Unstructured play is better play
My mother was right all along. Experts are finally realizing that children don't need Baby Einstein and Leap Frog to be better off later on in life. In fact these could do more harm than good. Children need unstructured play where they can make up the rules, create their own worlds. They need the opportunity to learn how to play on their own. Experts are discovering that a child needs the structure later on in life, and if the parents give so much structure to a child's life early on, by the time they really need structure, going into their teens, everyone is burned out and the structure is lost. While discipline is still needed, regular books, block, puppets, bubble blowing, and just general simple toys are far better than a baby computer, or a push a button for a pay off book. The simpler the toy the better off the child is. One of my favorite toys as a child was my box of blocks. I created cities, roadways for my hotwheels, all sorts of great and wondrous things. Then there was the Legos. I almost wish there wasn't directions included, as eventually I got stuck only making what was on the box.
For what it's worth, my mother read a lot of books to my brother and I from birth on up, and my brother was reading by 18 months, and I at 2 years. I was reading later because she believed what people said about my brother needing glasses from reading too early in life, so she went a little slower with me. Now we know that is not true.
For what it's worth, my mother read a lot of books to my brother and I from birth on up, and my brother was reading by 18 months, and I at 2 years. I was reading later because she believed what people said about my brother needing glasses from reading too early in life, so she went a little slower with me. Now we know that is not true.