Do your kids love to play? Have you heard of open-ended toys vs. close-ended toys? Here is a breakdown of what the difference is:
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– These are toys with a specific intended use or limited ways to play with them.
– Examples include puzzles, board games, action figures, and toy vehicles.
– Closed-ended toys often have a defined outcome or goal, such as completing a puzzle or winning a game.
– They can be great for developing specific skills, such as problem-solving, strategic thinking, and following rules.
– However, they may provide less opportunity for imagination and creativity compared to open-ended toys.
Open-ended toys
– These are toys that can be used in a variety of ways, allowing for endless possibilities and imaginative play.
– Examples include building blocks, dress-up clothes, art supplies, and play kitchen sets.
– Open-ended toys encourage creativity, exploration, and experimentation as children can use them in different ways each time they play.
– They promote skills such as critical thinking, storytelling, social interaction, and fine motor skills.
– Open-ended toys tend to have a longer lifespan in a child’s playtime as they can grow and adapt with the child’s changing interests.
Magnetic tiles – Creativity
Magnetic ties are one of my all-time favorites! There is so much creativity that happens to them. My kids have built houses, towns, garages and so much more. It’s honestly endless. They are now making ones that offer more imagination to happen because of the parts being added.
For example, marble mazes, roads, animals; and 3D shapes just to name a few.
LEGO/DUPO
LEGO is a staple open-ended toy. They have been around for years! My husband loved them as kids and still has such a love for using his creative brain to design and display creations.
Our kids have had DUPO as part of their life from the early stages. It is one toy that they always go back to no matter what. It doesn’t matter the age of my kids, all 3 can enjoy themselves and play for hours on end.
Lincoln logs Playtime
I personally never played with Lincoln logs as a kid, but I remember others creating, with them. What a fun idea to take small pieces of wood and make something with them. Whatever you want, there doesn’t have to be a “right” way to make them work. Our kids love to use them with other toys to explain their hours of fun.
Kitchen sets Free Play
You might be thinking about kitchen sets. How can that be open-ended? Well, my kids have turned it into a restaurant, grocery shopping, playing house, and a place to hide their treasures.
In our house, our kids spend a lot of time playing with each other with little or no adult interaction. I’m generally in the same room or area as them but working on adult projects while they are on children’s projects. It works for us. They still feel close and a part of what I’m working on, often it’s cleaning or preparing for what is to come or work.
However, because of their creative brains, there is often a large mess to clean up at the end of the day and that can be a challenge in itself to conquer.
In comparison, closed-ended and open-ended toys have their place in a child’s play environment. A good balance of both types can provide a well-rounded play experience that engages different aspects of a child’s development. Children can benefit from having a mix of closed-ended and open-ended toys to support various aspects of their development. If you have any specific questions about choosing toys for a child or want recommendations based on their age or interests, feel free to ask!
Faith in Play
Do you believe that all these modern toys are good for our kids? Sometimes I wonder if all the technology is all good. It has brought a lot of good to our world and brought us together. I also love that I can have many things at my fingertips. I do worry about all the bad that is out there. That is what I love about these open-ended toys. No technology, just good old-fashioned play. God allows all good and bad. He allows choices to occur. The best part is he sent his son, Jesus Christ, to forgive us. Technology also allows his message to be shared with others all over the world, which truly is a blessing.
Playing with such amazing toys can help kids learn to share and learn the values that God has entrusted to teaching our children. So. where do you stand?