Kids put their favorite toys through a lot. From being sucked on to being dragged through the mud, these beloved childhood companions are subjected to a relentless barrage of wear and tear.
So when Reddit user Solid-Feature-7678's niece ended her favorite plush lamb, they decided to get the baby a new one. But the problem was that the alternatives they found seemed just as fragile as the predecessor. There was no way they could've survived the girl's fingers and teeth.
However, as the Redditor was getting some treats for their pooch, they noticed a lambchop toy meant for dogs that looked like the perfect candidate. So they bought it. And while the toddler loved it, her mom did not.
Image credits: ernpup / X (not the actual photo)
Image credits: cottonbro studio / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Solid-Feature-7678
Preschoolers benefit from simple, open-ended, and non-realistic toys
"As a parent, it can be overwhelming trying to find the 'best' toys for your children among the many options available online and in stores," clinical psychologist and mother to three children Cara Goodwin, Ph.D., says. "So many toys are marketed as 'educational' or beneficial in some way for children's development, but how do parents know if these claims [are] actually true? How do parents determine which toys actually promote development, or which toys will keep a child's attention for more than five minutes?"
To answer these questions, Goodwin suggests taking a look at a study by researchers from Eastern Connecticut State University who have spent over a decade analyzing how preschool children play with over 100 toys. It will also help us have a more informed opinion on the Redditor's purchase of choice.
The study is called TIMPANI (Toys that Inspire Mindful Play And Nurture Imagination) and it examined how toys maintain children's attention and allow children to develop skills in problem-solving, creativity, social skills, and language.
Image credits: Tatiana Syrikova / Pexels (not the actual photo)
The researchers coded the quality of children's play with different types of toys and from these observations, they were able to determine which toys were the most high-quality and identify three key qualities that these toys shared that make them likely to promote high-quality play:
The researchers also identified 10 specific toys that they discovered to be inspirational when it comes to high-quality play:
As we can see, the Redditor's gift falls into one of these categories (animal figurines). Maybe it's not so bad after all?
Most people who read the story said its author did nothing wrong
Some even shared their own similar experiences
[YTA]
