Fair Trade Toys- A Great Choice for Kids Play Part 2

In my last post Fair Trade Toys- A Great Choice for Kids Play Part 1 I introduced why fair trade toys are an excellent children's toy choice. Here are some more great reasons!

Made of Natural Materials

When buying fair trade toys you don’t have to worry about dangerous chemicals or toxins that could be lurking inside. Most fair trade toys are made from natural materials and fibres such as wood, wool, paper, cardboard, fabrics, etc.

Frill Neck Lizard- Barefoot Design Sri Lanka

Environmentally Friendly

Fair trade toys are environmentally friendly. Most fair trade toys are made of natural materials and there is usually no wastage, everything is used. In fact in some cases the artisans use remnants from the production of other products. It is also common for fair trade products to be made of reused or recycled materials, which of course meet strict hygiene and safety standards.

Little Red Hen Hand Knitted Puppets Peru

Promote Cultural Understanding

Children playing with fair trade toys will learn to respect and appreciate cultural diversity. Many fair trade toys available are often made in traditional ways using the style, colours, shapes and patterns used by the race/culture of the artisans. 

Fair Trade Toys- A Great Choice for Kids Play Part 1

Fair Trade Toys are so wonderfully unique making them amazingly inviting and interesting children's toys. They are inspiring to the imagination and engage children in meaningful and creative play. If you’ve ever considered purchasing Fair Trade toys here are some great reasons why you should! (Look out for part 2 for more great reasons!)

Hand Made Toys

Fair trade toys are handmade. They are crafted out of a variety of gorgeously natural materials that provide a lovely textural experience for children while they are playing. During infancy and early childhood, children are learning through their senses and will return to toys made of natural material for play time and time again.

Dragon Fly Soft Toy- Barefoot Design SriLanka

Assisting Communities Abroad

Fair trade toys are crafted by artisans from all corners of the Earth. When you purchase fair trade toys you are assisting communities around the globe who live in extreme poverty to support their own families and in turn their community. You can truly make a difference to the lives of others by purchasing fair trade toys.

Forest Creatures Hand Knitted Puppets Peru

Developing Social Conscience and Emotional Intelligence in Children

When we explain to children the idea behind fair trade toys they are learning important values and life lessons. Discussing the importance of assisting and supporting other less fortunate than ourselves is beneficial to developing emotional intelligence and social conscience (attitude of sensitivity and a sense of responsibility regarding problems in our society)

Take a look at Part 2 of Fair Trade Toys- A Great Choice for Kids Play for more reasons to own fair trade toys.

Wooden Toys- The Best Toys for Kids- Part 2

In my last post I introduced why I love wooden toys for kids. Read on for more reasons why wooden toys are simply the best...

Sensory Experience

Playing with wooden toys is a sensory experience. They are naturally beautiful, interesting and inviting as they provide a lovely textural experience for children.  During infancy and early childhood, children learn through their senses and will return to wooden toys during play, time and time again.

Fun Factory Wooden Fire Truck

Encourage Quality Play

Wooden toys are educational toys and they are fun. They are mostly made for open-ended play that encourages imagination, creativity and the development of a variety of cognitive, social, emotional and physical skills.  Wooden toys engage children in meaningful, good quality play. Many of the modern, high tech and plastic battery operated toys currently on the market can be over stimulating making them distracting and disruptive to calm and engaged play.

Le Toy Van Honey Bake Baking Set

Easy to Clean

Wooden toys are very easy to clean. I have found wiping them over with warm soapy water or disinfectant will do the trick. Don't forget to dry them after wiping over. Don't submerge them in water, this will damage the wood. 

Manhattan Toys Natural Baby Beads

Aesthetically Pleasing

Wooden toys look lovely. Their beauty invites children to play with them and they look gorgeous on display on your child's shelf when they aren't being used.

Wonderworld My Pink House

So, if you ever have to choose between 2 similar toys, one plastic and the other wooden, I hope this information assists you in making a decision. Remember this simple rule... Wood is so good!

Happy Playing,

Emma

Wooden Toys- The Best Toys for Kids- Part 1

We all know that play is so important in a child’s life. It is how they learn about the world, themselves and the people around them and also assists in the development of many skills, concepts, values and attitudes. But do we ever stop to think about what our kids are using during playtime?

As a teacher of many years, I have observed first hand the many benefits of kid's wooden toys on children’s development and learning. I love kid's wooden toys! I want to share why you and your kids will fall in love with them too.

Long Life Span

They are strong and have a very long lifespan. They will endure the most enthusiastic play and because of their durability will be handed down from sibling to sibling.

Melissa and Doug Wooden Geometric Stacker

Safe for Children

Wooden toys painted with non-toxic paint are safe for babies, toddlers and children. Unlike most plastic toys, wooden toys are free from BPA, phthalates and other harmful chemicals and toxins. So if your child puts a wooden toy in their mouth, you don’t need to worry. Phew!

Wooden Balancing Man

Kind to the Environment

Wooden toys are environmentally friendly as most are made from plantation timber or ecofriendly rubber wood. Not only are they durable, which means you can keep them forever, but when the time comes and they are eventually thrown out, they will rot in landfill. Wooden toys don’t need electricity or batteries so we can look after the planet for your children’s future.

Arabian Block Set

Check out 'Wooden Toys- The Best Kids Toys- Part 2' for even more great reasons why you should choose wooden toys.

Take a look at the huge range of wooden toys available at The Play Hive here

Kids Pirate Party Theme Part 2

Following on from Kids Pirate Party ideas Theme Part 1, I would love to share a few pirate inspired craft activities that would keep any swashbuckler entertained. Without further ado, here they are...

Craft Activity for kids 1: Decorate your own treasure chest

In the days before the party, paint a range of boxes brown and collect a variety of craft items that can be stuck onto these boxes to transform them into treasure chests. Sequins, plastic gem stones, stickers, tinfoil cut into shapes, buttons and anything else that is shiny make perfect treasure chest decorations. At the party, supply the children with PVA glue to decorate the painted boxes as their pirate heart desires. This activity is best done at the beginning of the party so that the glue can dry and the children can take their chests home at the end. For a bit of fun, place each child’s 'Loot Bag' (lolly and/or gift bag) in their treasure chest ready to take home.

Melissa and Doug
Decorate Your Own Treasure Chest

Craft Activity for kids 2: Make a Pirate Telescope

Obtain some A4 pieces of cardboard for each guest. Encourage each guest to roll up the cardboard into a cylinder and fasten with sticky tape or staples. Cut some coloured cellophane into pieces that will fit over the end of each cylinder. Help your guests place this over the end and fasten with a rubber band and a piece of sticky tape so the band doesn’t flick off. Then let your pirates loose at stickers, plastic gems stones, sequins, etc to stick on with PVA glue. Provide markers to draw on the telescope. Viola a telescope with a fun coloured lens.

Djeco Pirate Stickers
Perfect for decorating
pirate craft projects

Craft Activity for kids 3: Make a Pirate Hat

Purchase some large sheets of black paper, one for each guest. Depending on the age of each guest you can either prefold some pirate hats or help them fold their own. (Use your favorite search engine for hat folding instructions). Then you can decide how your guests can decorate the hat. Here are some ideas:

• For collage: Feathers, pirate stickers, pirate pictures (purchase some pirate wrapping paper and cut out the pirate pictures)
• Skull and Cross Bones: Download and print some skull and cross bone images for the guets to cut out and stick on. Or if the guests are young, pre-cut them and they can stick them on with glue
• If you are game enough and have only a few guests, make a stencil of a skull and cross bones out of card board and guests can paint over the stencil with white paint.

Want more Craft Ideas?
Usborne Books
Piarte Things to Make and Do.

Are you going to a pirate party and want to take a pirate gift. Feast your eyes on these great ideas:

Wooden Magnetic Pirate
Fishing Game

Melissa and DougPirate Adventure Puzzle

Papo Captain Corsair

Wooden Pirate Finger Puppets

Educational Toys + Kids = Learning Part 2

Following my post in March, I have complied a list of educational toys that I use in my kindergarten everyday that I know promote kids learning and development. You probably already have some of these in your home which is great, you are on the right track!

The educational toys listed are certainly favourites within my educational program. The children love them! They are toys that promote imagination, creativity, problem solving, thinking and a range of developmental skills. What is great about them is that they can be used together to extend your child’s play opportunities.

Here are the best Educational toys for kids...

Role Play/Imaginative PlayToys: Wooden food, doctors set, dress ups, kitchen and cooking toys, dolls house, pirate ship, castle, figurines, dolls, plastic/wooden animals, dinosaurs, tools, tea-set, cash register, etc.

Wooden Cupcake Stand
with 12 Cupcakes

Kids Puppets: Hand puppets, finger puppets, marionettes

Kids Wooden Blocks: Stacking and connectable blocks

Transport Vehicles: Trains, cars, trucks, boats, planes, farm vehicles, construction vehicles, etc

Kids Games: Board games, card games, lotto games, dominoes, literacy games and math games

Art Toys: Art/craft kits, paints, pencils, collage materials, dough, clay

Skills Building Toys: Tap-tap hammering set, magnetic fishing game, bead frame, shape sorter, stacking toys, threading/beading, sequencing toys, manipulative toys, clock, children’s calendar

Orchard Toys Spotty Dogs
Number Recognition Game

Kids Puzzles: Jigsaw puzzles, floor puzzles, island puzzles (where the pieces fit into their own hole rather than connecting with other pieces)

Kids Science Kits: Mini volcano, telescope, globe, fossil digs, microscope, magnifying glass, magnets, flower press, insect viewer

Outdoor Toys: Croquet set, mini golf, skittles/bowling set, stilts, ball games, bubble blowers, hoops, dancing ribbons, gardening tools, tricycles, bicycles, skipping rope

Magnets Toys: Animals, dinosaurs, letter, numbers, shapes

Kids Books: Fiction and nonfiction

My First Calendar 

Happy Playing,

Emma
www.playhivetoys.com.au

Kids Pirate Party Theme Part 1

A friend recently asked me if I had any ideas for kids games, prizes and fun stuff to do at a birthday party she is hosting for her little man who is turning 4. He loves pirates so I put my teachers thinking cap on and came up with some themed pirate activities, games, gifts and prizes that I know will go down a treat with a group of young pirates!

A Great Dress Up Idea: Pirate Dress Up Play Tin

Of course a themed pirate party would be nothing without kids dress ups. Guests could come already dressed up or you could have a dress up/costume treasure chest at your front door with pirate shirts, bandanas, hats, eye patches, etc that guests could dress in as they enter.

Game Idea 1: Pin the Parrot on the Pirate

Draw or download and print a picture of a pirate on a large piece of paper. Then draw or print out several parrot pictures that are small enough to fit on your pirates shoulder.
Play by the rules of Pin the Tail on the Donkey.

Another Great Dress Up Idea: 3 Piece Pirate Costume

Game Idea 2: Island, Island, Treasure!

This kids game is a pirate take on the game Duck, Duck, Goose. All children sit in a circle facing inwards. A person is chosen to be the pirate and wears a pirate hat. These instructions are written from the point of view of the pirate.

Walk around the outside of the circle, lightly tapping each person on the shoulder as you pass by. As you tap each person, say the word "Island." Those that are named islands remain sitting down.

As you are walking around, decide on the person that you want to be the next “Pirate” and when you tap them say “Treasure” instead of “Island”. This person must stand up quickly and chase you around the circle. When you reach the “Treasure’s” former seat sit down before they can tag you, the person named “Treasure” then becomes the “Pirate”. Keep playing until everyone has had a turn or 2. There are no winners in this game so it can be played without prizes or everyone can get a small prize at the end for their effort.

Great prize for Pass the Treasure
or gifts to put in loot bags
Wooden Pirate Flexi Dolls Set of 6

Game Idea 3: Pass the Treasure

Wrap up a home-made treasure chest filled with prizes such as lollies, chocolates or small toys. Also include a larger toy for the winner of the game. Play like pass the parcel. When the winner opens the treasure chest they keep the large toy and can share the smaller prizes with everyone.

Game Idea 4: Pirate Treasure Hunt

Place small toys, prizes, chocolate coins, etc in loot bags (these could be small brown paper bags with a skull and cross bones drawn or painted on). Hide them around your house or backyard. Before the hunt show the guests an example of the loot bags they are looking for on the treasure hunt so they aren’t collecting random things from around your home or yard.

Gift idea for your little pirate
La Toy Van Barbarossa Pirate Ship

For younger children, hide loot bags around the yard/house and go on a treasure hunt.

For older children, draw a simple map of your backyard/house. Then draw X’s in the places you have hidden treasure for guests to collect during the treasure hunt. Make a copy for each player and off you go.

Stay tuned for the next post on excellent Craft Activities for a Kids Pirate Party Themed

Eggcellent Egg Dying for Egg Tapping

I love Easter!

At Easter time I particularly love egg tapping, a traditional Greek Easter game where 2 players hold a hard boiled egg and tap the tip of the eggs together. The first egg to crack is unfortunately out of the game and the uncracked egg is victorious! Egg tapping is played with eggs that have been dyed red, so the preparation for this game is as much fun as playing it. Even though I’m not Greek I played this game quite a bit as a kid and I absolutely loved it!

Now I’m about to make an admission that would make any Yaya shake a finger of disapproval at me… I love dying and decorating eggs for tapping that AREN'T red. I know it’s breaking tradition but colourful egg dying and decorating is lots of fun and I know your kids will love doing it too.

If you and your kiddos want to give it a try here’s what to do…

1. Hard boil your eggs first (very important! You don’t want raw egg flying around during egg tapping!) Then, allow them too cool.

2. If your kids want patterns or pictures on your eggs, carefully draw them on with crayons or wax pastels. When the eggs are dying, the wax in the crayon or pastel will resist the dye making the patterns stand out. You can also wrap rubber bands around the eggs to make funny lines.

3. In a mug, mix about 20 drops of natural food colouring with 1 tablespoon of vinegar then add 1/2 cup of water. Place your egg in the dye until it’s the depth of colour you desire.

4. Repeat these steps with different eggs to make as many colours as you like. Then for a bit of extra fun use small stickers to make the eggs eggstra eggcellent!

Happy Egg Tapping,

Emma

Educational Toys + Kids = Learning Part 1

What is an Educational Toy?

Many people ask me what constitutes an educational toy. Most people assume that academic based toys like those related to alphabet, spelling, numbers and mathematics are the extent of educational toys, however the spectrum of educational toys is much broader than just academics.

What do children need to learn?

Educational toys, simply put, are those that inspire learning. We are all aware that learning is so much more than academics. During early childhood children learn in many areas. They learn to communicate effectively, interact and socialise, express and cope with feelings, problem solve efficiently, be creative, use and coordinate their body, use their imagination, concentrate and bring all of these things together to be a fully functioning and contributing person within society.

Le Toy Van Excalibur Castle From The Play Hive

So how do children learn all of these things?

Research tells us that play is the way that children learn. Play is essential for growth, development, learning, intelligence and wellbeing. It is the ‘work’ of children and although it may look simple from the outside looking in, complex and sophisticated life skills and competencies are being learned and constructed.

Le Toy Van Honey Bake Baking Set

Where do Educational toys fit within learning?

Children use educational toys in their play as props or, an educational toy can even become the focus of play. An educational toy is one that encourages good quality play by inspiring learning, imagination, creativity, problem solving, thinking and a range of developmental skills. Educational toys also build confidence and foster a healthy self–esteem by sending positive messages to children about body image, appropriate and respectful behaviour and equal opportunity. Educational toys can be structured ie. only one outcome or one way of using it, such as puzzles or board games. Or they can be open-ended ie. used in many ways with a multitude of outcomes, such as wooden blocks, figurines, etc.  

3D Puzzle and Construction 

For a list of the best educational toys please stay tuned for my next post.

Happy playing,

Emma

Teacher's Top 10 Activities for Fine Motor Development

  As a pre-school teacher I provide educational toys and activities everyday to strengthen and encourage my student’s fine motor development. Their little hands develop so much over the course of a year– strength, coordination, control, dexterity, bi-lateral integration (both hands working together) and finger isolation. The educational toys and activities I provide are all based around fun and enjoyment. It’s really just a bonus that they are all so great for their fine motor development.  

My Teacher's Top 10 Toys and activities aren’t rated from 10 to 1. They are all of equal value and compliment each other. The best thing about them is that they are extremely easy to set up at home and are a lot of fun for the whole family. So without further ado, here’s my Teacher’s Top 10. 

 

1. Threading Toys - Beads, Lacing, Sewing

Children practice:

• Eye hand coordination
• Finger control and dexterity
• Pincer grasp to hold string and small beads (using index finger and thumb to pick up or hold objects). This grasp assists with the development of an efficient pencil grasp- the tripod grasp.
• Bilateral Integration– using both hands together to coordinate the string and bead (threading) or the fabric/card and thread (sewing/lacing)
•  

2. Drawing

Children practice:

• Skills using crayons, pastel, pencils, markers, charcoal, pens, etc. Thicker widths are easy for younger children with limited drawing experience. Thinner widths are a little harder and suit older children with more experience. Chunky crayons are perfect for older babies and toddlers.
• Pencil grasp- progression through different grasps to finally achieving the most efficient and mature grasp, the tripod grasp.
• Control and coordination of fingers and of drawing tool 

3. Play Dough and Clay

Children practice:

• Strengthening their hands by squeezing, breaking, molding, pounding
• Control of the small muscles in the hands
• Finger coordination and the ability to isolate the movement of each finger
• Strengthening their arms and assists with shoulder stability (important for all fine motor activity)
• Twisting movements of the wrist when molding or breaking play dough/clay

4. Puzzles and Jigsaws for kids

Children practice:

• Manipulating pieces to fit into holes- twisting, flipping, turning
• Finger coordination and the ability to isolate the movement of each finger to join interlocking pieces
• Eye-hand coordination

Melissa and Doug Pirate Adventure Puzzle

5. Painting with kids or Pasting

Children practice:

• Holding a rod like tool and having to control it. Even though a brush should be held in the same way as a pencil (tripod grasp), the sensation of using a brush is different. This is because the paint/glue will feel different as it is applied to a surface and the technique for application is also different
• All sorts of hand application techniques such as stroking, dabbing, flicking, twisting, twirling, etc
• Eye hand coordination
• Control and dexterity of small muscle groups in the hand 

6. Construction Sets and Building Toys for kids
Children practice:

• Manipulating small objects to snap together, pull apart or balance
• Strengthening fingers
• Eye-hand coordination
• Bilateral integration

Blue Ribbon Arabian Block Set

7. Collage with Paste or Sticky Tape

Children practice:

• Motor planning- having to plan movements mentally to achieve an outcome ie. Picking up paste brush, applying paste to back of collage piece, turning the piece over, finding best place to stick it, pressing it down onto the paper.
• Eye- hand coordination
• Control, coordination and dexterity of fingers and hands
• If sticky tape is used, the dispenser is great for employing delicate finger movements so the tape doesn’t stick together when handled
• Bilateral integration to dispense, hold and stick tape in the appropriate place or to use paste and paste pot together.

8. Scissors

Children practice:

• Open and close motion of the hand
• Steering the scissors
• Bilateral integration- the ability to coordinate both sides of the body to work together. In this case coordinating the cutting hand and paper grasping hand
• Finger coordination and the ability to isolate the movement of each finger
• Eye hand coordination
• Motor planning- having to mentally plan movements to achieve an outcome
• Strengthening the hands

9. Finger Painting

Children practice:

• Gaining sensory feedback and responding physically to what they are feeling
• Using the whole body to move the paint (if they are standing up). Great for upper body and arm strength which in turn benefits their fine motor skills
• Finger work- isolating finger movements
• Bilateral integration if both hands are used to paint

10. Hammering Toys

Children practice:

• Gaining sensory feedback from the vibration of the hammering and using this to control the force employed
• Eye-hand coordination
• Arm and wrist strength that support fine motor activity
• If tacks or nails are being used, eye hand coordination to place tacks in the right spot and bilateral integration to hold tack and hammer carefully at the same time

Peg Hammering Bench

So, would it be breaking the rules to add one more activity? It probably would, but let’s go for it anyway! Lucky last…

   

 11. Peg Boards   

Children practice:

• Pincer grasp (using index finger and thumb to pick up objects)
• Eye-hand coordination
• Isolating movements of the fingers
• Control and coordination of the muscle groups in the fingers and hands

Happy playing,

Emma Butler

http://playhivetoys.com.au/