15 November 1995 anufacturers of elaborate and expensive educational toys are competing for parents' dollars this holiday season. But an educator at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., says children learn most from how they play, not from the toys they play with. Parents want their children to be smart. They believe toys can help youngsters develop learning skills and behaviors, says Anastasia Samaras, who directs the university's teacher education program.
Children learn from make believe.
That's where youngsters take on the roles of others and learn about themselves and the world. Toys that light up, spin around and make a lot of noise are often ignored by children after the wrapping is discarded. Toys that allow children ages 4 to 8 to play out adult roles are the most valuable. In such play, children want to be older and different from themselves. Make-believe play accelerates children's academic skills and helps them learn storytelling.