Christmas is just around the corner. For new parents celebrating their baby's first Christmas, it might be a time of 고민 (worry) about what kind of toys to give as presents.
Today, I'd like to share with these new parents how to choose toys that promote brain development in babies!
I hope this helps you choose the perfect gift!
☆彡
A baby's brain is a blank slate at birth, so even the smallest experience becomes valuable knowledge for them.
Allowing them to experience as many different things as possible will lead to growth, but many people may not know what kind of toys to give them.
This time, I'll talk about whether developmental toys are even necessary for babies, and how to choose them.
[Are developmental toys necessary for babies?]
To get straight to the point, for babies, playing is the same as learning, so developmental toys are necessary.
Even for babies, as they grow, various actions are encouraged by toys, such as grasping toys in their palms, picking them up with their fingertips, twisting, pulling, and pinching them.
Through play with toys, insight, creativity, and concentration are gradually nurtured, and the various actions of babies mentioned earlier stimulate their brains, promoting development. This is the key point.
By using everything from their palms to their fingertips, babies simultaneously develop multiple senses and promote brain development through every action, such as the sensations transmitted from their hands, the colors perceived by their eyes, and the sounds heard by their ears.
As their intelligence, eyesight, and grip strength develop, they become capable of more advanced play, so it's necessary to provide toys appropriate for their developmental stage.
[How to choose developmental toys for babies]
Generally, when choosing developmental toys for babies, it's good to categorize them by the following age ranges:
・Up to 6 months old
・7 to 11 months old
・1 year old and up
Now, let's explain how to choose developmental toys for babies!
〇Up to 6 months old
For newborns, everything they experience feels fresh, despite their poor eyesight, so they are filled with a desire to experience everything with their whole body.
Their hearing is developed from birth, but their eyesight is still weak, so it's good to provide toys with slow movements. They are interested in everything, so even if their eyesight is poor, they will naturally be interested if there is something moving.
When their interest is piqued, the desire to see becomes stronger, and this strong feeling stimulates the brain, promoting eye development. This is the key point.
Since their hearing is developed, hanging mobiles or crib toys that move gently and make soft sounds from the ceiling will help them recognize sounds through their brain and relax, enriching their sensitivity.
〇7 to 11 months old
Between 7 and 11 months old, babies' hands and fingertips develop, allowing them to move more agilely. The desire to reach for distant toys stimulates their brain, promoting further eye and finger development, as they think about how to grasp nearby toys.
Another key point is that they can perform various actions with toys, such as hitting, shaking, and pulling, allowing for more three-dimensional play.
Recommended toys include cloth blocks, toys that make sounds when a ball rolls, and moving toys like bell rattles.
As they grow and start crawling, they will follow Mom and Dad, or become shy around strangers, as their brain development allows them to distinguish between various things.
The instinctive desire to chase what's in front of them becomes stronger, stimulating the brain and promoting the development of their motor skills along with their limbs.
〇1 year old and up
Around the age of one, during toddlerhood, children start to speak and imitate their parents, engage in pretend play, and their finger movements become even more developed and agile.
The hands are considered the "second brain" and are very important, with actions like grasping and pulling becoming more active.
At this stage, it's recommended to choose toys that can be used as they learn to judge with their eyes and walk, such as building blocks, push-along toys, hammer-and-peg toys, and pull-along toys.
Being able to hold and move objects develops their thinking skills, such as how to smoothly hold and move an object, and what happens when objects are combined.
The desire to skillfully move their fingertips and the desire to play more with toys promote the development of both fine motor skills and thinking abilities.
[What parents can do for their baby's growth]
The presence of parents is essential for a baby's growth.
When babies and parents play together, they learn together, observe each other, and for parents to feel their child's growth is very important in early childhood education and developmental play.
Therefore, what parents should do when it comes to play is to play seriously with their baby.
Some parents might give their baby a toy and then leave them to it, but that would mean losing out on the communication that comes from playing together with a parent.
Babies learn and grow a great deal through various forms of play, sharing joy and laughter with their parents.
Even the simplest play stimulates the brain, sharpens the senses, and promotes a baby's development, so playing together plays a very important role in growth and communication.
Parents should imagine what kind of play will make their child happy and enjoy themselves, and then choose developmental toys accordingly.
[Summary]
Infancy is a very sensitive period, where everything seen and heard feels fresh and new.
To promote the growth of your baby's brain, which develops day by day, why not try to provide toys that are appropriate for their developmental stage?
★For developmental blocks, please consider "Tsumikies' Building Blocks"!★
How about Tsumikies' building blocks as your baby's "first building blocks"!
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