Learning through play is an important part of a child’s development. Toys and games help children develop their senses, problem solving skills, conflict resolution and much more. Children learn to care, to wait for their turn and to accept other’s views when they play with other children. Playing with toys also develop fine and gross motor skills of children. Toys nurture creativity, imagination and values such as cooperation, sharing, respect for others. Education aims at the all-round development of a child which involves development of cognitive, psychomotor and affective domains. To achieve this objective, children need varied experiences involving construction of new knowledge, by connecting with the existing ones. With the aim to provide active and joyful learning to children by including them in the teaching learning process and pedagogy, and thereby promoting the indigenous toy industry, the Ministry of Textiles, in collaboration with other ministries including Ministry of Education, is organizing the First National Toy Fair in a Virtual mode. The main objectives are
to provide opportunities to organizations, teachers and teacher educators, to showcase various ‘Educational Toys’ developed by them and to explain the usefulness of toys in learning and understanding various aspects and concepts of various Subjects such as; Environmental Studies, Science, Mathematics, Languages, Social Science, Vocational Education etc.
To provide a platform for children to express and pursue their natural curiosity, creativity, innovation and inventiveness.
To inspire children to conceive innovative ideas in making of educational toys.
To make children have better understanding of the concepts by constructing toys.
To lay emphasis on the inquiry and experiential learning as a major instrument for achieving goals of self–reliance, socio–economic and socio–ecological development of the nation and the world.
To make children aware about how toys have been developed and influenced by many diverse individuals, cultures, societies and environment.
To appreciate the role of toys/games in learning process and development of skills by using low cost/ no cost and eco- friendly material in making of toys.
When children reach preschool age, it’s time to start learning about letters, numbers and language skills. There are lots of toys that encourage this type of learning, from simple alphabet puzzles to high-tech electronic gadgets. These can give your child a head start by introducing her to the things she will be learning in school. Kids who are in school can supplement their learning with fun and educational toys. Giving them the opportunity to have fun while practicing the things they are learning in school will increase their retention of those things. And when your child finds an educational toy she really likes, she will be more likely to play with it, reinforcing the things she has learned. Children can learn a lot from playing. When you give your child educational toys and play with them with her, it gives her a chance to bond with you, learn, and have fun at the same time. And making education enjoyable will help your child retain the things she learns and developes a positive attitude toward learning. The use of educational toys can help children learn many different skills they will need in their life such as:
Problem solving and learning cause and effect
Learning how to play with others through compromise, conflict resolution and sharing
Development of fine and gross motor skills
Nurturing their creativity and imagination
Discovering their independence and positive self-esteem.
Toy Fair competitions are being adopted and should be utilized in all round development of students.Recently a toy fair competition was organized in Distt Kupwara by worthy Cheif education officer Kupwara in which almost 13 zones participated. Zone Mawer got second postion being the only Govt school in top 3.It creates scientific approach among children.Various models in the shape of toys can bring a change in educational scenarios.I being a teacher am so lucky that my student namely Mehsan Manzoor Bhat got first position at zonal level and second postion at distt. level on 07 feb 2021. Worthy zeo Mawer Mohd Maqbool Lone applauded the work and generally boosted the teachers.
Educational toys are linked to developing sensory-motor skills in children. Colorful and vibrant lights and sound enhance the sense of sight in small kids. Crafty toys and activities improve fine motor skills in older kids. This will further promote better personality and communication skills in kids.
(The author a teacher by profession is presently work in Education Zone Mawer of J&K School Education Department. Views are his own)
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