The Importance of Interactive Play

Disclosure: Post sponsored by Mirum but all opinions are my own. 

We all know that playing as a child is important. Playing is what allows our children to just be children while exploring the world around them. But, there are many other benefits of it, especially when it comes to interactive play. So, today I wanted to share some reasoning behind The Importance of Interactive Play and how you can ensure your children get their daily dose.

The Importance of Interactive Play

Allowing down time to just play at any age is important. However, it’s particularly important for a child’s development. Interactive Play provides so many great benefits to a growing child. Here are a few reasons why interactive play is so important:

• Enhances communication skills. Children learn to speak by hearing words and sounds around them. Playing with toys is no different. Toys can also help them learn their colors, shapes and even what sounds to tasks mean (such as a car honking its horn).
• Encourages bonding with parents and siblings. Play time with your children allows you to communicate with your child and create a special bond. Your child gets to build a relationship with you and/or their siblings during play time which allows you both to grow together and as individuals. 
• It allows them to learn. It allows you as a parent to intervene when needed and allows your child to learn right from wrong if they happen to do something wrong during play (for example, put a small toy in their mouth). The same goes for a sibling. They can watch and learn as they play.
• Enhances fine motor skills. Toys these days can help a child figure out their hand-eye coordination, develop muscles, and learn new things about how their body’s work through the use of play. 
• Teaches life lessons. Something as simple as the concept of sharing toys during play can be beneficial on teaching your child life lessons. You can encourage the use of “please” and “thank you” throughout play, all of which carry into the child’s adult life. These in return allow them to be more social and polite especially when playing another person.

Overall, interactive play is vital to a child’s development. Toys can provide educational features that encourages development in toddlers through motor skills, thinking skills, academics, and inspiring imagination. Besides, toys are fun and allow your child to be a child.

Best Toys for Interactive Play

With so many options available when it comes to interactive toys, how can you be sure you are getting the correct toys for your child? Here are some tips that can help:

1. Check the recommended age for the toy.
2. Check to see what the toy teaches.
3. Allow your child to see the toy to determine interest before buying.

We recently went to Walmart and came across this My First Thomas & Friends™ Railway Pals™ set. It has interactive vehicles and train sets with educational features that encourages development in toddlers through motor skills, thinking skills, academics, and inspiring imagination. The recommended age is 1-5 and teaches letters, colors, numbers and directions. Plus, it has 9 track activation points that unlocks unique content for each of the characters. I knew it was a perfect match for our 3-year-old son that loves all trains and cars. 

Railway Pals™ is a fun, interactive system, comprised of vehicles and train sets, that provides a robust world of educational play for little ones to learn as they play. Because the content is dynamic and educational, Railway Pals™ will keep children engaged as they grow. Character-driven sounds, songs and phrases teach children about letters, numbers, colors and directions, while offering a level of humor and personality that only Thomas & Friends™ can provide. Thomas might tell children that “’T’ is for Thomas” and help them count from 1 to 3.

After my husband and son built it, my son sat playing with it for hours. He had a blast exploring the track with the interactive sounds and he even enjoyed taking apart the track and rebuilding it himself. 

And the best part is, we can continue to add engines to encourage more play with the My First Thomas & Friends™ Railway Pals™ which allows the toy to continue to provide hours of fun and play. 

With the holidays nearing, now is the perfect time to gift someone the My First Thomas & Friends™ Railway Pals™  which you can find at your local Walmart. You can also learn more here.