This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.
Children are watching more television than ever. Conditioned to screen time, it’s no wonder that many kids enjoy watching cartoons or playing games on mobile devices. According to the University of Washington School of Medicine, kids that watch three or more hours of television per day are 30% more likely to not be able to pay attention to school. Several other studies have demonstrated that passive screen time can hurt learning abilities.
Although it may be tempting to succumb to your children’s desire for the TV, it’s also important that you take an active approach to their education by using fun toys with them. With that in mind, here are a few ways you can help your children have fun while learning:
Create Origami
A fun way to enjoy time with your kids is by learning origami. Origami stimulates your kid's senses, and this is important during childhood development stages. They’re easy to make at home, and it allows your children to explore their senses within the confines of their own home. You’d be surprised at how much origami can engage your child and keep them busy (in many cases, it will keep them more occupied than traditional toys that capture just a few minutes of attention at a time).
Through these origami creations, they can imagine, explore, and learn—all while engaging their senses. By manipulating paper, they’re improving their motor skills which is a great way for kids to learn life skills. If you have girls, they might like these fun origami flower lights from Wicked Uncle to make for their room!
Engineering Toys
Engineering tools help toddlers develop important learning skills, like problem solving and critical thinking. They ignite curiosity, and allow children to learn as they play. For example, the 100 in 1 Stem Lab from Wicked Uncle is an awesome gift for girls who love STEM projects. You can conduct 100 different experiments right from the comfort of your home!
Reading Books
Encouraging your child to sit down to read can be frustrating. However, you can get them excited by involving them in the book purchasing process. Children become very happy when they are actively involved in their own decision-making. Allow them to pursue children’s books, choosing titles that interest them most. There are a lot of fun books that can help kids learn and be engaged with them. One particular one is The Little Book of Backyard Bird Songs from Wicked Uncle. If your kids love nature they can listen to the bird calls and start trying to distinguish them outside.
Get Them Involved In a Sport
Playing sports not only has immense physical benefits for children, but it also helps them learn a variety of important lifelong skills. They’ll be able to better understand the ability to follow directions, hone their motor skills, learn communication and teamwork, and develop interests that shape their future.
They’ll also develop important social skills as they play with their peers. What’s important is that the emphasis is on physical activity and fun; sometimes they’re too young to understand the aspect of competition, so coaches will focus on having a good time as children learn a variety of gameplay and developmental skills.
If your child isn't quite ready to join a sports team, you can always have sports outside. Lawn Darts, flying kites, or even Ollyball glow all from Wicked Uncle are fun options!
Wicked Uncle has a lot of fun toys for kids of all ages that are all unique and promote learning for everyone. I highly recommend checking them out if you're looking for a unique gift for any occasion!
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