A colleague has prepared a list of toys that boost visual skills, I’ve modified it and reproduced it below. The timing is right, given the season, but what is most remarkable about the list is that electronic ‘brain boosting’ toys are absent. Developmental specialists, from optometrists, to occupational therapists and reading therapists, will understand that reading and academic skills are the result not of reading practice so much as a simple exposure to reading combined with a solid base of exploration before reading is ever encountered as a formal activity. These toys provide many fun avenues to explore the world in a way that boosts those skills and abilities that allow children to succeed in school.
Developmental specialists … will understand that reading and academic skills are the result not of reading practice so much as simple exposure to reading combined with a solid base of exploration before reading is ever encountered as a formal activity.
General rules to follow when choosing gifts for children:
- Avoid electronics and other gaming systems that pull the child away from the physical world. A child’s understanding of the symbolic nature of words comes from learning about physical reality first.
- Choose ‘open-ended’ games as opposed to ‘closed-ended’ games. A great example is Lego sets where only one ‘thing’ will be built. A better option would be a mound of varied Lego blocks where the child can build anything.
- Choose games that require interaction and lots of eye-hand coordination and/or balance.
- Prefer physical play in young children over forcing reading too early.
- For reading practice, read with and to your child and expose them to fun stories if in the pre-school years. Avoid structured reading programs that purport to accelerate reading in preschoolers.
My personal favourite games include Jenga blocks and Dominoes (both played with freely for building/toppling, as well as according to the ‘rules’), Scrabble, playing cards (Old Maid, Go Fish, Memory, War), and something called a ‘Perplexus‘ ball. Ensure games are age appropriate, and don’t be in a rush to force reading in young children – if the foundation is there, reading will follow.
Here is the list. Keep in mind that regular every day activities can also be very beneficial. For example, having a child help to prepare dinner by cutting vegetables, stirring, and measuring are great ways to develop eye-hand coordination, balance and control, and math skills.
Building toys – Develop eye-hand coordination and visualization/imagination.
1. Building Blocks
2. Legos/Duplos
3. Lincoln Logs
4. Tinker Toys
5. Erector Set
Fine motor skill toys – Develop fine motor skills including visual skills and manual eye-hand coordination.
6. Light Bright
7. Pegboard and Pegs
8. Coloring Books and Crayons
9. Dot-to-Dot Activity Books
10. Finger Paints
11. Playdough/Silly Putty/Modeling Clay
12. Chalkboard (24” x 36”)/Easel
13. Bead Stringing
14. Sewing Cards (craft)
15. Paint or Color By Numbers
16. Sand Art
17. Stencils
18. Bead Craft Kits
19. Models (car, airplane, ships, etc.)
20. Jacks
Space perception toys – Develop depth perception and eye-hand coordination.
Within arm’s length:
20. Jumpin’ Monkeys
21. Flippin’ Frogs
22. Ants in the Pants
23. Fishin’ Around
24. Operation
25. Pick-up Sticks
26. KerPlunk
27. Jenga
28. Don’t Break the Ice
29. Marbles
Beyond arm’s length:
30. Oball (good for kids who aren’t very good at catching)
31. Ball (any kind!)
32. Pitchback
33. Toss Across (tic-tac-toe)
34. Ring Toss
35. Nerf Basketball
36. Dart Games (velcro)
37. Ping Pong
38. Cuponk
39. Elefun
Visual thinking toys and games – Develop visual thinking including visualization, visual memory, form perception, pattern recognition, sequencing and eye tracking skills. These skills are important basics for academics including mathematics, reading and spelling.
40. Color Blocks and 1” Cubes
41. Parquetry Blocks
42. Attribute Blocks
43. Make N Break Game
44. Jigsaw Puzzles
45. Rory’s Story Cubes
46. Card Games (Old Maid, Go Fish, etc.)
47. Dominoes
48. ThinkFun Bug Trails
49. Checkers
50. Chinese Checkers
51. Perplexus
52. Qwirkle
53. Battleship
54. Labyrinth
55. Blokus
56. Connect Four
57. Rush Hour/Rush Hour Jr.
58. Regatta
59. Perfection
60. Tactilo
61. Bingo
62. Memory Games
63. Chicken Cha-Cha-Cha
64. Simon Flash
65. Bop It
66. Hyperdash
67. Blink
68. Set
69. Loopz
70. Racko
71. Sort it Out
72. Tangrams/Tangoes
73. Mancala
74. Q-bitz
Balance and Coordination toys and games – Develop large motor skills.
75. Hoppity Hop
76. Jump Ropes
77. Sit and Spin
78. Slip ’n Slide
79. Trampoline
80. Stilts
81. Twister