Toys that teach while children play

Choosing the best learning toys for pre-school children

In our pre-school classrooms the most valuable learning aids are rarely the most expensive ones. Blocks, puzzles, beads, sand, water, clay, picture cards and everyday household objects do more for a young child than any screen. A good toy is one that invites the child to do something — to sort, stack, fit, count, name or build — and the play that follows is the lesson.

This is the principle behind the activity-based teaching at Dar‑e‑Arqam Schools. The material matters less than what the child is asked to do with it, and how a trained teacher guides the play that follows. Our own workbooks and learning materials are prepared by our curriculum wing and published through Uswa Publications.

What makes a toy educational

Look for three things. First, open-endedness: can the child use it in more than one way? Second, appropriateness: does it match the child’s stage of development, not only their age on paper? Third, safety: are the pieces large enough, smooth enough and non-toxic? These are the questions our teachers ask when materials are chosen for a classroom.

Then watch the child. A toy that is too easy becomes boring within minutes; one that is far too hard becomes a source of frustration. The right challenge — achievable with effort — is where concentration and confidence are built, and where a child learns to stay with a task long enough to finish it.

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Learning aids our classrooms rely on

1. Blocks and construction sets — develop spatial awareness, balance, planning and fine motor control.
2. Puzzles and matching cards — build memory, shape and colour recognition, and the patience to try again.