Tips for Toy Play

Here are some other things to consider when thinking about your child’s toy play:

• There is no “right” way to play – children play in a variety of ways that help them explore objects and learn about the world. Play can take many different forms, such as lining up blocks, crashing into a pile of pillows, putting a blanket on a doll, or spinning the wheels of a toy car while watching with interest. You’ll know that your child is playing if they choose the activity, and they are enjoying it.
• Think beyond the toy box – sometimes the best toys are not “toys” at all! Children often have as much fun with the toy packaging as they do with the toy itself! The study described above about physical play included a spinning office chair as a physical toy, which can be great fun for children who enjoy spinning. Other everyday objects that some children enjoy include things like cardboard boxes, paper towel rolls, blankets, and mixing bowls. Just because it doesn’t come from the toy store doesn’t mean it isn’t a potential toy!
• We can’t make assumptions about toys – while it may be more difficult to start an interaction with an electronic toy, this is not always the case. Some electronic toys can provide opportunities for interaction, such as a ball with lights and sounds that can be passed back and forth in a game of catch. And while toys for physical play may promote interaction, there could be times when your child prefers to play with these types of toys alone. The best way to figure out if a toy can be interactive is to follow your child’s lead, watching how they play, and finding a way to playfully join in without changing the way they play.
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  YOU might be your child’s best toy! – sometimes the most interaction happens without any toys at all! “People games” are physical games without any toys or objects, such as chase, tickles, or Peek-a-boo. Because these games only involve people (and no toys), and they include fun movements or actions, it’s often easier to get an interaction going with these games, as long as you make sure that you pause during the game for your child to take a turn. 
• It’s not about the toy; it’s about the interaction – the authors of one of the electronic toy studies summarize what’s most important when it comes to toy play: “Parents should be assured that no toys can take the place of a sensitive, engaged, responsive play partner” [2, p. 7]. That is, the interactions you have with your child during play are far more important that the toys themselves.