improve | | | | baby doll can enjoy the outdoors. |
| his or her motor skills and balance by riding his or | | | | Simple push along walkers are good for outdoor |
| her cow or ladybug wheelybug. Moving forwards, | | | | entertainment. Push along walkers assist in |
| backwards, sideways and round and round, a | | | | improving balance. Children can walk behind their |
| child's spatial development and awareness improve | | | | push along walker with a comfortable and "safe" |
| as he or she moves around on his or her | | | | feeling while at the same time exploring their |
| wheelybug. And all of this is achieved without | | | | environment. Again, this educational toy is run not |
| motors, batteries or controllers. Sandboxes are | | | | on batteries but, rather, on toddler power. As you |
| another great example of a low-tech, | | | | can see, physical education can begin at a very |
| non-motorized mode of educational entertainment. | | | | early age and may begin your child on a pattern |
| In addition to spatial awareness and motor skills, | | | | of healthy living that will follow your children into |
| the sandbox is a wonderful forum for social | | | | adulthood. |
| development and creative play. Sand, a little | | | | |