Toys that Nurture Emotional Development
Play really is the work of childhood. When children play, they learn valuable skills in how to regulate their emotions. They can develop imagination, release big feelings, role play and learn empathy. This emotional development fosters critical skills in understanding and managing feelings.
I have included toys here that reflect 4 broad categories important for children’s development: 1) Building, 2) Creating, 3) Pretending, 4) Problem-Solving.
Building
These toys encourage open-ended play, which is crucial for developing problem-solving skills and imagination. For this, I love the classics. Building blocks and Magna-tiles can be used in countless ways and last for years to come.
Creating
There are so many ways to express emotions creatively – paint, crayons, crafts, etc. I have included some basics – play-doh and kinetic sand. These allow children to create while exploring sensory play. Some kids, especially those who feel nervous or are learning how to get feelings out, find an exceptional outlet with tactile play. There are a lot of recipes out there for making these at home (and for making them taste-safe!).
Pretend Play:
Pretend play has incredible benefits for children’s emotional growth. Dolls, play figures and stuffed animals offer children the chance to act out emotions, role play social situations and learn coping skills.
I like many of the Lakeshore Learning toys – we love the community play people in our family (they’re well-made and durable for our two toddler boys!), both for their variety and diversity. Lakeshore also has a ton of other pretend dolls for different ages, including ones that display specific emotions. Plan Toys has an adorable Pet Care Set for your little one’s favorite stuffed animal. By taking care of their animal (brushing, feeding, etc.), children learn empathy and emotional connection.
Lastly, Hape makes these cute little Eggspressions wooden toys. They are great for learning to recognize and name emotions (The book that accompanies them is less than impressive, but the eggs are great.)
Problem-Solving:
Toys that help children learn to solve problems help them to develop their prefrontal cortex (the part of their brains responsible for reasoning, logic and impulse control). I recommend puzzles like the ones by MudPuppy to help with these skills. They are well-made and have puzzles for all ages. They even make one that focuses on scenarios showing kindness! I also love these Magnetic Emotions Games by Janod, where kids can put together faces with different feelings.
Note: I have no affiliation to any of these products or brands. I picked them based on their contribution to children’s emotional development, through my pediatrician and mama lens.
Warmly,
Anjuli
