Buying gifts for my little girl this Christmas gave me the opportunity to really look into the real importance of toys for kids. When they were younger, we buy toys like the musical ones to put them at ease, toys that will stimulate their eyes, items that will promote their skills. But as they grow older choosing toys should be carefully done. It should be according to their needs. Play is an essential activity for growing up. Through play, a child is able to develop his or her own well-being. Toys according to experts are important tools that will help each child improve his or her mental, physical, emotional and social growth. It is where they create thoughts; put it into action whether alone or with other playmates, thus developing their speech, thinking abilities, socialization and enhancing their motor skills. Toys date back to as far as my own childhood memories can be remembered. I am sure when my parents bought me a toy, they too had a purpose-and it served it well. Now that I am a parent myself, I just don’t buy toys for the thought of buying but I always consider the most important thing when buying a toy for my child-it should be age-appropriate to the one playing. I have a pre-schooler, so what do I give her, what toys should she be playing in order to respond for her to respond to her need at this stage. Let us be reminded that having pre-schoolers at home (ages 3 to 5), parents should always on the lookout for question that guides their action. According to Erickson’s stages of psychosocial development, existential question for this stage is : Is it OK for me to DO, Move and Act?
Therefore parents, let us be conscious too with this developmental scenario and incorporate them in their much needed activity-PLAY. Indeed, being a parent is not an easy task. Thanks to Mega Brands and Mattel for introducing toys that I know have been carefully and appropriately creating toys for every child’s need. For years, I have put my trust to Mattel’s BARBIE brand. And now, with the introduction of its Barbie Mega Bloks, I am sure Moms and even dads would surely be happy.
As Dr. Susan C. Levine, chairwoman of the Psychology Development at the University of Chicago and co-principal investigator at the National Science Foundation’s Spatial Intelligence and Learning Center would put it – playing with blocks, puzzles and construction help children with spatial development.
The Mega Bloks Barbie Build ‘n Style line is just in time to be introduced to little girls. An inspiring set of to-do toys that will inspire little lasses to explore things that boys do, and now girls can also do. And that is not only dressing up their beautiful Barbies for parties or transforming it to royal princesses but activating their Math and science skills as well, by planning and building their own mansions.
My husband got the chance to interact more with my daughter through this play. A father figure is very significant in this scene as my daughter had never ending questions about building and constructing as they put up the Mega Blocks Barbie Build ‘n Style Luxury Mansion. They had fun putting up all 301 pieces into 8 interchangeable rooms complete with beds, bath tubs, and other room accessories and decorations to their endless creative imagination and style. With an elevator, mini fashion figure Barbie Teresa and friends can change outfits and party all night from the ground floor to its top floor. For $89.99 CAD – it’s worth the father and daughter bonding.
And if your kids love pets but you can’t afford to have it in your homes because of health reasons, the excitement can still be up with the Build ‘n Style Pet Shop. They can have their four miniature furry friends complete with accessories. The fashionable fun continues as they set up their own ninty eight piece-set pet shop, for an affordable price of $ 29.99 CAD.
And why not set an ice cream party as well? The Mega Blok’s Barbie Build ‘n Style will help you with this treat. With its buildable ice cream cart with ice cream cones, scoops and sundae cups, and extra outfit the fun and sweet is complete for the price of $12.99CAD.
My daughter is asking me to buy the Build ‘n Style Fashion Stand to add to her barbie construction line so her barbies can have corner to shop for the trendiest outfits, hats and mega fashionable shopping bags and other accessories. All these sets and more are available at toys R us, Walmart.ca, Indigo Kids and Sears.
While watching my daughter play and interact with her daddy while completing all the three structures, I can see that they had so much fun and I will never be afraid to give them an answer when one day they will ask me a question: Mom, is it ok to be an engineer like Dad when I grow up?
**Disclaimer: The product/s mentioned above have been given free of charge from the company or PR firm in exchange for being featured on naturalbabygoods.com. The product features expressed in this post are those of naturalbabygoods.com and have not been influenced in any other way.
How old is your daughter? You mentioned pre-schooler. The Mega Blocks barbie line says for 4 yrs +. How accurate it that?