Which toy would you prefer for your child?
As technology changed and civilization progressed, toys also changed. The materials that toys are made from have changed, what toys can do has changed, but the fact that children play with toys has not changed (Wikipedia, 2011). And so comes the debate about how safe, or unsafe, the plastics used in baby bottles and children toys are to our children. The traditional setting for children’s play has undergone major change in recent years as a result of the rapid diffusion of technology through all areas of social life.
The impact of new technologies on children’s play activities — whether in terms of toys that are derived from developments in technology or the leisure activities associated with information and communication technologies (ICTs) — has created a multimedia environment, full of rich opportunities and sometimes dangerous threats (Buckingham, 2000).
Electronic objects resultants with the arrival of latest technology have changed the very idea of life, for every household object is now operated through batteries. With ease and relief in life, batteries have given us extra time in executing ordinary tasks of life. Several other electronic gadgets and machines powered by batteries have made a mark on our lives. Even our entertainment depends on durable batteries.

In my centre I have seen the effect of battery operated toys to our children, it makes them feel independent because they feel as if they are in total control of something that is completely theirs. Battery-operated toys with all their lights, noises and movement capture children’s attention, and wonderment but soon as the novelty wears out, the children goes back playing our conventional toys.  
                                               

                                                 

        

                                                               

                                                                                                                                                              

In this photos the children take turns with the battery operated spinning ball with a tail, then child B shows how to open it to check the battery when it stops.

But let’s take a look at some of the potential – and established – hazards of plastic and/or battery-operated toys, and explore some of the alternatives.

Proponents of plastic toys often argue that they are so much more affordable. Such toys may cost fewer dollars at the checkout counter, but what about the less-visible cost to our health and environment? In a culture of immediacy, we tend to see anything that looks good and costs less as a good deal and the right choice. But it’s important to stop and think for a moment about the long-reaching effects of our consumer decisions.
Although there’s not any finding of adverse effect in children using battery or microchip in toys, parents, teachers and caregivers should be aware of the hazards and danger of battery operated toys to children specially the under two’s, for instance swallowing button batteries can be fatal or cause serious harm, and research suggests that severe injuries in children, though relatively scarce, are on the rise.
Button batteries are widely used in dozens of household products including toys, games, remote controls, musical greeting cards, cell phones, watches and lighted shoes. Batteries pose a special swallowing risk; even if they don't completely block the throat, they can trigger a chemical process when they lodge there that can burn through tissue within just a few hours.

What are some good alternatives to plastic or battery operated toys? Non-battery operated toys such as wooden building blocks or play sets allows the child to build a play situation themselves. There is little to no predisposed influence that the child may rely upon therefore their imagination and ability to create their own style of play must be used. The child will create scenarios and substitute objects as props in their make believe world. The rules that govern the play from the child's perspective are flexible and roles or perspectives can change at a moment's notice to fit the child's needs. This stimulates cognitive skills and emotional stability as the child learns how to cope with different scenarios in their young life (Christakis DA, Zimmerman FJ, and Garrison MM. 2007).                                                                                             

                                                                     

                                                                                                                           

In these photos our children have an endless possibilities in the block corner, in here they are building a castle         

Creating fantasy worlds and playing with non-battery operated toys has benefits beyond mental and emotional development. The basic game of placing wooden shapes in specific shaped holes on a box helps a child to develop memory skills as well as basic and fine motor skills. As a child begins to master one toy it is beneficial for a parent to introduce another toy to continually stimulate their child's problem solving skills (Caldera YM, Culp AM, O'Brien M, Truglio RT, Alvarez M, and Huston AC. 1999).

Forms of play that can benefit the development in the early years of a child's life are limitless. Allowing the child adequate time to play and providing them an environment conducive to imaginative play is one of the most important things a parent can do to influence the mental, motor skills and emotional development of their child. Toys are a large part of how a parent can enrich this environment and care should be taken to ensure that what a child plays with is safe as well as enriching. Wooden toys are a simple way in which a parent can ensure that several of these goals are met (Caldera YM, Culp AM, O'Brien M, Truglio RT, Alvarez M, and Huston AC. 1999). There you go parents, whanau, educators and caregivers you know best you decide.
            

References:

Buckingham, D. (2000) after the death of childhood: Growing up in the age of    electronic media. Oxford: Polity Press.

Caldera YM, Culp AM, O'Brien M, Truglio RT, Alvarez M, and Huston A (1999).  Children's Play Preferences, Construction Play with Blocks, and Visual-spatial Skills: Are they related? International Journal of Behavioral Development; 23 (4): 855-872.

Christakis DA, Zimmerman FJ, and Garrison MM  (2007). Effect of block play on language acquisition and attention in toddlers: a pilot randomized controlled trial. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 161(10):967-71.

Wikipedia Foundation, Inc. (2007).Toys. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, retrieved 08 April 2011 from: htt://Wikipedia.org./wiki/toys.