Remember the good old days when you could play outside for hours with the simplest of toys and games? Little did you know you were boosting your creativity and expanding your mind in wonderful ways. You just knew that you were having fun. Believe it or not, many of those old-fashioned toys are still used by child psychologists and pediatricians to promote healthy creative growth. Let’s take a look at a few classic toy ideas which will inspire creativity in your children and you may even want to consider getting them to replace their daily use of smartphones and tablets!
#1 – Building Blocks and LEGOS
Building blocks have been used as a child’s toy ever since man began to fashion wood. And the classic LEGO building block toys has been helping children create environments, objects, vehicles and characters since the 1930s.
Plastic building blocks of all shapes, sizes and colors promote in your child independent creative ideas and motor control growth. Simple and inexpensive, but so important due to their versatility and endless construction possibilities, LEGO building blocks are a classic must-have toy that is fun and easy to use, as well as inspirational.
#2 – Etch A Sketch
With a flat gray screen and a red plastic frame, the Etch A Sketch debuted in 1960 as an art and drawing toy which is the precursor to the laptops and tablet PCs we have today. The two knobs located on the front of the toy in the right and left lower corners, when twisted independently, begin moving a cursor around the screen, leaving a solid line in its path.
Inducted into the National Toy Hall Of Fame in Rochester, New York, this simple, low-cost but imaginative toy is great for improving eye-hand coordination. And regardless of the level of artistic capability in your child, hours of engrossing play will get your child’s creative juices flowing.
#3 – Mr Potato Head
Mr Potato Head showed up with his plastic potato body and removable accessories and features in 1952, as the first toy after to be advertised on television. Dating back to the days of the pilgrims in the United States, when children stuck real potatoes with sticks and other objects to create dolls, the idea behind Mr Potato Head is creative customization.
Every child creates their own unique character when they get their hands on Mr Potato Head. There is even a Mrs Potato Head, and the plain body comes complete with clothing, hats, beards and mustaches, eyebrows, eyes and other objects that allow children to use their own individuality to customize and create unique characters.
#4 – Play-Doh
When children in a Cincinnati classroom began using a wallpaper cleaner as a modeling compound, Play-Doh was re-marketed as a toy. Still globally popular, the simple toy composed of water, salt, flour and mineral oil is one of the most versatile toys ever created.
Versions like the modern day Play-Doh Fun Factory and Play-Doh Fun Bucket allow your child to creatively mold and shape figures in their own imaginative ways. Motor skill development, artistic creation and self-esteem are all promoted and positively influenced by this simple molding toy that made the Toy Industry Association’s “Century of Toys List” in 2003.