Alpha Science Classroom: Why Physical Toys Are More Suitable For Young Children's Growth

From the 20th century to today, it seems that wherever you go, you will see people with some kind of digital device on them. This digital device trend is growing and gaining popularity among younger and younger children. In previous generations in different households, kids didn't have many digital entertainment options beyond a short Saturday morning cartoon or the occasional family-watched evening show.

In the modern age, kids have almost endless digital entertainment options, and TV only makes up a tiny fraction of their "screen time" choices. Not only are televisions vying for children's attention, but computers, video game systems, tablets, and cell phones are almost always at their disposal to search the internet, watch videos or play digital games. What happened to children's physical toys?

Kids also seem to love digital entertainment. They have a natural tendency to understand the details of software and game programs, which adults lack. Since they are exposed to this technology from birth, there is very little learning curve for them to master.

These days, when you ask many kids what their favorite game is, they will answer with the name of the number game. When you ask what their favorite STEM toy is, a large percentage of kids will answer the name of their video game system.

The Alpha Science Toys Let's face it. We are now in a digital world. But is all this digital media really good for our kids? Can digital games replace physical toys for kids? There are some digital games that are educational, so that's a positive, but can kids learn the same things from digital games and physical STEM toys that they can actually touch and hold? The makers of these educational games often claim that children learn more by using the toys, but are they really saying that?

Alpha science toys believe the answer is no. Although there are more and more educational games in the electronic field, they can never replace children holding a real toy, exploring how it works, and discovering not only the beautiful experience of STEM toys but also the nature of things in the world.

Some video games that claim to be educational are better than others, but they still expose children to finite universes created by programmers who may or may not understand how children learn and think. This brings us to the first reason why digital games are nowhere near as good as physical learning toys for children, even though they are supposed to be educational.

But there are still many who don't believe in the effectiveness of educational toys. As an excellent China educational toy manufacturer, Alpha science toys, through years of understanding and analysis of educational toys, let's take a look at some reasons why physical toys are more suitable for young children.

Digital Toys Have Limits, Physical Toys Are Limitless

Number games confine the player to the world imagined by the programmer. Even games that claim to be educational have their limits. The real goal of the digital campaign is to get the highest possible score to advance the game.

Alpha science toys believe that with real physical toys, children are only limited by their imagination and creativity. In video games, children can only play games that programmers have created for them. Children's constant use of digital educational toys can kill creativity. They can only respond to a set of pre-made experiences with limited options.

Children's choices when it comes to video games are limited. When playing with traditional STEM toys, children can play alone, with friends, or with adults. They can use STEM toys for purposes other than their original purpose. They can play with a toy one way and then change to use it for something else. None of these scenarios are necessary options when playing electronic educational games.

Electronic learning games and toys inhibit vocabulary and oral language development in growing children

Alpha science toys' early childhood literacy experts believe that a child's oral language development is one of the best predictors of reading success. One of the best ways to develop rich spoken language in young children is through regular conversations with parents and other "language experts."

When children and children play physical games together, they engage in conversational norms such as taking turns, asking and answering questions, looking at the speaker, and proper sentence structure. They also learn proper grammar and advanced vocabulary through interaction with others.

When children play a number game, they are simply learning the vocabulary that is included in the game, even if it is an educational game or activity. Most of the language is very simple or specific to games, not the language used in real conversations in the real world. Once again, kids feel smothered and restricted by the constant use of these video games.

Social interaction is not created through the use of electronic learning games and toys

One of the best ways kids learn social skills like taking turns and sharing is by playing with other people. When playing games, they learn to be patient when they have to wait their turn. They learn to get along with others when they have to share material and learn appropriate interactions. Games are essential to a child's social development, and these skills simply don't exist when playing electronic learning games.

When children play with others, children learn to read other people's social cues and experience their points of view. Most video games are isolated experiences. Children are given limited opportunities to practice these important skills. Even games designed for multiplayer don't promote actual interaction between players but instead focus on competition. There are few opportunities to work collaboratively, like playing with physical toys, and zero opportunities to learn the art of negotiation.

Children's fine and gross motor skills are not challenged

Alpha science toys have found through research that the development of children's fine motor and gross motor occurs in early childhood and is achieved in a variety of ways. Like anything else, practice makes perfect, and the way toddlers practice is through play. the

When children play with toys that have nubs, paint, or cut, their fine motor skills become more refined. This will not only help when they start writing later but throughout their lives. the

Their gross motor skills become more developed as they perform activities that require running, jumping, kicking, and climbing. Again, this will help them throughout their lives.

Children who spend most of their time playing video games won't reap any of these benefits, and the best parents can hope for is improved hand-eye coordination. These children often have difficulty mastering a pencil grip and find writing strenuous because they have not yet developed the muscle control required for this skill.

Shortened attention span in children Number learning games are engaging. No one can deny this. The problem, however, is that they can be too attractive. Children are learning to expect immediate rewards, including bells, whistles, and other electronic stimuli.

The very nature of video games (even educational ones) is to move fast and provide frequent rewards to keep kids playing. Many times, children who spend a lot of time with electronic devices have difficulty concentrating on everyday activities. Because of the nature of their immediate rewards, they may experience attention-related problems both at home and at school.

For that matter, one of the beauties of childhood and adulthood is the intrinsic reward we feel when we learn something new or do something well. When kids play with physical toys, they take pride in completing tasks. Their self-confidence grows stronger because they realize they are capable. These same emotions cannot be replicated through video games.

Number Learning Games Allow No Individual Differences

Alpha science toys mentioned earlier that when children play video games, they will be limited by the programmer's field of vision. The same problem also limits the permissibility of individual differences in the course of video games. the

When children play with physical toys, they may use different materials according to individual differences. With video games, there is usually only one way to play. Not only is creativity stifled, but individual differences are hardly allowed.

Science tells us that people can learn in many different ways and can have strengths and wisdom in multiple areas. Video games do not and cannot account for these individual strengths and talents. They usually only appeal to one style of learning and are especially informative for learners whose best path to understanding is through kinesthetic methods.

Numbers learning games negatively impact physical health Almost everyone on the planet has heard of studies on childhood obesity. It is an epidemic and it continues to rise. There are many factors contributing to this, but one of the most important is the amount of time children are now spending sitting rather than moving around. the

At a time when schools are being forced to cut back on their physical programs, and recess and time outside are limited, play at home is becoming increasingly important. When children play with physical toys, they move a lot more than when they play with digital educational toys. Most digital toys are completely stationary, offering little opportunity for movement. When children play with hands-on toys, they are more physically active. Even when they were playing a board game, their bodies were still moving to a much greater degree than when they were playing a counting game on a laptop or tablet.

Physical toys for kids are cheaper: Technology is expensive. Even educational video games cost a lot of money, and in most cases, kids get bored with them in a short amount of time. Technology changes at the speed of light, and once you buy something, it's basically obsolete. Some of the most popular STEM toys have been around for generations and are surprisingly cheap. Balls, crayons, blocks, and clay will provide your child with years of learning and entertainment value without breaking the bank.

Video games and devices can cost parents a lot of money and are quickly replaced by the latest technology in the market. Since these games and activities are not open-ended, they have little chance of growing with your child.

The best STEM toys focus on what kids can do and what toys can do

Alpha science toysearly childhood development experts offer the following advice on choosing a toy for your child: Look for a STEM toy that doesn't focus on what it can do, but what your child can do. In other words, choose open-ended toys with few rules that allow children to express their creativity, using ingenuity and problem-solving skills to create their own fun and learning. the

That sounds like sound advice, but we spend a lot of money on toys that "work" for our kids. The

Most importantly: Physical toys consider the whole child

A good educational toy for children will challenge the child in many ways. They are mentally, physically, socially and emotionally affected by the insatiability of electronic toys. A good educational toy allows a child to explore, discover and learn in many ways.

So there you have it. There are many reasons why physical toys are better for children than digital educational toys. While we certainly want our kids to be tech-savvy and globally aware, when it comes to their play, parents can't overlook physical toys in favor of electronic ones. When it comes to learning, especially for our youngest children, play-based learning has proven to be the best method for them, and the best way to achieve this is not through electronic learning games.

As a professional China educational toy manufacturer, Alpha science toys are also constantly researching the difference between digital toys and physical toys. For such trends and trends, Alpha science toys, as a manufacturer of traditional children's educational toys, is also very helpless. Alpha science toys Are also constantly learning the advantages of digital educational toys, adding their advantages to traditional STEM toys, and providing the best learning assistance for children of different ages through the combination of digital toys and physical toys.

Alpha science toys education experts believe that only toy brands and parents work together to abandon the shortcomings of digital toys and use traditional physical toys as tools for children to exercise various physical skills when they are young. Physical toys can improve children's physical coordination ability, while digital educational toys have extensive and complex scientific knowledge points, which can help children's brain development and the establishment of learning habits so that childn can use digital toys and physical toys With the help of toys, he can grow and learn healthily and happily, get the best educational help, and become the smartest and healthy little scientist.