There is growing understanding of the importance and role of play in the life of a child. It's a way for a child to develop their imagination, learn new things and even share with other children their age. The brain of a young child needs the stimulus of a game or toy to develop. Nevertheless, in the era of electronic devices we are seeing more and more children with phones in their hands. However, pediatricians recommend moving them away from these devices and restricting themselves to simple toys. We explain why.
The child is a developing individual who needs external stimulus in order to daily push his intellectual and physical limits. The game comes to offer a playful and useful solution to help the child to enlarge.
The importance of play in children
Playing is a fun activity reported in an article that the American pediatrician association recalled that: "Play is not frivolous. This is how the brain is built. The game is not an innocuous activity for a child, it is even essential for several reasons, here they are:
- A direct consequence of play in a baby is first sensory and motor development. It must be remembered that a newly born baby is constantly discovering new things around him. Thus, when baby plays with you he is also in full discovery of his body, the game helps him to master and coordinate his movements.
- The game encourages reaction, laughter or sometimes frustration. It remains only in the face of these emotions that overwhelm the child, he begins to want to express these new feelings for him. Thus, the game can help a child to learn the language in order to communicate his moods.
- The game grows to the thought, every novel situation of the game invites the child to push the limits of his intellect to answer this new disposition. Play is therefore essential to the intellectual development of a child in full development, but also to his social development. The game is one of the means of exchange that two will have, so children engage in social activities by sharing the game.
The consequences of electronic devices on children
Children, especially young children, are individuals in full development and for whom mimicry is an important mechanism of learning. In the digital age where an adult can not leave his phone for 5 minutes for different reasons, children find themselves more and more want to imitate this addiction, which could have disastrous consequences for their development. Here are a few :
- According to a study published in the scientific journal Children, early exposure to electronic screens could be a factor of obesity. Remember that obesity is according to the WHO a major risk factor for a number of diseases such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease.
- According to a second study this time published in the Italian Journal of Pediatrics, electronic devices could negatively impact children's learning and sleep. But that does not stop there, because addiction to these devices could also affect the relationship of the child with his parents.
What toy for the first year of a baby?
No doubt that for parents, choosing the right toy for their children is not always easy. As we explained earlier, it is necessary to avoid giving electronic devices to your children. Favor single toys and of course safe for your child. Know that his needs change according to his age.
- The first months of baby is a time when he is discovering a new world. It's all about not over-stimulating your baby, sing him lullabies and give him the tenderness he needs. At this age a baby especially needs his mother.
- From 4 to 6 months the baby finally begins to distinguish the colors and to open to its environment. Feel free to buy soft toys in different colors or play mats.
- Between 6 and 9 months, baby starts to use his mouth to chew and suck everything he finds on hand, do not hesitate to give him toys that are safe in the baby's mouth.
- From 10 months to 1 year you can start to prefer toys that pile up such as boxes forms. These are great for baby's development.