Alpha science classroom：What is the difference between children's educational toys and Montessori toys?

Alpha science toys have been around for centuries by researching educational toys for children to keep our children engaged and busy. By 1870, Friedrich Froebel had created "Froebel's Gifts," a line of wooden objects designed to help children with sensory and hands-on learning. Since then, Maria Montessori has taken her own spin on Froebel's Gifts and launched a new line incorporating color, weight, and sound. It's designed to encourage awareness, with sensory toys designed for children to self-correct. As a China educational toy manufacturer, Alpha science toys are also constantly researching children's educational toys and Montessori toys, their advantages, and their characteristics. Below, Alpha science toys will discuss what kind of advantages and disadvantages children's educational toys and Montessori toys have, to better help parents choose the suitable toys for their children Alpha science toys will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of both children's educational toys and Montessori toys to help better parents choose the suitable toys for their children and let them gain more ability and growth through toys.

Alpha science classroom: What is a children's educational toy?

A children's educational toy is any item that stimulates learning and gives your child the opportunity to learn and grow. Sure, this fun-looking toy is perfect for a tea party, but some foods are specific in shape and must be sorted into the correct holes in the basket, thus making these foods educational.

The shape sorters and stacking cups are the first introduction to educational toys. From there you can view introductory puzzles that provide excellent opportunities to develop hand-eye and fine motor skills. Most toys have a number of learning features and aspects. For example, dressing up as a doctor, veterinarian or firefighter helps promote role play and develop imagination. Abacuses, fraction puzzles, and school district exercise books and flashcards are also great additions to the home and will help revisit what children are learning in school.

What is the difference between children's educational toys and Montessori toys?

While children's educational toys are explicitly focused on stimulating learning and growth, Montessori toys are simple toys made from natural materials and focus on limiting children's choices during play. Montessori play guides children to explore their surroundings as they wish and then learn and build using practical toys around them. The Montessori philosophy is to stimulate a child's curiosity through repetitive and purposeful play.

What are the benefits of educational toys for children?

Children's educational toys are a great addition to your child's toy arsenal for many reasons. They can help too.

Increase your child's IQ

Can help improve their problem-solving skills

Help with concentration

Enhance your child's senses, imagination, and fine motor skills

Enhance what your child is learning through the school curriculum

What are the advantages and disadvantages of Montessori toys?

Montessori toys will be ideal for families who would like to engage their children in child-directed learning. Other families prefer a more structured learning philosophy.

Advantages of Montessori learning and toys.

Montessori approach tends to foster independent-thinking children

Curriculum and learning are based on individual children's skill sets, allowing them to grow at their own pace

School and preschool environments and the inclusiveness of toys are more likely to promote social awareness and foster strong peer relationships

Helps develop a lifelong interest in learning and curiosity

Disadvantages of Montessori learning and toys.

For many families, these toys can be expensive and out of reach

While toys can be fun, engaging, and satisfy curiosity, they can undermine other skills that may be overlooked

While Montessori toys are very child-focused, they can prepare children for structured play or work as they enter adolescence and adulthood

What makes a toy educational?

Educational toys must be specifically designed to stimulate active play in children. Children need to be able to move, pull or push aspects of the toy to achieve the desired effect. For example, puzzles are a good example of an educational toy. By sourcing the correct pieces, you can enhance your hand-eye coordination. Then by placing the pieces in the correct position, you can help refine one's fine motor skills.

What is the best educational toy for children?

The best educational toy for children is any toy that first captures a child's attention and imagination. Every child is attracted to different things, so use your knowledge of your child to investigate which toys resonate with them.

We love the classics in educational toys and some of the new modern products. For little ones, we always recommend stacking cups, stacking blocks, hammer stools, and some fun all-around bath toys like bath crayons. All of these will stimulate curiosity and fun while combining hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.

LEGO Mindstorm is a great example of an educational toy. LEGO toys are fun and wonderful for fine motor skills at any age. The modern take on this is that you can motorize the robot and then use coding to enable it to move around and have the movable features of your choice! This product is especially popular with schools that use LEGO Mindstorm in their STEM instruction.

Of course, Alpha science toys believe that providing children with educational toys or Montessori toys at different stages of their lives needs to be tailored to the child's characteristics and needs, so parents can help their children grow by providing them with both kinds of toys, depending on their age.

At the same time, Alpha science toys believe that children's science kits are also kind of educational toys. Parents can prepare their children for preschool age so that they can learn about the chemistry and physics of the world through children's science experiment activities so that children can master more scientific knowledge and learning skills so that children can grow up better.

Alpha science toys have gone through 15 years of research to become a toy brand name from a China educational toy manufacturer, and also through much research, so parents can shop with confidence and together they can forge a science dream for their children.