Parents are children’s first teachers, and your enthusiasm and support go a LONG way in fostering a love of learning. Here are some strategies for creating an at-home environment to spark kids’ curiosity – with the help of thoughtfully-chosen and FUN learning toys.

The most important feature of any learning toy is the FUN factor. A child can’t “learn through play” if the toy doesn’t interest them enough to pick it up! The good news is that most toys for babies and toddlers are designed with exciting features that really grab them AND facets that promote development.

• As kids grow, choose learning toys that match their interests: if your kid is suddenly ALL about dinos, a Dinosaur Dig Kit is perfect! Kids can learn an astonishing range of complex concepts and vocabulary when they’re interested in a topic. (Few adults can describe an Archaeopteryx, but a five-year-old that’s SUPER into dinosaurs can!)
• Look for toys suited to your child’s abilities – there’s usually a suggested age range listed on the package. It’s okay if kids haven’t mastered all the skills involved: that’s the point of a learning toy! It should be challenging, but not so difficult that they get frustrated and quit. Remember: you’re there to help them when they need it.
• Look for toys that can be used in a variety of ways: marble runs that come with instructions but can also be rebuilt however kids want; or science kits with multiple projects; or building toys. These “open-ended toys” can be used again and again, in different ways as kids grow and develop. They’ll get a lot of satisfaction from creating their own inventions and experiments and have a lot of FUN. That’s what really matters.

Especially when a toy is meant to be “educational,” it’s tempting for parents to jump in, to hype it up and encourage kids to play. Try giving kids time to explore the toy on their own. There’s no right way: let them discover each element, see what they find fun or interesting, and listen to how they talk about it.

• When you do join in, try to offer specific feedback that shows you’re engaged and interested in their discoveries and accomplishments. Like: “It’s so cool the way you set up that catapult in the marble run to shoot the marble into the air!” rather than “Wow, good job!”
• Ask questions that encourage kids to explain and take the lead. “That’s neat: how did you decide to do it that way?” “Why do you think that happened?” “Where should we put this piece?”
• At some point you might find kids know more than you do! For example, if they know the names of the dinosaurs or the different clouds they’re investigating, let them teach you. They LOVE it when you show interest, and it gives you something new to talk about!
• Try not to get too hung up on rules or processes. If they open a LEGO® set and are more interesting in open-ended play or designing a car instead of the plane they’re “supposed” to be building, that’s okay!
• And finally…play! Relax, pick up some pieces, press a button, build something. Let kids see you engaging and making your own discoveries. You’ll be exploring the toy alongside younger children. And with older kids, you might find you’re learning something new about gravity or physics, too.