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The True Value of a Toy
- Gabrielle Fischer Posted On Jan 25, 2017
“Play is the work of the child.”Maria Montessori said this, and it’s still true today.If play is children’s work, then toys are their tools of the trade. Toys allow kids to use the skills they have and to challenge their bodies and minds in the most interesting ways.Toys seem to magically bring about joy, from the simplest rag doll to the most advanced electronic gizmo. But more than that, toys help your kids realize important developmental benefits... just by having fun.Here are a few of the amazing things kids experience when they are happily absorbed in playing with a toy:Relaxation
Don't underestimate the need for a child to de-stress. School and life can be hard for them. When you allow a child to take a break and unwind with fun, jump on it! Play is the perfect way to help release muscle tension, taper temper tantrums, and decrease anxiety. Plus, play puts everyone in a good mood!Bonding
Toys encourage children and adults to play together. Doing so opens the door to conversations. It builds strong relationships that will continue long after the toys have been put away.Confidence
Playing with toys offers repetition, which, in turn, leads to comfort and confidence. By being able to practice, children gain skills that lead them to push beyond their current levels. Plus, many toys have different levels of play. This helps children begin at a level that's right for their abilities and move up when they feel comfortable and confident to do so.Skills
When kids play with toys, they think of unique ways to solve problems, learn cause and effect, be creative, and expand language skills. Through play, kids also pick up new ideas, build both fine and gross motor skills, cope with becoming frustrated, and learn how to get along with others.Self-Motivation
Learning new skills can be a challenge, but when introduced through play, skill development isn't work, but fun that results in children wanting to do more—play more, learn more. And that growth is promoted by the children themselves, not driven by their parents or teachers.So, the next time you give a child a toy, you can smile knowing that you’re giving much more than that —you’re impacting a child in subtle, but powerful ways!
Pretend Play Big Game Grill Out
Celebrate the Big Game with a Pretend Play Grill Out! No matter the weather, young grill masters can sear up a storm inside or outside with our New Sprouts® Grill it! The fun and finger-friendly way to pretend grill, this engaging kettle-style grill is soft, durable, easy to handle, and comes with a full assortment of play food, allowing children ages 2 and up to express their inner BBQ king or queen. Using the tongs to move foods on, around, and off the grill allows them to practice fine motor skills as well as hand-eye coordination.
From veggies to steak, chicken, and burgers, there's plenty of mouth-watering play food to cook and serve. Best of all, there's no mess to clean up and all of the food stores inside the grill for easy put away.
Don't forget the New Sprouts® Cookout! Grab a plate and enjoy! Realistic looking play food allows your child to have a cookout, indoors or out. All your cookout favorites are included from the hot dogs to the corn on the cob. Durable plastic pieces allow for imaginative play that lasts all day. Perfectly sized for small hands.
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Botley Interviews his Inventor!
I was lucky enough to sit down with Michael, the inventor, creator, maker of me, and ask him a whole bunch of questions. Here’s what he had to say.
- How did you first come up with me?
Our Product Development team is always working to come up with awesome educational toys. In this case, we wanted to make a robot that would help teach the fundamentals of coding in a really fun, engaging way. Sort of a robot pal.
- How long did it take you to create me?
I’d say 12 months from the concept to the final production version.
- Who chose my name?
A lot of people were involved, really. We debated it for a while. You had some pretty unusual names being thrown around. We’re very happy with Botley, though. You seem like a Botley to us.
- In your opinion, why is coding so important?
Some people say it’s the literacy of the 21st century! We believe that coding, logic and critical thinking skills are all going to be very important for young students as they prepare for careers in the 21st century.
- How much fun is it to work for a toy company?
Do you know the movie “Big”? It’s just like that. 
- What’s your favorite thing I do?
Well, there’s so much, but I think my favorite thing is when you remind me to play with you by yelling “yoo-hoo!” or sneezing. It’s pretty cute.
- What’s your favorite part about working on a robot?
The day that we finally were able to test you with your voice in place was pretty special. Everybody just laughed and smiled hearing you say your name. I felt like a proud dad.
- What do you think makes me so special?
I think it’s the simplicity and out-of-the-box play. We don’t have to connect you to an app or use a phone to control you—so it’s a nice break from screen time.
- Can you share with our readers one of my hidden features?
Alright, just one. When you’re in code mode, if you press Right four times on the Remote Programmer, then press TRANSMIT, you’ll make a very silly sound. 
- Why should a mom bring me home to her 5 year old?
As a parent, I’m always looking for toys that will get my kids away from a screen and doing something that will engage and wow them, and maybe have them learn valuable skills along the way.
- Am I your favorite toy you ever invented?
I don’t like to play favorites, Botley, but yes, you really are very special.
- What’s the longest black line you’ve ever had me follow?
That’s a great question. We did have you do multiple laps in a conference room, for a while. I’d say it was probably a few hundred feet all added up. You would have kept going, but we had to break for lunch.
- Will I eventually have any robot friends?
Our team is talking about that right now. Stay tuned!
- Is there a reason my arms are detachable?
We wanted to make something that could easily be adaptable to new pieces – like your new Action Challenge accessory set. The new arms for that set are great for setting off chain reactions and moving objects. 
To learn more about Botley (thats me!) visit LearningResources.com/Botley or read my last blog post where I introduced myself!
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