Finding the top toys for learning is child's play

We all know children learn through play. LISA SALMON asks the experts which are the best toys for helping little ones develop

- LISA SALMON

CHILDREN'S main job is to play and learn and the tools of their funfilled trade are toys.

But with such a huge toy selection on the market, which are the best ones to help babies, toddlers and young children learn and develop while having fun at the same time? It's a question that's repeatedly asked at the Fisher-Price Play Lab (shop.mattel.com) in New York, a high-tech facility where babies and young children play with newlydeveloped toys as expert staff watch how they interact with them, using technology like the Baby FaceReader, a tool that measures facial expressions in infants.

"We want to have a well-rounded toy offering with a variety of toys for parents to choose from that help to develop the whole child from a physical, cognitive, and social-emotional standpoint," explains Dr Lisa Lohiser, manager of early childhood development research at the Play Lab.

"It's about providing the foundation Reasearcher for whole child development. It's Dr Lisa Lohiser also providing an opportunity for children to engage and play while having a great experience using toys as tools to learn because, as we know, children learn through play."

 Many mums and dads choose a toy which is targeted at their child's age range and there's nothing wrong with that, says Rebecca Deeming of the British Toy and Hobby Association (BTHA btha.co.uk). "Children develop at different rates so don't worry if your child's favourite toy is one marketed at a younger age range," she says.

"But be careful if it's marked older than their age for safety reasons." As well as making sure toys are age-appropriate, Rebecca stresses that parents should check toys bear the Lion Mark, which shows the maker is a BTHA member and has signed up to a strict set of guidelines on safety, ethical marketing and manufacturing of toys.