{"id":192226,"date":"2018-12-03T04:12:06","date_gmt":"2018-12-03T09:12:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=192226"},"modified":"2018-12-03T04:12:06","modified_gmt":"2018-12-03T09:12:06","slug":"top-tot-toys-blocks-and-boxes-backed-over-high-tech-toys","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2018\/12\/03\/top-tot-toys-blocks-and-boxes-backed-over-high-tech-toys\/","title":{"rendered":"Top tot toys? Blocks and boxes backed over high tech toys"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Studies also have found that more than 90 per cent of U.S. kids have used mobile devices and most started using them before age 1. (File Photo<\/a>: dave_7\/Flickr<\/a>, CC BY 2.0<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Skip the costly electronic games and flashy digital gizmos. Pediatricians say the best toys for tots are old-fashioned hands-on playthings that young children can enjoy with parents \u2014 things like blocks, puzzles \u2014 even throwaway cardboard boxes \u2014 that spark imagination and creativity.<\/p>\n

\u201cA cardboard box can be used to draw on, or made into a house,\u201d said Dr. Alan Mendelsohn, co-author of a new report on selecting toys for young children, up to around age 5.<\/p>\n

Many parents feel pressured by ads promoting tablet-based toys and games as educational and brain-stimulating but there’s not much science to back up those claims, Mendelsohn said. Their main misconception: \u201cThe toy that is best is the one that is the most expensive or has the most bells and whistles or is the most technologically sophisticated.\u201d<\/p>\n

Simpler hands-on toys that parents and young children can play with together are preferable for healthy development, said Mendelsohn, a pediatrician at NYU Langone Health in New York.<\/p>\n

The report published Monday by the American Academy of Pediatrics cites studies suggesting that heavy use of electronic media may interfere with children’s speech and language development, replace important playtime with parents and lead to obesity.<\/p>\n

Studies also have found that more than 90 per cent of U.S. kids have used mobile devices and most started using them before age 1.<\/p>\n

The pediatricians’ group recommends no screen time for children up to age 2, and says total screen time including TV and computer use should be less than one hour daily for ages 2 and older.<\/p>\n

\u201cA little bit of screen time here and there is unlikely to have much harm if a child otherwise has other activity,\u201d Mendelsohn said. But he added that screen time can overwhelm young children and is difficult to limit and control.<\/p>\n

The academy’s website offers suggestions on ideal toys for young children, including balls, puzzles, coloring books and card games.<\/p>\n

Shopping recently at Dancing Bear Toys in Asheville, N.C., a store that doesn’t sell electronic toys, Leah Graham Stewart said she supports the academy’s advice even if avoiding digital toys and games is tough.<\/p>\n

She said she’s noticed her two young boys tend to misbehave after playing on an iPad she typically reserves for long airplane rides.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe try to keep it as minimal as possible,\u201d Graham Stewart said. \u201cI just tell them to go outside and play.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erika Evers, Dancing Bear’s co-owner, said the store’s mission is to give kids an alternative to tech toys.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot that video games and electronic toys don’t have their place \u2014 in moderation, in our opinion,\u201d she said. \u201cBut we feel like kids really need opportunities to socialize and interact with their environment in a way that is hands-on and tangible.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Skip the costly electronic games and flashy digital gizmos. Pediatricians say the best toys for tots are old-fashioned hands-on playthings …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":192229,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-192226","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-lifestyle","mauthors-lindsey-tanner","mauthors-the-associated-press"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192226","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/44"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=192226"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192226\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/192229"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=192226"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=192226"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=192226"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}