Open-end toys
‘Open-end toys are toys with an undetermined outcome,’ says assistant site manager Marit Moller. ‘The toy has a different purpose for every child and at every stage. This means that it will not only last longer but also entices the imagination and creativity of a child. Every child will play with it differently.
Bomproof
One of the best-known open-ends playing materials is wooden blocks. ‘Babies will ‘taste’ them and put them in and out of a box, toddlers will put them on top of each other and pre-schoolers make a building or a racetrack with it.’ Not all the toys in daycare are made of wood. ‘You also have open-end toys that are made out of plastic, are safe and that will last a lifetime. What we particularly consider is that the toy is ‘bomb proof’ (so it is resilient) and has a natural weight. A pleasant thing about wood is that it takes on body heat. This is a nice experience for children. And wood is easy to clean.
Being outdoors all the time
We also have all kinds of playing material outside. There are balance bikes and normal bikes, but also the surrounding area invites you to play. ‘We go outside every day, so there is space for playing rougher games. Many locations have a natural garden with different surfaces: woodchips, sand, and tiles, so children can feel and touch them. Or there is a willow branch tunnel and vegetation where they can hide and crawl and run through. With a sandpit, lots of green, and some water the game can go on for hours.
Less stimuli
Marit calls toys with batteries ‘filled in’ toys. The first response of a child to that kind of toy is often: ‘How beautiful.’ But children are usually bored with it pretty quickly as the toy doesn’t leave much room for imagination. ‘This kind of toy also creates more impulses and we want to limit them to the group as much as possible. The group space itself already provides so many impulses and it can be quite overwhelming for a child to be in a group of children, and the fact that his parents are not there.
On repeat
‘Toys attract the attention of children, they have an important role in their development. From motor skills – think of stacking blocks or crafting – to playing a game, to practicing social skills. The children will learn to wait for their turn, how to interact, what to do if things go wrong, and so on. Playing games and reading a story together are good activities for cognitive development. Children pick up words and make connections between words and pictures, especially if you repeat them a few times.
To choose freely
Besides the activities that children do with the pedagogical staff in the group, such as reading a book and crafting, there is also plenty of room for free play. ‘Each group has a cupboard with all kinds of games and materials that stimulate all development areas, tailored to what the children can do. We often swap the toys around. This way the children will be continuously challenged.
Just like home
The real eye-catchers are imaginative toys, such as playing in the kitchenette. Toddlers like to do what they see their dad or mum do. For example, cooking, shopping, or feeding a bottle. This immediately contributes to the development, which also prepares them for real life.
Something different
‘Of course it happens that children only want to play with one type of toy. And we do think it is important for a child to follow his passion, but we will also challenge him in a positive way to try something different. Crafting helps to stimulate fine motor skills, but some children don’t like crafting. We will try them to participate by asking if they want to make something beautiful for dad or mum.
In collaboration with ‘Ouders van Nu’ (Today’s Parent)
Every day, ‘Ouders van Nu’ (Today’s Parent) selects interesting news from within and outside the country specifically for (expecting) parents. They focus on tidbits that make (expecting) parents better, happier, or wiser. This article was written in collaboration with ‘Ouders van Nu’.