New-York tribune., 1907-01-14
USELESS PLAYTHINGS.
Elaborate Toys of Almost No Inter
est to Little Children.

The ch6's first I've wears are lived almost en-
tirsly IN the realm OF play, said DR. T. S. Fowler
Sch5nen at recent conference On Tho Eject OF
Play IN the Domestic science department Of Brook
iyn Institute. THE infant begins to play In his
cradle with his toes and fingers. healthy
child IS always playful, and he wants 10 play In
cessantiy, except when he is hungry, sleepy or
otherwise uncomfortable Play IS natures method
OF educating the child It IS a natural Developments
and training OF the chiids physical. mental and
moral nature.
Almost all a mothers talk TO a child up 20
school ese IS in the nature OF play. As she pro-
vdes food for the child's body SO IN her play with
him she furnishes food for his mind. Il is some
tea asked II t IS right 10 try to teach very young
children anything. Positively no mother can heip
doing IT. Consciously unconsoiously she is teach-
ing q child from earliest infancy by play. She IS
teaching him language as she talks TO him. She Is
teaching him motion. form and direction as she
dsneles bright ball before his baby eyes
games train the body and the mind In the
ceaseess activity OF tho little child, wearing to
older persons he is developing every muscle Toss
ing ball is OF the best gynnasuc exercises
invented. In playing with building blocks
child gets no physical exercise but he is getting
the finest kind Of mental training. He is developing
taste. judgment and ideas OF architecture
BLOCKS AS TEACHERS
"A very small child takes great comfort with
nest of blocks ali Of which he put inside the
largest one. and then take out again. Children
love very much a playthiEg which can be taken to
pieces and put together again, horse that can be
hsrnessed and Embarrassed doll that can be
dressed and undressed. ANY one who watches little
children must how they love little. simple mo-
actions; how they will sing the same nttle
refrain repeat the same meaningless phrase over
and over again. TIL an older person Is nauseateo
with It. The childs mind is simple A cmld Is
overstimulated and wearfed by tho elaborate, m
isned toys given him nowadays II you 90 not
think 30, examine the hoard a young chAa VIII
collect for himself. / examined one such hoard
cir xUh0
NlaythIngs she liked. Among her treasures we're
bsrious old empty spools. the handle OF an old
inosh broom, clothespln and various such Things,
haold!ng battered rubber doll the only toy she
knoSaken from elaborate collection. DO not
but 3 what meaning she attached to these things,
someou may be sure that each old spool stood for
The hing more than spool to her Inauguration
play. I'D lives in an unreal world. the world of
times, iEs Imagination is always at work Some
will tell we can get into his world ourselves. he
glimpse Is his little ina ginings. and we can get
usually INTO the fairy realm where he lives. But
left th1be child is shy with US. because we have
= KIT fairyland and forgotten what was there
Hee1ne.ows that the grown-up will not understand
and will laugh The child does not ike to be
laughed at any more than a grown-up. 1t makes
him ashamed and miserable. Or if he grows to
like IL it is very bad for him Then he becomes
pert and self-conscious.
FINISHED TOYS WORTHLESS.
,aThs finished toy. which leaves nothing to the
imag aation is bad for the little child So is the
elaborate mechanical toy. OF which the stores are
full-fhose launches, torpedo boats and so on
1t Is too intricate; II wearies him. Here is steam
engine which, when fired up by alcohol, will act
uaiIy work like a locomotive. That is dangerous
for boy of five. both account of the firing and
the sharp iron IT is also too intricate for
him 10 understand, and 1T Is finished If he takes
IL to pieces he put IT together again 1t Is
destroyed All such mechanical toys excellent
for older boys who have been in school several
years. They really teach such boys mechanics and
electricity in the very best way. But they too
complicated for the child under school age.
'Of ell the toy Inhabitants OF the play world
the doll is the most interesting. With her doll the
little girl acts out the whole drama OF motherhood
In the most innocent and charming way. She en-
dows the doll with life and acts ont innumerable
situations IN life with 1t, and If you want see
how you appear to your daughter listen to of
these little dramas which she acts out with her
children and her visitors. They will be enlighten-
ing at times.
HOW GREEKS TAUGHT FORM.
do lot givs little children toys which represent
monsters or clowns. The Greeks placed geo.
nstr1ca forms above the childs cradle so that his
hrst vision should become accustomed to correct
form Froebel advised knit balls in the seven
primary colors, SO that the baby'e eyes should
Learn to Ike pure form and color. A little stand