What Educational Technology Can You Include in Your Toddler’s Playroom?
As a parent or future parent, you probably want to nurture the development of little minds with toys that are engaging and educational. After all, babies and toddlers are constantly learning by interacting with the things around them. Although every toy can be educational for a child, some tech does a better job of teaching your child key lessons, developments, and life skills.
The Many Paths to Parenthood
Before you can set up a playroom with educational technology for a toddler, you need to have a child. Although this might seem like common sense, some folks who want to be parents may be on the fence about how they want to approach that stage in life. Depending on your circumstances, having a baby may be the hardest part of parenting or the easiest one.
For those who are unable or unwilling to conceive on their own, a surrogate can be one way to achieve parenthood without putting one partner’s body through the stress of pregnancy and childbirth. How much surrogacy costs rests on a range of factors from the requirement for an egg donor’s assistance to expenses that are unique to your surrogate to how many babies your surrogate is expecting to medical situations that may impact the outcome of the pregnancy. Adoption is another option for those who want to parent but don’t want to physically go through the toll of producing a child.
Consider Preschool Toys and Tech
If educational technology for little ones is good enough for a preschool, it should be good enough for your family’s playroom. 1.5 million children had their parents or guardians enroll them in preschool this year. This means that many kids are being exposed to high-quality educational technology in educational settings before they enter kindergarten. To stay ahead of the curve, you should ask your local preschool which toys and technology they stock for the little ones in their care.
Every preschool has a different philosophy around technology and children. Some schools like Montessori schools may limit technology and focus on more child-led experiences while other preschools that aim to prepare gifted children for more advanced educational endeavors down the line might use technology more to put the kids in their charge ahead of the game. As a parent, you should enroll your child in a preschool that resonates with your goals and values while also taking some of the tools the preschool uses as suggestions for things to include in your playroom at home so your child has continuity from one setting to another.
Nurture Early Development
Since your child is never too young to get a head start on their talents, you should foster a home environment that feeds their interests. If your young child loves music, musical practice can positively affect their brain’s structure. Keep in mind that a young child’s brain experiences structural shifts that can be observed after a mere 15 months of training in musical instruments or technology.
If your child doesn’t love music, there are ways to use educational technology to make it more fun or engaging. Some toys may produce music while there may also be apps that allow your child to experiment with music as they learn. Children love fun sounds and bright colors, so you should let your children experiment and explore what they love in the safety of their playroom by providing a variety of technology for them to use.
These are some ideas to consider as you set up your toddler’s playroom. Consider how tech can advance your child’s life and engage them in new learning experiences!