Do you still remember the toys you played with as a child? There were wooden blocks, shape sorters, Lego bricks, telephone, xylophone, and the list goes on. While these toys have provided you the much-needed enjoyment at that time, it is also highly likely that playing with them have contributed to your development.
The development of the senses would depend on the toys your baby plays with. By choosing the right kind of toys, your baby’s senses can be developed in the best possible way.
This is what the first symposium of Fisher-Price titled Great Mom In The Making sponsored by Richwell Club in partnership with Baby Company held last Saturday at the SM Aura was all about. During the symposium, soon-to-be-moms learned about the importance of play in child development and how to choose toys and books which are both age and developmentally-appropriate.
The Importance of Play
Dra. Iris Doria-Echaus, a Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician from The Medical City Center for Development Pediatrics talked about the importance of play. “Play is natural activity for children and it provides opportunity to learn and grow physically, mentally and socially,” she stressed.
Studies have shown that play is important to brain development and that it is through play that children can interact with their environment at a very early age.
While it is good for a child to learn how to play independently. It is still important for for parents to play with their children. To which, Dra. Iris was quick to point out, “we tend to forget how to play with children.” Aside from it being a good time to bond, parents would also be able to gauge a child’s view of the world by playing with them.
On Choosing Age-Appropriate Toys
“Toys are the child’s tools. Through toys, children learn about the world, themselves and others,” Dra. Iris stressed.
As a first-time mom myself, I always get lured by the sight of toys on display especially when these are marked down. I didn’t give that much thought when buying toys as most of the time I get too overwhelmed with the many choices at the toy store and I end up buying toys that my child doesn’t need.
Dra. Iris gave pointers on how to choose which toys are appropriate. “A good toy should be safe for the child’s age, well-constructed, durable and appealing to the child,” she said. “Bigger toys are suitable for babies as these encourage sensory play. Toys should appeal to the child and not to the parent,” she added.
The good news is, Fisher-Price has all these toys for babies, toddlers and kids. As one of the world’s leading manufacturers of babygear and preschool toys, Fisher-Price believes in the power of innovation and fun to bring out the full potential of the world’s children.
On Reading and Books
Dra. Iris encouraged moms to set aside time for reading. By making books accessible, turning the room into a reading-friendly space and by not drilling your child on letters but instead making a game out of it can help instill the love of reading into young minds.
Dra. Iris also gave tips to follow when reading to your child. These are: (1) Run your finger under the words as you read; (2) Talk as you read to develop language skills; (3) Read with expressions. Use funny voices and animal noises; (4) Stop to look at the pictures and ask your child to name a few things.
“Books appropriate for infants (6-12 months) are small brightly-colored books or soft fabric books which are good small hands. For young toddlers (12-24 months), sturdy books board that they can carry which have pictures of children doing familiar and with only a few words on the page. For preschoolers (3-5 years old), books which tell stories and have simple text,” Dra. Iris added.
Moms get to play, too
What is a symposium on play without games? The creativity of the soon-to-be-moms was put to a practice when they were given a baby bib to design using colored glue pens.
Mom Phoebe busy listing down songs to come up with the most number during the Songs-with-Baby-on-the-title game.
Lucky moms-to-be won Fisher Price toys during the raffle draw.
Let’s talk about gears
Jacqueline Spencer, brand manager of Chicco gave a live demo of their latest gears ideal for travelling and or outdoor use. Expectant moms were given a glimpse of their latest strollers. One of these is products is the OHLALA grab and go stroller which is surprisingly light at 3.8 kg yet incredibly sturdy. It was designed with the millennial moms in mind. Their travel system which conveniently converts from an infant car seat carrier and or rocker to a toddler stroller is one of the best in the market.
Jacqueline also introduced the baby carrier for moms who want to safely wear their babies. The front-loading baby carrier has two carrying positions which are: face baby in for snuggling and sleeping and face baby out for exploring the world.
Chicco being the largest baby brand in all of Europe has a wide array of products to offer and it remains a household name to this day.
Baby Company marketing Manager Samantha Shaw closed the symposium with a treat for the moms-to-be. They get to bring home a goody bag from Baby Company with carefully selected products which they can use for their babies. Baby Company is conveniently located in most SM branches and is the perfect partner in a mom’s journey. Whether you are expecting, taking care of a newborn and or raising a toddler – they have everything you need. You can even create a baby registry for all your baby milestones – baby shower, christening and birthdays.
Great Moms In The Making
First-time mom Olga Paguio Eseo, 6 months pregnant shared that she had a great time at the event. She considered every bit of information as important especially the role of play as explained in detail by the speaker. She even took notes to share with her husband. As for the baby products she was introduced to, she is particularly interested with the Chicco baby carrier which is something the baby, she mentioned, can use for a long time. “Most of all, I love the giveaways and raffle because I got a toy for my baby. Overall, I highly recommend the event for expectant mothers, especially the first-time moms.”
Marjorie Aquino who is on her 35 weeks and is expecting her 2nd daughter shared that attending the symposium reinforced her belief that it is important for children to play and to find time to play with them, too and to praise them when they learn new things as doing this helps in boosting their self confidence. “I also learned the importance of choosing the right toys and reading materials.”
Lucky mom Chelsie Medez who is 7 months pregnant shared how happy she was to win in the raffle draw. “It was such a wonderful and successful event. Everyone had a blast. I really enjoyed the parenting tips and was very useful to us.” She is looking forward to join similar events in the future.
Indeed, these blooming moms-to-be were lucky to have been given a head start in enriching their child’s learning through play during the symposium.
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