Early Learning Toys You Can't Live Without

[cokers4life]

I am looking around for early learning toys, and I wondered what early learning toys you couldn't live without?   What are your go-to toys? 

Thanks for sharing!

[Mandabplus3]

How much trouble will I cause by saying iPad!

Oh I can add duplo, we use it to demonstrate so many things, sorting, patterns, physics, construction, we even got a set with the alphabet on them ( I will post a link if I find it) plus we have animals and people so their is a creative element to their duplo games.
I would love a world map set in wood, that would get a lot of use. And the tub of colored plastic balls have a lot of use. We have a white plastic portable clipboard, which can take either paper or be used as a whiteboard, as you can imagine its very useful...
The kids like my bucket of large wooden beads in different colours but my personal favorite would be crayolas washable textas and crayons!

[Tanikit]

There are so many toys now, but I still find my children play mostly with open ended toys that can be used in many ways rather than ones that can only be used for one specific thing - so anything with a particular movie/TV character on it (that costs double the price of anything else) actually gets half the use.

Wooden blocks - we have used these for math manipulatives, building towers and other construction, general counting, to teach colours and shapes, for throwing, to put in and out of containers and in pretend games. They cover a wide age range too and can be used from baby up.

Magnetic letters and numbers and foam ones too - I prefer these in small rather than capital letters though the small letters are harder to find. I would love to get phonics ones too with all the digraphs and long vowel combinations, but so far have been unable to find any.

Other open ended toys - specifically people characters and animal ones for imagination and make believe that can also be used in word problems and used for reading.

Tools - like a plastic spade, broom, hammer etc for playing outside - using these tools for early learning takes some planning on the part of the parent but my children have learnt more because of this.

We use an android tablet, but still find the learning needs to be followed up in a more real life way for them to get the connections.

Other things that aren't usually considered toys:

Books - are these toys? (my 1 year old thinks so)

Art supplies and paper

[Skylark]

I would second the open -ended toys.

Blocks -- absolutely -- we used different types, colors, shapes of regular blocks, montessori blocks and forms ( can be used combined with other blocks for so many activities), Nikitin mental math and logic blocks, Duplo ( we actually used these the least for some reason) -- math activities, imagination play, sorting, patterning, comparing -- we used them at different ages for different purposes, and we always look for more    to add to our collection

Books, even though not technically toys, -- I agree with Tanikit, my kids spent hours and hours sitting in from of their bookshelf ( even before they learned how to read), and reading books -- we arranged it so the steady ones were always accessible.

Figurines of animals, people, plants, etc -- for play, reading activities, geography activities. We never bought everything we wanted ( they can be expensive!!), but little by little we built a small collection, and it is always a hit -- for both independent play and geography activities ( we also did word matching activities)

Huge floor world map mat -- we use it ALL the time, we got so much mileage from it, much more then I imagined at the beginning -- now I recommend it left and right, absolutely worth the investment!

Baby Home Gym -- we would have made it ourselves, if we would not have gotten an excellent deal on it straight from the factory -- it has been a big help in colder days  ( or when it is hot) for inside play, strength training, large motor skills -- we got a lot of mileage from it and I expect to use it literally for years to come : http://ivasik.ua/cat/1293/product/12025/  Highly recommend!

Kid size table and chairs -- not toys, more accessories, -- but something you just got to have -- my kids use it all the time for activities, school, reading, when they were really little we would set up activity on the table, and baby was working hard to stand next to it, balance and all just to play with an activity, important!

Magnetic letters, geometrical figures, tangrams with large magnetic board and easel -- use it a lot -- both magnetic side and blackboard

These are some of the things that we got a lot of use from and would recommend!

[TeachingMyToddlers]

I recently bought my daughter a chair for her room, a min-saucer chair. While I don't love that it's Disney Princesses because I try to stay away from stay away from character merchandise, my daughter loves it. It was designated "the reading chair" and it encourages her to read even more in her special chair. I saw this yesterday though and may replace it. It's pretty small and really cute. You could even do beanbags or whatever, but just designate it "the reading chair."

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10116552/

And my daughter loooooved the leapfrog tag pen, but since I started reading with my son earlier he didn't use or need it nearly as much as she did. If you decide to buy it, you get more milage out of the Tag (not the Tag Junior) and get the phonics reading bundle. It's better than the random disney books that have too many small words on the pages.

And I now realize this response is a bit off topic, but I will leave it and come back with our favorite toys too.

[lelask]

We played a lot with stacking cups, finger puppets and books. They are still our number one "toy". She loves any toy or game I make for her myself and I think it is becouse of the energy I present it to her. 

[evachong]

Ipad is not a good ideal for the kids and end up your kid will like the electronic item more than traditional toys... hahaha... and then when the kid grow up what is his hobby ? guess ... Video Game lah...

[Mandabplus3]

On the contrary, I have 3 kids my oldest is 8 and is the only kid her age I know who doesn't own a DS, and doesn't want one. We have a WII which gets played less than once a month and always with Zumba! Lol
I think parenting decisions make more of am impact on how kids spend their time than most are willing to admit. My kids are busy playing outside or with their toys and each other. The TV is a novelty not a daily event, my kids don't even know how to put on a DVD without my help. They all know their way around the computer enough to turn on the educational games I let them play
We use the electronic media to fill the otherwise fighting time in the car mostly.

[evachong]

if i would suggest the alternative to you . You better buy the brain quest for them.. i have search the detail and feel that not bad. and it has some card for your kid to play while you driving ....

I am just starting my blog spot (http://littlemommy2012.blogspot.com/ )on parenting. i will post more detail on how I educate my bao bao. You will find funny thing is that even she is small and only 22 months. but she love my teaching and every night she wants me to tell the story book for her before sleeping.

She love the books very much... 

[Frukc]

dice. excellent tool for teaching math with joy.
we use them in a particular table game. we should use only one dice in this game, but we modify rules, use two or three, and kid is learning addition very fast.

[eschlem]

It goes without saying, the iPad is a fantastic teaching tool.  I don't own one, but that's on my list of future purchases.  I've downloaded many (free) educational apps onto my iPhone. 

My 4 year old is quite proficient with the computer and with my iPhone.  That being said, she can go through an entire set of Brain Quest questions in one sitting with very few mistakes. 

How much you expose your child to electronic devices is of course an individual matter, but you do hear of the iPad being introduced into more and more classrooms.  Even 10 years ago I had been writing my grad (law) school exams on computer.  I was not very technologically savvy at the time, but better knowledge of the computer would have helped. 

[cokers4life]

Thanks everyone for sharing.  I love the leap tag pen.  I recently picked a couple up over Christmas for really cheap.  I love the interactive map that you can use with it.  Its part of our geography time.  The phonic book sets are great too.  I have redirected my kids away from the tag books while we are focused on LR.  The pens can be distracting as they make sounds for all the images in the book, and I wish it just said the words. 

I found a WII game for kids that is for exercising, Nickleodeon Fun FIt.  Its great for rainy, cold days.  We live in an apartment, so yay for apartment living (insert sarcasm)!

We are about to move to a larger apartment....yay (more sarcasm), and I am going to get reading chairs for my little ones.   That is a great idea.   A child's table is a great idea too.  Maybe I can find one on craigslist.  I wish we had an IKEA store close by because I love their table and chairs.  SO affordable too.

I am a little more relaxed when it comes to technology.  However, my pockets are a little short.  hahaha.   An IPAD is certainly on the wishlist.  I did just start seeing brain quest at Walmart, so I will check those out.  I saw Large dice one time, but I haven't seen them since.  I wish I had picked them up when I saw them.  Small dice just frighten me as my two littlest still love putting stuff in their mouth, and it just takes a second of me not looking.   I wish I could keep my one set of eyes of all three kids at once, but laws of physics prevents me from doing so.

All these ideas are great.  I definitely need to add letters to the list for word building.  I saw someone write letters on little rocks for word building, and another person wrote whole words for story building fun!  I am always looking for cheap ways to get the job done. 

[Kerileanne99]

I think that the IPad will absolutely revolutionize the entire way most people think about learning and it efficacy.

I think thT the IPad will be looked back upon as one of the single greatest EL tools that exists due to it's ability to be used for much more RB approaches, versatility, availability, and usability for audiences that have been generally misunderstood.  Kids with motor impairment, autism, many types of abilities not visible in a traditional classroom are able to show off their abilities on an IPad, so much so that insurance companies in the US are considering them as standard therapy, and therefore covered by insurance because of the strides the kids are making.

I think that IPad will make EL more mainstream as kids won't be dependent upon having to wait for learn to write and for motor skills to catch up with their potential cognitive skills.

And lest you think I am a technology fiend, consider this: iam one of those strange people who has playd exactly 1 videogame in my life. my daughter is just shy of 28 months and has never watched a single minute of regular television, no Disney movies, nothing but her 'learning DVDs', kept to under 30 min per day in blocks. Yes, I am sure that will change a bit as she gets older and more opinionated, but we primarily play the IPad together.  She does LR and LM with me, Reading Bear 2-3 times per week, Memory Magic on the computer with me sometimes.

I wouldn't have a quarter of the EL things I do if I had come across the IPad first.  A spends about 95% of her awake time reading books and playing hands on, and there are definitely many traditional toys that she uses again and again to learn and play. but the IPad cements things in her head, and caters more than ANYTHING to their RB way of learning.  Flashing, pictures, speed, you name.

Now, don't get me wrong! You could buy an expensive IPad and put nothing more than video style games and junk on it, but again, like anything else, you get out of it what you put into it if you use it wisely, monitor,and participate, you wont believe the progress they can make in a very short period of time.
For example, my daughter is very into geography at the moment.  We have maps, an 'eathball', flashcards, and many, many books.  She was learning, progressing...then I bought three apps.  Introtogeo for her, Stack the States for hubby (he's not American!) and Stack the countries for me so that I could keep ahead of my daughters progress in world geography. For some reason she really likes 'playing around with these' although she has not really spent but a few minutes on them.

Tonight, I opened a 'pile-up ' game where random countries fall and you have to tap them to disappear after reading the name.  By reading the name of the countries out loud, she beat the hardest level the second time she played it.  She had somehow memorized the shapes of all the countries in Very Rapid progression.  Hubby and I could do nothing but stare and break out the video camera. Neither of us could even get close.

So yes, nothing takes the place of books and hands on materials.  I keep a reading log of only the books reread before nap and bedtime, and I can promise there probably are not many people reading that much per day. But you won't believe what the IPad can do until you see it in action.

In addition, many Universities are now considering making them mandatory materials for incoming Freshman, so you won't be doing your child any favors by not exposing them to technology.  With all the dangers involving technology and it's abuses, the generation our children will fall into NEED desperately to be tech savvy and safe.

Anyway, just my two cents on what I think will really change the way education is viewed!

[TeachingMyToddlers]

I saw Large dice one time, but I haven't seen them since.  I wish I had picked them up when I saw them. 

If you have Dollar Tree stores near you, they carry them although I do not see them listed on their website like the small ones are.
http://www.dollartree.com/Game-Dice-10-pcs/p185965/index.pro

[LDSMom]

Of course there should be moderation in all things, and with that said, I must stick up for video games a little here. Many video games are no different than a learning game on the iPad. they can be used as tools to help children learn. Even games you think don't teach anything usually have the gamer overcoming certain obstacles,using problem solving skills and always trying again after failure. Couldnt pass the level on the first try? Try again.

When my son was three he found our Nintendo DS, and started punching buttons on it. After a while, I came to see what he was doing, and amazingly enough he had figured out how to move Mario, how to jump and how to navigate the level. He was intrigued and wanted to play until he figured it all out. I didnt let him have free reign of course, but his desire to play also helped me find a good reward/motivation for our reading time. He was allowed to play a level after he did his reading. It worked really well for us, and I'm sure many of you won't like or approve of this approach, but it is what helped my child learn to read. Btw, he played the game for a few months when allowed and then didn't touch it for well over 8 months and has recently rediscovered it. We are fine with him playing a game occasionally and usually this means I'm sitting with him playing it with him. I think the biggest problem with video games is when parents allow their children to be exposed to games that are too mature for their children, and that's what bothers me. The same would also apply to movies or tv shows that are inappropriate and to be honest, I'm more worried about not being able to control content on the Internet than a video game I deem appropriate for my son.  If video gaming is his hobby as he grows up, then I will probably see if he is interested in working in that field when he grows up and try to find ways to expose him to how games are created, etc.

As far as toys we loved - my son always always loved books and flash cards from YBCR, we loved puzzles, right now we love our huge U.S. and world map floor puzzles, my 4yr old loves squinkies and the Star Wars fighter pods, and we love deciding where each of them live on the map. You could do the same with toy animals or characters. My son is sitting here and says his favorite learning game is "Justin and Amber". I play Amber and he Justin and we play math games taught by those two on Mathtacular. We have a box of math stuff that we pull out. I just love it, he actually calls me Amber the entire time, its so great! Most of our fav stuff was homemade like creating buckets of rice or pasta noodles and hiding letters in it, etc.

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