As a proponent of outdoor and STEM education, I also advocate for toys that provide appropriate and beneficial learning experiences for children while fostering their developing brains.
So, what does that even mean? Well, opposing battery-operated toys can often be an unpopular opinion in our technologically advanced world, but just hear me out. It could potentially save you money and even some sanity.
While giving a two-year old a brand new smart phone or tablet is a great gift idea (sense the sarcasm here), there are better gifts out there. First of all, I encourage you to do your own research. And by research, I mean more than just reading social media articles. Just because a toy claims to be educational, does not mean that it actually will provide educational benefits for your child.
Many toys that talk or make noise claim to promote language development, but this isn’t always the case. Research done by npr.org on a variety of talking toys notes that the best way to help children learn language is to encourage authentic adult-child interactions. There is no evidence to support a child learning language by simply interacting with a talking toy (https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/01/11/462264537/the-trouble-with-talking-toys).
So, besides talking toys, what is the problem with toys that require batteries in order to “do something”? In general, toys requiring batteries often only do a few things. They light up, blink and typically annoy parents with a song about the color purple. What they do not naturally do is encourage creative, imaginative, and engaging play that will actually last.
Karen Stephens, writing for Exchange magazine, emphasizes the benefits of homemade, pretend play toys that are not just fun, but also support the above mentioned types of play (https://www.easternflorida.edu/community-resources/child-development-centers/parent-resource-library/documents/mind-powered-toys.pdf).
Blocks, dramatic play items (i.e. costumes, real-life objects), art materials, recyclables, and books are all great alternatives to battery-operated toys that will probably lose their appeal after a few weeks anyway.
Regardless of what toys you decide to purchase for your children, make sure to focus on the interactions you have with them. Talk with them, laugh with them and most importantly, play with them.
If you need ideas or suggestions for things to do, especially during the summer months, check out Nebraska Extension on child.unl.edu or email me at spaulos2@unl.edu.
