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Toys For Your Daycare Center
The fun thing about being a kid is having all those toys. You always remember the great toys you had—and keep some of them. Toys have been around since time began or since the first little dude picked up a ball and starting tossing it to a friend. Archeologists find balls and dolls even in Ancient Egyptian dig sites. Some people never outgrow toys—we just replace them with bigger ones.
If you have a day care, one of the best and fun parts is selecting toys that your day care kids can use. Why should you invest in toys? Toys are very important part of learning and growing up. They teach us coordination, give kids a chance to exercise their imaginations and stimulate creativity. They can be used to teach kids useful things like picking up after themselves or values like sharing.
With the number of toys out there on the market today, this can be a baffling and almost overwhelming decision. There are number of factors to consider. First, it’s got to be safe. You don’t want one of your charges to end up choking on a small part. Second, they’ve got to be fun. A big reason why parents put children in day care is to help them learn to socialize and make friends. Toys will be a big part of this. Third, they have to be durable. You want your investment to last. Your personal preferences are also a big factor in this. You can decide that you want only educational toys or refuse to put in a gaming console. You might not want to put toys that encourage violent play (like mini boxing gloves) or ultra high tech toys that can easily be broken. The age of your day care clients should also be taken into consideration. A toy a four year old may enjoy might not be right for a child of six.
If you have children of your own, check out what you might buy for them. If you’re unfamiliar with a toy, then maybe your kid can test it out for you and tell you if it’s cool or not.
So, what are the basic types of toys that you should have in your day care center? It’s great to have a variety of toys that you can rotate so that they won’t get bored. Here are some suggestions:
- Educational toys like building blocks, big piece puzzles, wooden blocks, activity sets and problem solving toys. This are especially great for younger children and older children who are beginning to use analytical skills.
- Texture toys like Play Doh and Silly Putty. These are non-toxic and safe for children of all ages.
- Dolls and stuffed toys are also a great option, especially for the sleeping area. Dolls with small parts should be avoided for kids below three. Many children will actually bring their favorite dolls along with them, so it’s good to keep track of what's theirs and what belongs to the day care.
- If you have older children in your day care, you can invest in construction sets and vehicles that they can a) ride in or b) play with. This is great for building coordination. Furniture toys are also great.
- Activity toys like easels, coloring books and hand puzzles are great for Art Hour or Quiet Time. Finger paint sets, art sets and other cool art toys fall under here.
- Outdoor toys like kick balls and sports stuff are great for all ages.
- Big toys are also good. Play tents are a good example. If it’s in your budget, consider investing in playground equipment for those great sunny days.
The types of toys are also determined by your clients. Look at what they love to play with and invest in more of those, if they are needed. Make sure that you have enough of the toys for all the children in your day care center and that they are all safe and fall within regulation. Get rid of any toys that are broken, dirty or have developed sharp edges. Your day care tots will love you for it.
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