Appointed dates are approaching when Santa Claus, the Magi or invisible friends make their presents. Children are the first to receive gifts, but, How many are recommended? What toys are inappropriate? Should we give them everything they ask for? Today we answer these and other questions thanks to our interview with psychologist Patricia Ruiz Moral.
Patricia Ruiz Moral is a psychologist with a specialty in Educational-Clinic and has a master's degree in the needs and rights of Children and Adolescents, as well as in Child and School Clinical Psychology and in Speech Therapy. She is an expert in conflict resolution and acts as a school counselor at the Colegio Antamira in Madrid. We will clear our doubts about toys and gifts for children.
Christmas is the time with the biggest toy sales of the year and many children receive everything they ask for. Is this a good practice? What consequences can grant them all their wishes?
At this time of the year children, more than ever, are exposed to the effects of advertising. TV ads, toy catalogs, etc. They offer so much information about everything they like, that they are not able to handle it and need adult help. It is advisable to convey to children that the most important thing is not the amount of toys you have, but the way you play with them, what you enjoy playing with them. In addition, we must bear in mind that not all the games they choose are suitable for them at that time. Obviously, they want what they have in front of them but by granting, in this case, all their wishes, we also transmit the loss of value to what one has.
Is there a maximum recommended number of toys to give to children?
The most interesting is that the child has at his disposal toys that stimulate the different areas of development. That they are novel and motivating is very important, so it is often more interesting to renew toys or exchange them with other children, why not. We must be careful because we can find toys that, from one year to another, did not come out of the box.
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Toys stimulate the personal and social development of children. They are mediators of the evolutionary process, and serve as an excuse to share with other children and other adults. They help develop creativity, imagination, different intelligences and even resolve conflicts and reach agreements.
In childhood, each age group has recommended toys, but in general, what should we look for in a children's toy?
The most expensive toy is not necessarily the one that offers the child the most possibilities. The right toy is one with which the little ones have fun and learn.
We must bear in mind that it arouses your curiosity, that it represents an attainable challenge, that stimulates creativity, thinking and that it can be shared with others. That it is easy to store and manipulate for the child is also important since its ultimate goal is to be used by children autonomously.
And for babies, what are the qualities of the ideal toy?
The goal of a good toy is the same as with older children. The ideal toy is one that stimulates its development. Sound toys (rattles, hoops, rattles), lights (mobile toys that we put in the crib), toys that can handle, manipulate, throw, with bright colors (teethers, musical balls). When the little ones begin to manage their body better, the stage of exploring the world begins in a more active way, so that, as of the year, toys such as rockers, simple fittings, stackable toys, musical instruments such as drums are recommended or tambourines, soft books with images, ragdolls, etc.
We go with the types of toys and one in particular that in recent times is generating controversy, toy weapons: Are or are not suitable toy weapons?
In my opinion, a toy that incites violence and that is directly related to war games is not the most suitable for a child. Let's not forget that when we give a toy for the child to play with it, we are also educating and transmitting values.
Our children grow up with new technologies like never before. But: Are technological gifts suitable for the little ones?
When children get older they usually prefer games related to new technologies such as tablets, computers, video games, etc. and parents have many doubts about whether to buy them or not. They are children of the digital age and from the schools the use of ICTs, fundamental for the educational and learning process of the students, is encouraged. With certain applications areas of knowledge are developed in a very complete way, and they are a complement to the game. But nevertheless, the use of these devices always has to be controlled by an adult, regarding the contents and the times. The key is common sense and balance.
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As mentioned, some applications can complement another type of game such as symbolic game, shared board games, etc. Access to these applications is adapted to all types of ages, so we must look for those that adapt to the time of each child. It is a complement, not a substitute.
From what age would it be advisable for children to have a telephone?
We have the possibility that older people access the use of smartphones autonomously, mainly to communicate with other equals, or with their parents. It is important that, in this case, these children have sufficient responsibility for the proper use of this technology, so we will have to offer them information about the positive and negative consequences of its correct or incorrect use. When there is a higher level of autonomy, this use must be supervised by the adult, as we said before, with respect to the times and contents.
Is it worth "rescuing" traditional toys?
Indeed, as mentioned, technological toys are a good complement to other types of toys. Each toy stimulates an area of ​​development and adults should offer all kinds of games to children, to ensure proper intellectual, social and emotional development.
To what extent can gender roles be perpetuated through toys?
When we offer all kinds of toys to all children, we contribute our grain of sand in favor of equality.
It seems that there is still a social tendency to give children one type of toy or another depending on their gender (the cleaning kit and the baby, for the girl, and the car circuit and the police costume, for the boy). Let's not forget that children learn social roles from the development of symbolic play. With it they "interpret roles" of daily life (play teachers, parents, doctors, etc.). It is true that it is advisable to choose each child's toys according to their tastes but, when we offer all kinds of toys to all children, regardless of gender, we are contributing our grain of sand in favor of equality.
Do you think our society is moving towards the elimination of sexism in toys?
I consider that there is still a way to go, but there are more variety of toys on the market that help eliminate prejudices and labels. The most important thing is to keep in mind that those of us who have the opportunity to educate children in equality, we are the adults around them.
What mistakes do you think are the most frequent when buying a gift for children?
Sometimes, the mistake is made to choose the toy based on the tastes of the elderly, and not the children. The toy should be chosen by putting us in the child's place. In addition, the least recommended is to buy toys with which children have difficulty playing with them, those that are very cumbersome or difficult to keep, those that incite violence or those that do not conform to the child's evolutionary process and their tastes . It is also important that they take into account that they comply with the regulations and that, therefore, they are safe.
We thank Patricia Ruiz Moral who has given us her time to clarify our doubts about this issue. It has been a pleasure to make with her this very interesting journey through the world of children's toys.
Photos | Assigned by Patricia Ruiz Moral; Thinkstock
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