Educational Toys and Games Key Terms

Using educational toys and games key terms to select the best learning tools for kids

By Stella Stewart

Educational toys and games key terms are important clues to the appropriate products for every child. Parents and educators can find building blocks at the local superstore or discount mart to start a strong foundation for children’s learning experiences. However, a thorough understanding of the important key terms that are a part of each product description will aid in selection of educational toys and games.

Parents buying an educational toy or game that is not age appropriate for their child might waste their funds. Designers carefully produce a toy or game or a three year old that will probably bore a five year old and a toy or game for a six year old will often frustrate a younger child. The wrong toy or game in the wrong hands will have little educational value for a child.

Critical thinking skills

Educators work to develop critical thinking skills at all stages of the curriculum, and concerned parents often want to jump start these skills for their children. Educational toys and games are often an appropriate way to achieve this goal. The best toy and game developers know how to provide entertaining activities while developing skills that children use to produce answers on their own rather than memorize and reproduce information provided by teachers, parents and other influential stimuli.
Try: Beyond the Blackboard employs creative designers who know how to engage young minds.

Curriculum based

Parents look for educational toys and games to help their children before and during their education. Curriculum based is a term that parents will hear or see in their quest for quality products. Designers and manufacturers use curriculum based as a descriptor in order to guide parents toward the best choices. Suppliers of educational toys and games often use curriculum based to describe toys and games that focus on the material in a particular subject such as math or science.
Try: The Toy Directory specializes in educational toys and games providing many find products on the website.

Cognitive development

Cognitive development is important in the course of the education of every child, and educational toys and games focused on cognitive development are most desirable. Check the directions and specifications when purchasing every toy or game and look for information about the use of the item for cognitive development. Children learn to solve problems, remember facts and learn about the world around them through cognitive development.
Try: Expert educators, designers and developers run Ape to Zebra which has a vast assortment of educational toys and games.

Fine motor skills

As children develop naturally, the muscles in their hands become exercised and toned to perform fine motor skills that they will use the rest of their lives. Most children develop their fine motor skills normally, but every child is at least a bit different from the norm. Educational toys and games are available to aid children in the development of fine motor skills, and although these tools are especially beneficial to children who might be slightly or significantly behind the curve, all children will benefit from playing with toys and games that develop fine motor skills.
Try: HubPages has important information on the development of fine motor skills through beneficial toys and games.

Digital natives

Modern school children have learning styles and histories that are much different from those of their parents and grandparents. Educators, researchers and others described the students currently in kindergarten through twelfth grade as digital natives because their lives have always been filled.
Try: Marc Prensky provides fascinating research on the use of educational toys and games by modern school children. Tim Windsor explains more about digital natives on his website.

Spatial relationships

Recognizing and understanding spatial relationships is vital to a successful education. Spatial intelligence is only one of the eight types of human intelligence. Most children learn to reason through verbal or spatial reasoning so educational toys and games devoted to spatial reasoning are not just for entertainment but essential for learning math, computer science and engineering.
Try: JDB Games provides games that are fun and educational. Serendip is informative and helpful in learning about educational toys and games.