With so many different musical toys to choose from somethings it can be hard to know which ones are best for your toddler.
Do you get the one with the flashing lights, cheerful music and ‘educational’ claims? Or perhaps you should just go simple and buy a small glockenspiel or toy wooden piano?
Guest writer Anthony M Langley looks at which toys are the must have for your toddler according to various studies and his own findings.
Musical Toys: Must Have for a Toddler
There are many ways to make your kid feel happy and being cared for and musical toys are certainly a great way of doing exactly that. The fact that music is a great way of teaching things to toddlers especially the language makes it an important aspect of the development of your child. The toys make it further easy for you to get your child hooked to music, initially the sound might be erratic and absurd however with the passage of time the kid will definitely improve the understanding of notes.
Children have a fascination for music and when they see the performances of their favorite musicians or singers on the television it makes them more eager to try it out themselves. Buying a real instrument for the kid might not be a good idea as it would prove costly to you, moreover you can never be sure whether or not the kid would be interested in the instrument for long enough. Hence it is advisable to invest on musical toys as they are reasonably priced and it is easy for the toddlers to handle the instruments as they are light in weight.
These musical toys are easy for your toddler to grasp and play
A lot of studies conducted throughout the world by various institutions have proved that apart from the language skills the musical toys also prove helpful in developing motor skills and the hand, eye and brain co-ordination in children. All in all it is a good thing to encourage your child to take interest in music. Few studies conducted on children and their behavior have stated that the children who play musical toys have better self esteem, are expressive, have better concentration and develop desired social skills at an early age. This is another reason why you should encourage your toddler to take interest in music. There are many playgroup and preschool institutions which can help you in this regard and you can enroll your child in these institutions to enhance the skills. Music can also help children with special needs as the music helps them to sync their actions with the rhythm of music and brings out the creativity in such children.
The demand of musical toys has seen a constant rise in the past decade and credit for this can be given to the findings of various studies. These studies have helped in creating awareness amongst the parents about the benefits of these toys. Most of the toy stores keep a good stock of such toys and it is not very difficult to get the best for your child.
Musical Toys on a Toy Store Shelf
While buying any toy for your toddler it is important that you buy a toy of his or her choice, avoid imposing your choice as this can lead to loss of interest. Durability is another factor which should be taken into account while making any purchase. Buy toys according to the age of your child and last but not the least ensure that the toys are safe for the kid and are free of lead and mercury. Internet is also a good place to search and buy musical toys as there are a variety of toys available at reasonable price.
Author Bio
Visit Anthony M Langley’s site for all you need to know on raising and parenting toddlers Also see great information on choosing musical toys.