SIMPLE IS BETTER
It might seem like an easy solution
to just hand your fussy toddler your
phone or iPad to distract them, but
The American Academy of Pediatrics
(AAP) finds the best toys for children’s
development are those that
encourage play between a caregiver
and child.
It is becoming increasingly more
difficult to keep children away from
media-based toys, but the AAP warns
against using them as a replacement
for the traditional toys and games
that encourage imagination and help
encourage mental development.
The AAP offers families and physicians
guidance in an updated clinical
report, “Selecting Appropriate Toys
for Young Children in the Digital Era.”
PEDIATRICS
Your child may find that
smartphone or tablet
entertaining, but too much
screen time can shortchange
their development. Sometimes
the traditional toys—along
with healthy doses of
interaction—are the best.
The report focuses on toys for children
from birth through school age.
“Toys have evolved over the years, and
advertisements may leave parents
with the impression that toys with
a ‘virtual’ or digital-based platform
are more educational,” said Aleeya
Healey, MD, FAAP, a lead author of
the report. “Research tells us that the
best toys need not be flashy or expensive
or come with an app. Simple, in
this case, really is better.”
The best toys are those that line up
with a child’s developmental abilities
while stimulating the learning of new
skills, according to the AAP. Toys
serve a variety of purposes including
but not limited to developing
children’s brains, language building,
problem-solving, social interactions
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