Why Pre-school Toys Are Essential Learning Tools

It’s widely accepted that the education that children are exposed to during their formative years is a huge factor in their overall development. It’s not just the formal education that they receive at school that plays its part, though; time spent at nursery or indeed at home playing with educational toys can also offer a developmental advantage.

Kids’ natural enthusiasm and in-built sense of discovery goes a long way to ensuring that time spent playing with the right type of toys can help to expand their horizons at an early age. Just as reading books together with your child can help to speed up their ability to grasp the intricacies of reading and writing, certain pre-school toys can play an important role in stimulating a child’s natural tendency towards imagination and also help to spur on their creative abilities.

Of course, educational pre-school toys shouldn’t be used in an attempt to force your young child to learn something new every day. Instead, slowly introduce them into the playtime routine to allow your child’s natural curiosity drive the learning process. Research shows that the earlier and more often that children test themselves with suitable toys and games, the easier they find it to learn – and this early development is something that will stand them in great stead going forward as they enter the school system.

One such example would be Duplo bricks, a branch of Lego aimed firmly at pre-schoolers. The use of Duplo is a great way to introduce children to the idea of being conjured up unique structures in their mind’s eye and then following through and building them with their own hands.

Alternatively, baby or toddler friendly jigsaws encourage users to work through what can start out as a frustrating challenge by using their own logic. Repeated use encourages the development of memory skills, pattern spotting and matching ability.

Perhaps the most important factor is that as well as being educational, pre-school toys should be fun to play with. It’s all very well giving your child a learning tool, but if it’s a dry experience for the child then they’ll quickly find something else that they’d rather play with.

Fix My Buzz

Kids always get duplicates of toys on every gift giving occasion. We were lucky this year that we only had one duplicate for Christmas. Last week Arica and I took Braden along to Wal Mart to return the duplicate toy and get another.

Our thinking was that we would get him some sort of Buzz Lightyear toy. Braden is on a huge Toy Story kick lately. He asks to watch Buzz at some point every day. Some days he never stops watching it. We got Braden all three movies for Christmas and he likes them all. We knew he would because he was mesmerized by the trilogy when his Mom watched them all recently.

Toy Story 3 is probably his favorite though because he likes the train scene in the beginning. Other than that scene everything is all about Buzz.

When we went to Wal Mart Braden wanted to play with the toy we were returning. To help encourage him to let us return it we promised him a Buzz. So the entire time we were standing in the return line Braden kept saying, "I get my Buzz. I get my Buzz."

Finally we made the transaction after the cashier asked for my ID, made me take it out, and swiped it. I guess he thought I was running a scam by going around the country and stealing $15 dollar toys just so I could return them to Wal Mart. And just to add to the disguise I brought along a woman and a small child that I kidnapped from McDonald's.

Nonetheless, we had our gift card, and we were off to the toy section.

First we handed Braden a rocket with Buzz as the driver. You shake it and Buzz and the rocket shoot off across the floor. Braden wanted that. Then he decided he wanted a Buzz figure. Then he wanted both. Then he wanted something else. Eventually he decided on the little Buzz action figure. It would be Braden's first action figure and it seemed like a good purchase. He was happy.

Before we even got out of the store Braden had to open his Buzz. So we opened it and handed it to him. He gripped it in his little paws and began pushing the buttons on Buzz's suit. Nothing happened. Then he pushed the button on his arm to fire the laser. Nothing happened. He tried to close Buzz's helmet. It wouldn't budge. Of course none of those things were intended to happen, but you try explaining that to a 2 year old.

All the way home all we heard was "bix my Buzz. Daddy bix my Buzz. Momma bix my Buzz" as Braden continually pushed the buttons with a disappointed look on his face. Finally we got home and he just threw Buzz aside.

All these talking toys have ruined our kids. I'm not sure many little boys even know how to make truck sounds anymore. Everything talks. Everything sings. Everything makes noises to drive Mommy and Daddy crazy.

I am happy to say, however, that Braden can make truck noises. And that next day he and Buzz became best friends. Now Buzz goes almost everywhere with Braden including "to infinity and beyond!"

Making Important Choices

Making choices is an important part of everyone's life.  You are faced with choices every day and the decisions you make shape your life.  Yes, some decisions are not as important at others.  Choosing between a hamburger and pizza is not going to be a life altering decision most days.  Choosing between a hamburger and a salad over the course of 30 years might make a difference though.

From the time we are children we start making decisions. Eventually they lead to choosing friends, choosing activities, choosing colleges, choosing a major, choosing a job, and so on.  One day you will choose a home and a spouse.

Braden is already making choices.  Each day he chooses what toys to play with.  He chooses what he wants to eat much of the time.  He decides which ball to slam dunk or which thing in the house to bash with his baseball bat.

Sometimes we take him to Wal Mart and let him choose a toy.  We usually do this when we have to return a toy that he already has, which is quite often.  After executing the return we let Braden pick out a new toy with his money.  This weekend we took Braden on such a trip.  All of the toys in Wal Mart were available to him. He could have anything he wanted.  We were allowing total freedom of choice for the wee man.

This is what he picked.  He wore it through the store for the rest of our shopping trip.

As you can see he also likes to wear it when he is eating chocolate.

I guess this is a lesson for us as parents.  We can do our best to prepare Braden for the choices he has to make in life.  We can guide him, teach him, and encourage him, but even after all that we will never know for sure what choices he will make.

Things Braden Has Hit with His Bat Other Than His Baseball

Christmas tree ornaments
Door knob
Window
Rubber balls
Mommy
TV
Floor
Computer
Daddy
Smaller Baseball Bat
Storm Door
Blocks
Monkey
Football
and Himself

That Baby Stole My 4-Wheeler

Braden has taken over control of every aspect of my life, and now he has fully claimed my throne as man of the house. The position has unofficially been his since birth. I am now ready to fully authenticate his title. What happened to make me so sure he is now untouchable?

Braden got a 4-wheeler.

I have wanted one for years. I have been walking to the deer stand this year. In previous years I have borrowed 4-wheelers from my dad and from Arica's dad. I have bummed rides and asked to be dropped off and picked up, but I still haven't got my own 4-wheeler.

When a guy is single he tries to get all the toys he can. Shortly before I met Arica I just went out and bought a fishing boat. Why? I wanted one. That was the only reason I needed. After marriage those type purchases just don't happen, and rightfully so. Everything is a family decision now. After a child new toys seem further in the past. Now Braden has made my dream his own.

He got his very own ATV for his birthday, and he has loved riding it from day one. We put him on the seat and showed him how to push the pedal down to accelerate. Since then Arica and I have spent plenty of time turning him around at each end of the house. As you can see in the video below he enjoys the ride. You can also see that he has no interest whatsoever in watching where he is going as he slaloms through the landmines that are all his other birthday gifts. Braden just pushes the gas and rides with wreckless abandonment.



I can only hope when he gets older he will let me borrow his next 4-wheeler, because I don't have any delusions of being able to regain the throne in the next 18 years.

The Greatest Duo Ever

Now that Braden has turned one he is reaping the rewards of his advanced age via new big boy toys. The truth is that I am reaping the rewards too. Big trucks are a lot more fun than keys with lights on them. I have my own keys and they are no fun.

This development is also strengthening the bond between Braden and I. We are developing a much stronger partnership. We are becoming a great duo. In the future as a great duo I am sure that there are no bounds to the amount of help we can do in the world. There is also probably no bounds on the amount of aggravation we can cause with our rambunctious boyhood ways.

Now we work together to play basketball. I carry Braden flying through the air towards the hoop. He dunks it home with two hands. Then I hoist him onto my shoulders like a hero as he shrieks with joy. He rides the 4-wheeler down the hall with all the skill of a seasoned motorcross racer. I turn him around when he hits the wall. Braden brings me the books. I read them. He brings me the toys. I show him how to work them. We work together constantly.

There is no doubt in my mind that we are on our way to being the greatest duo of all time. Before we take the throne I think I will take time to honor some of my favorite duos. Leave your favorites in the comments section too. We must honor them all before they fall victim to the new top duo in town, Braden and Daddy.

Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David: These two form the greatest comedy writing tag team of all time. They are total opposites that blend perfectly to produce comedy gold. It's gold Jerry....Gold!

Bo and Luke Duke: I am a redneck. What do you want from me?

Batman and Robin: Truthfully, I am not much on Robin. Batman doesn't really need his help, but there needs to be a superhero duo on this list so Batman is cool enough to carry the red-breasted wonder.

Luke Skywalker and Han Solo: Much like the redneck thing I am a bit of a sci-fi nerd as well. I love Star Wars.

Jack Bauer and Tony Almeda: They were my favorite crime fighting duo ever. I am still mad at the idiot writers for killing Tony. Bringing him back to be a bad guy didn't help either.

Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen: Of course Michael Jordan is like Batman in this grouping, but Scottie was great too. He is also from Arkansas so I have to give him love. It is a rule in Arkansas that we must support all 15 people from our state that make it big in our lifetime. Far be it from me to break the rule.

Corliss Williamson and Scottie Thurman: They brought what will probably be the only national championship of my lifetime to the University of Arkansas. I could never forget them. When I met Thurman at a bar nearly a decade later I thanked him for his shot. I love him.

I could do this all day. It's fun. Please leave me some of your favorites. Lets have a real discussion in this space even if it is not about anything important.

Fatherhood Lessons with Homer Simpson: Playing with Your Kids

Sometimes I am lost for blogworthy ideas about fatherhood. Inspiration is fleeting and I don't know where to turn. Much of my inspiration comes from TV or music. Greater men are probably inspired by historical figures like Abraham Lincoln or Martin Luther King. Others may be inspired by great authors or scientific studies, but that is not me. As Popeye says, "I am what I am." And I am inspired by Jerry Seinfeld, Eddie Vedder, and sometimes even Homer Simpson.

Today's post will be a lesson from Homer about toys and playing with our kids. Watch the video and then read on for my dissection of Homer's teachings.


The first lesson here is that Dads should play with their kids as much as possible. One of our main jobs as fathers is to be the entertainment director for our children. The best way to do that is get right down on the floor with them. Get in their little world and play with their toys. There is no substitute for time spent with your children so follow Homer's lead and start playing.

The second lesson we can learn from Homer is that we don't have to buy the most expensive toys for our kids. If you have the means to buy every toy in the store then by all means do it. Kids, however, are not always entertained or occuppied with a toy box full of toys. Sometimes you have to use other things around the house for entertainment. I use water bottles and the remote control nearly every day. A box works great as well. As any parent knows, kids often like the box, bow, or wrapping paper much more than the actual gift that is found inside. Apply this theory to your everyday play time. I read yesterday over at my friend PJ's blog Real Men Drive Mini Vans that he recently used a box to lure his son back into the play area. He wondered if he was a bad father. I say heck no. You are a great dad.

Finally a lesson for all us dad's that are really just big kids. Never let the joy of playing with toys again lead you to an unhealthy attachment to said toys. We should never runaway with our kids toys like a crazed Homer hiding under the box. I know it is a great amount of fun to play with your kids. Sometimes I admit to having too much fun with Braden's toys and he is only a baby. I am sure I will get more than carried away when he gets older. I already covet the little Star Wars figures I see in Wal-Mart. No matter how much fun we have let's always remember it's about the kids.

My thanks to Homer Simpson for departing his wisdom on us today.

Fisher Price Mail Man

Braden's new favorite toy is the Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Learning Letters Mailbox. Fisher Price really should try to get some longer names for their toys. These are just too easy to remember. Anyway the mailbox is the third in our lineup of laugh and learn toys. I wrote about the Puppy here. We also have the Laugh and Learn Storybook Rhymes. This Fisher Price bunch is a monster.

I know many bloggers out there review products for free samples and other compensation. That is fine with me. After all the only thing better than free stuff is free beer. And the only thing better than free beer is free cold beer. So review to the tune of free stuff if you want. This post is netting me nothing. I just wanted to share a little bit about Braden's favorite new toy.

No matter where we place the mail box Braden finds it. He will roll over onto his tummy and seek it out. Once he finds the toy he makes his way too it by a series of rolling and scooting maneuvers. Using these methods he can reach most places in the living room. When he gets the mail box in his mitts he turns it over, opens it up, and gets the mail. Once he gets the mail he starts trying to eat it. He may be on to something here. Eating bills sounds a lot more pleasurable than paying them. I don't know if Fisher Price meant for the plastic letters to serve as teethers, but they do a good job. Braden loves to chew on them.

The box sings and is brightly colored. I'm sure that the bright colors help draw Braden to the postal receptacle. The songs certainly make him happy too. I still think there might be something more powerful drawing him towards the postal arena. This something is his DNA.

My Dad has been a mail man all my life. It's a part of my family tradition. I once told my parents that I wasn't going to college. I was going to stay home and join the family business. The business was of course delivering the mail. My mother, perhaps worried I was serious, demanded I go to college. So my dreams of following in my Dad's footsteps ended.

My interest in the post office didn't end there though. My two favorite sitcoms of all time are "Seinfeld" and "Cheers". Yes, both shows have mail men as prominent characters. Coincidence? I think not. Cliff Clavin is one of my favorite Cheers characters. He is funny in a helpless loser kind of way.

Seinfeld sports the dark rantings of Newman. He has spouted many great lines on the show. He also has some funny descriptions of the postal service that I always tried to share with my Dad. I don't think he was amused, but I shared anyway. Dad never was stressed too much by the mail, but it happens. Here's Newman's take on that.

My Dad was a mail man. I am drawn to sitcoms with funny mail men. Braden is drawn to toy mail boxes. Our dog likes to raise his leg and mark mail boxes. All these things are too much to overlook. The men in this family must have letter carrying DNA.

The Horse Says What?

It is Fatherhood Friday again so stop by Dad Blogs and check out all the posts.

I grew up in an animal loving house. I don't mean a PETA type animal loving house. We hunted deer, duck, squirrel, and rabbit. We consumed our kill. Yes, I have eaten many a squirrel just like Cousin Eddie. Our relationship with animals was more of an appreciation and a knowledge of their habits and environment. I didn't grow up on a farm in the sense that our house was on a farm. I did however spend much of my youth on the family rice farm in southeast Arkansas. My Dad quit farming when I was very young. After that he still helped out around the farm some, but he found other things to do with his time and resources.

My Dad raised ducks and geese for a long time. He also raised rabbits for quite a while and dabbled in turkeys and quail. Some of these animals were sold for pets or food, but the whole operation was mainly a hobby. The farm was filled with hunting dogs. There was even a killer tomcat named Dingbat for a while. Basically I grew up on Old MacDonald's farm. I helped dad gather duck eggs and gather ducks. You haven't lived until you have been in a cage trying to catch flying mallards. Snagging them out of the air is quite a thrill. We fed the ducks and raised them. I saw them hatch and grow. Eventually we started a flock of Canada Geese. When our first two eggs hatched the goslings thought my Dad was their mom. They followed him everywhere and even got to take a trip to our house much to my mother's dismay. Dad named them Mutt and Jeff.

All of this led me to love animals. I had volumes of books on the subject. Dad and I watched nature shows on TV a lot. We could name every animal on the planet by sight and many by sound. I hope Braden and I can share that type of interest in animals. I hope we'll spend many hours in the woods together enjoying nature. Of course I hope we can hunt together, but it's also fun just spending time outdoors. Hopefully he will get the same joy I do from watching the squirrels and birds go about their day. Maybe we can share the thrill of seeing a bald eagle soaring over the lake. Braden might not grow up on a farm, but he will grow up in a small town in The Natural State. Wildlife will always be there to enjoy.

This Easter we took the first small step towards learning about animals. Braden got a The Farmer Says See 'n Say. These things have been around forever. I had one when I was a kid. They have changed a little, but the message remains the same. The (insert animal name) says (insert animal sound). I know this alone is not going to make Braden like animals. At least it will introduce him to some barnyard critters. Hopefully he'll get to meet some of these creatures in real life in order to test some of that knowledge for himself. Take a look at this video where he hears a few animal sounds.



That was Braden's first effort at opening a gift. I think he did a good job. He seems intrigued by the see n' say until he hears the horse. Both times that crazy noise seems to confuse him. He looks to mommy for some help. It looks like a trip to the track is in order so Braden can meet some real life horses and straighten this out.

Have You Seen My Keys?

Every person responsible enough to be trusted with some type of key has uttered this post's title phrase at one time or another. I have actually lost one set of truck keys in the past year that never turned up again. I imagine they are hitch hiking their way west towards the Pacific and freedom. When you can't find your keys you have that rush of panic. Did I lock the keys in my car? Did I lose them for good? Where can they be? You get all worked up only to find them in the fridge a few hours later. Those things can turn up anywhere.

The frantic search for keys has taken on a whole new meaning at our house. Braden seems to enjoy his keys more than anything else, other than eating. They are Baby Einstein Activity Keys so they must make him smart too. I don't know how that works, but I do know they make Braden happy. He has liked the keys since he was barely able to hang on to them. The small keyring was one of the first things he could grasp. The geniuses at Baby Einstein also added a button you can push to light up green and red lights. The lights are housed in what looks like an old fashioned yellow stop light. Blinking those things could stop even the most violent fits.

Now Braden pretty much works the keys on his own. Tuesday night I watched him turn the lights on and off as he studied them. He has no doubt made a connection in his mind between the button and the lights. He likes to hold one key and chew on another. Sometimes he even eats the lights. Having something that can soothe your baby when he is upset is as good as gold. I think I would rather lose my truck keys and walk to work than lose those little wonders.

Winnie the Pooh

In this tough economic climate I have found one guy that is just as busy as ever. He's a tubby little cubby all stuffed with fluff. If that doesn't ring a bell and you some how missed the title, I am talking about Winnie the Pooh. Pooh has been around forever and based on a quick gander around Braden's room he appears to be gaining strength.

A.A. Milne wrote stories about the honey crazed bear based on his son Christopher Robin's stuffed bear Winnie the Pooh. Pooh's friends were based on other stuffed animals and a few real animals living near their home. He was first published all the way back in 1926, so Pooh was actually around before Babe Ruth hit 60 home runs. He was around a long time before WWII and he is still around today. Later the Walt Disney machine got their hands on Pooh and put him on the big screen in 1966. He is still gracing the small screen today with a show called My Friends Tigger and Pooh . Tigger apparently has grown in popularity that rivals his chubby honey eating friend.

I am frankly amazed at the exposure this bear is still getting after 80 years. We have more Pooh or Tigger branded things than I can count. We have pants, shirts, shoes, socks, hats, bibs, pajamas, and coats from the clothing department. We have towels, wash cloths, and robes from the bathing department. We have rattles, keys, and crawling talking Pooh in the toy department. I almost forgot that we have blankets too. Pooh and friends even make their appearance on diapers and wipe boxes. These are just the things that can be found in our home. A quick glance at the Internet shows you can find strollers, car seats, high chairs, swings, bouncy chairs, lamps, books, movies, more toys, cups, humidifiers, teethers, diaper bags, and even a battery powered Tigger toothbrush. Basically Disney has put Pooh or Tigger on anything they can market to children or parents, and if you have had a child recently you know that is a ridiculous amount of stuff.

Everywhere I look I see his face. He outnumbers me in my own home about 100 to 1. Most people fear nuclear war, terrorists, global warming or some other possible doom. I admit there are plenty of other things to fear, but I fear Winnie the Pooh. While the old song claimed he was a willy, nilly, silly old bear, I am going to keep my eye on him just in case.

Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Puppy

Above you can see two cute lovable fellows. On the left is my son Braden. On the right is something I call puppy blue ears. Other people call him the Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Learning Puppy but that is just too many words for me.

It is funny how at such a young age Braden changes the things he likes and dislikes. Not long ago his favorite noise making distraction was a colorful caterpillar that plays classical music. Only in the home of new parents can you find such a creature as Beethoven the caterpillar. Welcome to the imaginative world of raising young children. I am sure the caterpillar will come back in vogue because it also teaches numbers and colors. While Braden is too young for that type of learning now, I still use the learning toys as singing distractions. With the right toy I can create a formidable baby song singing duo.

Now that the worm has turned we are on to puppy blue ears. The puppy is also a great toy for older kids. Fisher-Price recommends it for children 6-24 months. The puppy teaches body parts and colors. It also says things like "Will you be my friend", "I love you", and "So Big". I'm not sure what these phrases are for other than teaching kids some new words. Teaching the phrase "So Big" is akin to teaching foreign tourist to say"Where is the Library?" I'm not sure why they need to know how to say that but we teach them anyway. Even with the questionable phrases this is one of Braden's new favorite toys. It sings 6 or 7 different songs. I play them and sing along much to his delight. The geniuses at Fisher Price also added a blinking red heart to the center of the puppy to keep the babies attention. So there have been many fun nights of Braden staring at a blinking light and listening to the future Grammy award wining duo of puppy blue ears and daddy.

Playing the Rattle

I wrote recently about Braden potentially playing the guitar and my inability to play here. I told you that I never took a music lesson of any kind. I also told you that I begged and pleaded until I was taught a few cords just to keep me quiet. With that knowledge I was able to play guitar just well enough to destroy some great classic rock songs. I am writing today to share some good news about my musical development. I have found an instrument that I can play......The baby rattle. That's right. I am now an accomplished baby rattle player. I could try and take this up a step and play the maracas but why worry with that. I have a built in excuse and free rattles already lined up to fuel my new pursuit.

I started playing the rattle randomly when I would sing to Braden. Every once in a while a mood will hit me and I might break into song. Now that Braden is always there and he is too young to make fun of me, I sing to him rather than to myself. He seems to enjoy it. If there is a rattle within reach I try and add a nice percussion rhythm to the song. More often than this though I sing along with some of his toys. He has a few animals and books that sing various children's songs. I try to memorize them and sing along as well. On some songs I have my own established rattle routine. On others I just make it up as we go along. The best songs are anything with a salsa type beat. There is one song his blue eared puppy sings that has that type of beat. For that song I can swing the rattles from side to side like maracas and due a Latino dance. Of course the sight of me doing any type of dance is enough to turn your stomach, but once again Braden doesn't mind. It seems that the sillier I act the better he likes it. That is good news for now because I fully expect to turn into an embarrassment later in life. Knowing my future embarrassment status I plan to take full advantage of these times when I am still funny. There is nothing like having someone around that thinks you're funny even if he is only 3 months old.

What is a Play Gym?

There is a product out there for babies called a play gym. On the surface this term appears to be oxymoronic. To me the gym is a lot more like work than play but I digress. What does your baby do with this product. Does it help him work out his biceps or is it a place to play games. As you can see I think the name could use some work but the product is great. The thing is a mat with bars overhead from which you can hang all manner of toys and noisemakers. Most play gyms are marked with some pretty high intensity colors that may look like they were designed by a mental patient but those colors are part of the magic. The combination of colors, hanging objects, and noisemakers make for a pretty cool place for your baby.


I first got ours out when the boy was several weeks old. By this time he was alert and looking around. I figured he got tired of looking at me, mom, and the various lights around the house. Right from the start he laid down in the play gym and was happy. He laid there for a half hour and smiled at the danglies. So being the great dad that I am I dug through his toys and found a few rattles to add to the collection. Our play gym has a lion that plays music and a few rattling things. The baby toy makers now make everything with hooks so all your toys are interchangeable. This is a great idea to help keep your baby's attention but sometimes I put so much stuff on the thing that the boy must think he is being surrounded. My wife correctly reminds me from time to time that I don't need to hang every toy we have from the multicolored bars and hooks.

Take if from me the play gym is not only for babies looking to do squat thrusts. They are a great place for your baby to play while you take a break. They are also a great place for you and the baby to play together. Now if I could just get past the negative connotations I get from the word gym. I think I will start calling ours the Amazing Technicolored Play Mat.