By NC

children happy this holiday season (NC)—Choosing the right toy for your child will give her the opportunity to think, practice a particular skill or learn something new, as well as engage her in hours of play. To strike a balance between learning and fun, parents should look for toys that fit their child's age, abilities and interests, and give her the opportunity to learn and grow. Take the time to be sure the toy is suitable for your child. You'll help your child learn and have fun at the same time!

To help parents identify toys that nurture learning behaviours in key areas of development, Sylvan Learning Centre offer these tips to help parents find toys that make learning fun:

Math

• Board games take math beyond the classroom. Take turns playing banker in Monopoly™ or play a game of Yahtzee™ and calculate the odds of rolling specific combinations.

• A toy cash register helps children understand math when making change with money.

• Building blocks teach children about geometry and shapes.

Reading/Writing

• Books help children enhance their vocabulary and appreciate literature. Find out who your child's favourite author is and be sure to bring home a couple of those books. Go to www.bookadventure.org for guidance on age-specific books in your child's favourite subject areas.

• The LeapPad™ Learning System lets children use their personal console to run a variety of learning software that teaches reading, phonics and vocabulary.

• Subscribe to a magazine for your child (e.g., Ladybug, Ranger Rick, Spider, Chirp, etc.) to learn about topics of interest to him.

Imagination/Creativity

• Dress up costumes, dollhouses and other pretend props encourage children to tell stories and play make-believe. Young children love to pretend with child-size versions of everyday adult objects like telephones, cars and computers. Find activities and toys that are pretend versions of items you use on a regular basis.

• The Easy Bake™ Oven introduces children to basic food preparation skills, such as measurements, reading recipes and following cooking directions.

• Art materials, such as paint sets or craft kits, foster creativity and help improve reading and writing skills.

Reasoning Skills

• For young children, toys like building blocks, LEGO's™, and Tinkertoys™ actually help children acquire the reasoning necessary to learn math more quickly.

• Look into games like Connect Four™ or Yahtzee™ to teach your child strategy and problem solving skills.

• Science kits, chemistry sets and ant farms offer great insights into the world of science and help enhance reading comprehension and critical thinking.

• Video games help build reasoning skills and logic as children navigate different levels of each game. It's a great way to develop hand-eye coordination, too.

Sylvan Learning Centre is the largest organization of its kind in the industry. Sylvan's trained and certified teachers provide personalized instruction in reading, writing, mathematics, study skills and test-prep. For tips on helping your child develop stronger skills, visit Sylvan Learning Centre's "Tips for Parents and Students" page on the web at www.educate.com/tips. For more information about Sylvan Learning Centre, phone 1-800-31-SUCCESS.

- News Canada

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