Low-Tech Toys

The importance of free, uninterrupted play time for children cannot be stressed enough in supporting a strong foundation for lifelong learning. Too often children are exposed to a glut of toys that distract them from real play.

Real play is child-initiated and child-directed.

Generally, toys that require batteries and are labled as “learning toys” have only one outcome and do not encourage divergent thinking or encourage creative play. Adults can often interfere in child-directed play by overscheduling their children, or organizing or directing the play of children.

You can support the important work of “child’s play” by:

• providing plenty of free-time
• limiting screen time for television, computers and video games
• offering plenty of open-ended items children can use in play

A good toy is
one that children can use
 in a multitude of ways.

Some suggested low-cost, low-tech materials:

Sand and water

Sand and water are open-ended sensory materials that invite childen to use their imagination and make discoveries. Provide plenty of household objects to enhance the experience. Shells are a great addition to both sand and water play.

Paper

Offer paint, crayons, markers or colored pencils. Send “mail”. Make lists, cards, paper dolls, and fans. Play tic tac toe and dots and boxes. Have fun tearing, rolling into a ball and “shooting baskets”.

Dress-up clothes

A dress-up box is essential. Save scarves, anything shiny, old sunglasses, purses, shoes, bags. Thrift stores and yard sales are a great place to get a jump start on a dress-up box.

Blocks

Blocks enourage spatial awareness and language. Add blocks of different shapes and sizes to extend the building possibilities.

A ball

A ball is such a versatile toy that has the magic of keeping your child’s attention over their lifetime. Children not only develop their large motor skills they also learn social skills by learning to take turns and later to play on a team.

Play dough

Play dough is a great, tactile and open-ended material. To reduce the cost make your own. Enhance the experience by allowing children to choose the color, add a fragrance (such as an unsweetened kool-aid packet), or texture (such as coffee grounds, sand, or cornmeal).

Hand puppets

Hand puppets encourage imaginative play, self-expression, and language. Your child can make some out of lunch sacks, socks, or even out of a shadow of their hand.

Household objects

Objects such as bowls, pans, plastic food storage containers, baskets, empty spice jars and yogurt containers, and measuring cups, turkey basters, spatulas, melon scoopers, whisks.....

Bubbles

Children off all ages can appreciate bubbles. Babies can track them with their eyes and head, toddlers can run and pop them. Preschoolers can blow bubbles and school-age children can even make the bubblesolution and make new "contraptions" to create bubbles.

Cardboard boxes

Instead of breaking them down and taking them straight to the recycling center, leave them out and watch what children create.