This statement encourages pediatricians to provide parents with informed opinions about the role of toys in child development and in the selection of toys for their children. Learning begins well before the initiation of formal education. Interactions of parents and other caregivers with the child and the materials provided to the child represent the curriculum for children's early learning.
Toys play an important supportive role in child development.
The creative use of simple, safe, inexpensive, and developmentally appropriate materials as toys facilitates universal access to this essential and fundamental learning process. Pediatricians should incorporate parent guidance about the nature of play and toys into their health promotion efforts in the office and in the community. Toys are the tools of play, but the essence of play is the spontaneous and pleasurable activity that results from their use. Playing with toys promotes self-esteem, fine and gross motor ability, language, communication, cognitive ability, and social skills. All children, including those with special needs, benefit from carefully selected toys that stimulate creative interaction and skill development.