Traditional toys can be educational too!

A report in The Sun newspaper recently indicated that many parents were delighted that their children were choosing to abandon their X box and Wii, returning instead to actually playing with more traditional toys.

The toy used as a focus in this particular instance, however, was a pea shooter.

Now of course boys (and girls) for generations have loved playing with pea shooters and generally getting up to mischief.  I myself saw a local child only a few days ago, using his pea shooter to aim a missile at a neighbour’s parked car.

My personal opinion is that whilst it’s annoying for us adults, it is relatively harmless, provided the missile in question is indeed something small and not particularly sharp.  Aiming large stones at any human, animal or expensive object is an absolute no-no in my book, and should be equally so with any parent who has an ounce of common sense. 

What worried me was the opinion of the retailing spokespeople within the article, who indicated that parents felt the country’s Health and Safety legislation had gone too far, and that it was refreshing to allow kids to enjoy the more old-fashioned toys.

My point is, do we have to rely pea shooters, cross bows and cap guns to provide our children with entertainment?  Yes, boys in particular will naturally be drawn to such toys, but can’t we provide equally entertaining, yet educational toys sometimes?

You could always involve your child in gardening, explaining how plants grow and allow them to take responsibility for cultivating and nurturing something, rather than destroying it.  A sandpit will allow them to be creative and as mucky as they like, as they make mud pies to their heart’s content.  And what about a bike or a scooter, to ensure they’re getting fresh air and exercise, without worrying about the possibility of them smashing a neighbour’s window?

The typical “pocket money” toys certainly have their place and will continue to be an attraction for children, but don’t forget that as a parent, you need to also provide a more creative outlet for your child.