You already know what's important when selecting toys for your child care setting. They need to be durable, the right size for your environment, colorful, and safe. A teeter-totter with handle bars and a backrest promotes more independent use than one without. It's more important that each child be able to do something playful with a toy than it is for children to all do the same thing or play in the same way with the toy.
Modifications expand the use of the toy for all children.
For young children, important skills are acquired from frequent contact with play materials and peers. The give and take during play activities and care giving routines in your child care program allows for experiences that are necessary to learn appropriate skills at varying developmental levels. Toys should encourage children to play face to face or side by side. Duplicates of materials arranged together allow for verbal and nonverbal communication and may minimize squabbles. Previous Page Next Page Click here to return to the Welcoming All Children Table of Contents.