Good Toys & Bad Toys

Toys that work best fit the interests and abilities of the children using them. They need to:

• easily attract attention

• be easy to handle

• provide consequences that encourage exploration

• provide opportunities to practice emerging skills

• provide increasing levels of challenge as the child grows

• be inviting to play partners

Even well-designed toys are often cautiously approached at first. Movements may be slow, deliberate, and serious. As objects become more familiar, movements become quicker, more confident, more lighthearted, and infants are more willing to share their play.

But if an object is too simple, too complex, or fails to meet expectations, such as puzzles with pieces that don’t fit, then exploration isn't continued. Without sustained engagement, mastery can’t be achieved, and the growth of self-satisfaction and self-confidence are compromised.