Can toys help children learn to count?
Research shows that learning through play is an important part of a child’s development. Kids build skills naturally through play. Children love counting as high as they can, like grown-ups. They may even be interested in the name of the highest number. Fluency in counting words aids in later computational skills. At first, children memorize the counting words from about one to 10 or so. But their learning doesn’t involve only memory.
Children can learn a lot from playing. When you give your child educational toys and play with them, it gives them a chance to bond with you, learn, and have fun at the same time. And making education enjoyable will help your child retain the things they learn and develop a positive attitude toward learning.
Benefits of Counting Toys
Counting toys are understood to be great for helping your child continue to learn about numbers. These toys can range from simple wooden beads abacus sets to number puzzles sets. Toys that encourage children to play with others also help them to build social skills. Incorporating play into your child’s day can be both fun and beneficial to their growth.
When it comes to developing your children’s numeracy skills, people tend to think of homework activities or counting games rather than traditionally playful toys. In reality, there are a whole range of math toys available in the market that provide many benefits to children’s development whilst still being fun and entertaining.
Given below are some of the benefits of toys that help children to learn counting from an early age:-
Cognitive development
Cognitive development is a skill that is so important to how a child develops because it is related to how they think and approach certain tasks to overcome them. Counting toys tends to take cognitive development to the next level.
Counting toys are great tools for developing problem solving skills in children of any age, when maths is merged with entertainment, it naturally becomes more appealing to children. Developing problem solving skills through the use of maths toys is a great development step for children and will support them with STEM SKILLS when they begin to school.
Creative thinking
Another benefit of playing with counting toys is that it can encourage your children to develop creative thinking skills. Developing creative thinking through the use of maths toys is a brilliant step for children because it allows them to think on a deeper level.
Surprisingly, maths toys tend to involve a fair amount of fine motor skills. Math toys can involve a lot of hands-on playtimes. This is another benefit of introducing maths toys to your children because they encourage the development of fine motor skills at a young age.
Top 5 toys for children to learn counting
Wooden Beads Abacus
Brand: Tooky Toys
Age 0-3
Purchase an abacus with large, colorful beads. Line all the beads up on the left side and show children how they can slide one bead at a time towards the right. Count the beads with them. Little ones will quickly grasp the concept. Later, you can invite children to slide one red bead, two blue beads, three yellow beads, and so on. Not only will children learn how to count with this activity, but they will also work on their fine motor skills and practice color recognition.
Number Street
Brand: Orchard Toys
Number street from orchard toy, A fun and colorful introduction to counting. Piece together the numbered street from 1 to 10, then find the corresponding number of friendly animals for each house. This first puzzle is a great way to develop hand-eye coordination and problem-solving skills for young learners.
Snap-n-Learn Number Turtles
Brand: Learning Resources
Age 0-3
Snap-n-Learn Number Turtles from learning resources is an ideal early maths learning toy for young children. They encourage young children to master early learning skills in a snap with three colourful plastic turtles, each with 3 different numbers printed on the shell. The snap-together nature of the turtles makes them fun and easy to play with as well as encouraging hand-eye coordination by allowing children to get creative using their imagination.
AlphaBee
Brand: Learning Resources
This portable activity set is ideal for learning on the go. Keep early learners occupied when traveling as they develop early counting Skills. This Early childhood learning toy is a perfect combination of Fun and Learning for Children. Perfect toy to enhance numeracy and literacy skills.
Wooden Counting Game Board
Brand:Tooky Toys
Age: 0-3
This wooden counting game board is a fun way to teach your child the basics of maths. Help them develop their skills by creating a fun and engaging environment, teaching them entertaining games with this beautiful wooden playset. Help children develop their maths skills with Tooky Toy's wooden counting game board wooden playsets! A fun way to learn maths!
Conclusion
In the early years of life, children learn through play and interaction with family and friends. Children are like sponges, ready to absorb any bit of knowledge that comes their way. Toys play an active role in the development of children. Toys that help children learn to count are essential. Number toys are a great way to encourage your child in learning number and math skills from an early age. Children can develop their maths skills and have fun at the same time! And making education enjoyable will help your child retain what they learn. These counting games are a great way to help them build their confidence.