subject: Criteria For Selecting The Best Travel Toys [print this page] Engage kids for long periods of time by going beyond the traditional travel toy - the coloring book. Teachers and parents say that kids remain entertained by an activity if it engages their mind in specific ways. Toys or activities that meet one or more of the following objectives will entertain kids for an extended amount of time: stimulating the imagination, enhancing creativity, developing fine motor skills and fostering learning. Create an activity kit with individual components meeting those criteria will ensure a fun trip.
Coloring books allow for some creativity but you can go even further with coloring crafts. A design-your-own animal mask serves two purposes - a creative project that leads to imaginative play with your child pretending to be the animal depicted by the mask.
Activity books filled with mazes and games foster learning and fine motor skills as well as creativity. Especially if the pages are left free for coloring once the activity is complete.
Small toys, such as bendable figures, animals or small cars, encourage imagination through let's pretend games. Use finger puppets to create puppet shows for toddlers or have your kids create a puppet show for you.
Ball toss and marble mazes develop fine motor skills and are just plain fun! You would be amazed at how much energy a child can expend trying to master a new skill such as the ball toss game. Fuel competitive spirits by creating contests for the most in a row or fewest missed over ten tries.
Simple puzzles like magic loops, happy cubes, or the Tangle also work double duty - by fostering learning and enhancing creativity. As with all puzzles, the level of difficulty is crucial to its success.
The best travel toys are small enough to pack easily and fun for long periods of time. Toys that meet the criteria listed above are sure to give you and your family hours of enjoyable travel time.
by: Jenny Untermeyer
welcome to Insurances.net (https://www.insurances.net)
