Designers for children: how to make the right choice?

Designers for children in our time with confidence can be called one of the most common toys - in developed countries, every child has at least one designer. Such popularity is caused by the huge variety of produced kits. However, there is a certain minus here, because you still need to know how to choose a good designer. You can not rely only on the baby "I want", especially in the case of kids. Parents themselves must understand what is right and what should be discarded.

It should be understood that the absolute majority of children's toys are not just entertainment, but also a powerful tool. development. Playing, kids discover the world, and designers for children contribute to their full development. The benefits of regular games with the designer are described by several simple theses:

• If this is not about a narrowly focused set like Lego, then this gift will be equally enjoyed by both the boy and the girl. The child himself decides what to collect, so do not guess the preferences just will not work.
• A child will be sincerely happy with each toy, and a good designer is a lot of toys in one box. Fantasy and creativity develop much faster due to the fact that the kid develops his brain by inventing more and more new crafts.

• If two different sets are produced by the same company, then their parts are most likely mutually compatible, so that the possibilities for assembly become even greater. Therefore, mental abilities will develop even more.
• It is necessary to train not only the brain, but also the motor skills of the hands, it’s no secret that children own their fingers are not so good. This problem is also solved by regular training. While children play, their skill of dexterity and retention of objects improves.
• Designing will surely be interesting for a child, but if he first encounters a complex set, then first he needs to be shown how it works. In the process of joint assembly with parents, the microclimate in the family improves, the process of communication between its members is improved.
• For the smallest designer - it is also an opportunity to repeat the names of colors and geometric shapes.

Since the development of designers is a profitable and useful business, hundreds of developers have been thinking over decades to offer something new and truly interesting. That is why the sets are very different. But there are a number of especially popular varieties that can be found in many toy stores:

• Cubes - This is the first designer in the life of every child. Many do not consider cubes as a constructor at all, but the principle is the same for them - to assemble a whole from details. The assembly mechanism is designed for the youngest age category, and therefore it is extremely simple: the details are not interconnected in any way, but are set on each other.

• It can be difficult for children to cope with three-dimensional models, so often the kits for the smallest are rather a picture than a three-dimensional object. These include, for example, building set, in which all or almost all parts have an individual shape and color, allowing you to fold the image of the house Mosaic or jigsaw puzzles can also be attributed to such flat designers, although it is not worthwhile to hurry with the latter - it can be difficult for a child to work with such subtle details.

• Block constructor - This is the kind of set that is certainly familiar to everyone. Details here also have their own shape and color, but they can already be sealed with grooves between them, and in a completely random order. However, some manufacturers, for example, the famous Lego, literally push the baby to build not an abstraction, but a very specific figure, and then the individual parts may not fit to any other set. Due to their brightness and plausibility, such kits are still extremely popular.

• The cognitive designer can not only imitate the appearance, but also give the child a very real idea of ​​a particular field of knowledge. For example, became sensational set called "the human body" with organs that can be removed. Although such information could be extracted from the book, the designer still looks more informative and more attractive to the child.
• Technical designers with screwdrivers many are considered a relic of the Soviet era, and yet they are still produced and bought. Such a gift will be more appreciated by the boy, because with a relatively unattractive appearance, the set allows you to collect a lot of functioning models, be it a car, a plane or a crane. A characteristic feature is the mandatory presence of instructions with numerous possible assembly schemes.

• So-called "Smart designer" it may not be just a toy, but a very real educational tool, allowing you to better understand the laws of physics and even make a choice in favor of the technical profession. Particularly advanced models make it possible to assemble even quite complex circuits, including a radio receiver, a remote-controlled mechanical car, or even a lie detector.

In addition, almost any of the varieties described may have additional characteristics that make up a specific set of a common link. For example, glow-in-the-darkness sets emit a light glow, and water-based ones are designed to assemble and operate assembled models in a bathroom.

Small children all love to pull in the mouth, they are also especially sensitive to various harmful chemicals. Therefore, the choice of materials available for the production of designers, is not unlimited. However, each of the options has its advantages, so the choice of set may depend on this criterion. The main materials are:

• Plastic designers are by far the most popular. The reason for this was the small weight of plastic parts and the possibility of dyeing them in various bright colors. Good plastic has a fairly high strength, but because of the small weight it is difficult to injure. The only concern is the possible harm from such synthetic products. However, if the manufacturer is known to the whole world, then he is unlikely to risk his reputation.

• Metal and wooden constructors are highly valued for their naturalness.. There is no doubt that there are no harmful components in their composition, although it is worthwhile to take a closer look at the paint used. As a rule, the strength of such products does not take (especially - designers of metal), and by weight they can be quite light, but the risk of injury is relatively high. As a rule, various cubes are usually made of wood, but metal is widely used in technical nut constructors.

• Fabric designers are relatively rare, but this also exists. Fabrics are usually made into cubes for the youngest children, for whom the complete absence of rigid parts is extremely important. Naturally, in this case, the fabric cubes should be strong enough, and most importantly - environmentally safe. As a rule, to create cubes used felt, characterized by a soft and pleasant to the touch texture.

• Flexible rubber constructor - new, rapidly gaining popularity. The shape of its parts is arbitrary, so a huge choice of available forms and designs opens before the baby. Usually, such kits are not presented to very young children, since they can complicate the understanding of the surrounding space in a child who previously did not have another designer.

Many parents sincerely believe that the more the height and weight of the child, the more large toys he needs. In principle, this rule works, however, when choosing a designer, one should be guided by the completely opposite logic.

For example, it would be too hard for a child to hold small parts, since his hand motility is not sufficiently developed. And on the contrary, a huge bright object, for example, a cube, will surely attract the child’s attention, forcing him to devote more time to the game with the designer. Here, of course, it is important not to overdo it, choosing a giant set for the baby. It must be remembered that the part must fit in one child’s hand. At the same time, there is a specific restriction on too small details - they should not be placed in the baby’s mouth, otherwise there is a danger of accidental ingestion.

But when the child gets a little older, then the time will come for designers with fine details. This is interesting if only because the task looks more complicated, because even a relatively small model may consist of several dozen parts.

Sometimes it’s easier not to study dozens of criteria by which a children's designer should be chosen, but simply to trust a trusted manufacturer, who has been in demand for more than a decade thanks to a clear understanding of what the consumer needs. There are a lot of successful manufacturers, but it is worthwhile to dwell on at least a few of them.

Of course, there is hardly a better-known manufacturer of designers than Lego. This company focuses on the production of block sets with specific details that allow you to simulate anything, including famous buildings, various equipment, people and much more. About the popularity of such a designer says at least the fact that in several countries of the world opened special parks, in which all the buildings are built from such a designer.

Meccano is considered the inventor and the most well-known global manufacturer of iron designers, including bolts and nuts in sets. In the Soviet Union, such a designer was the most popular, although the products, of course, were domestic fake, and not the original. It is possible to distinguish the German EiTech sets from analogs, although in fact many brands are engaged in the production of such a product.

Russian designers are also sometimes a very good option, for example, electronic designers "Expert" not so long ago received the first prizes at the international exhibition of toys in Hong Kong.If your child has special interests, he can easily learn the basics of electricians and even independently construct simple, but at the same time working electrical appliances.

The choice of the type of designer, of course, also depends on the child's age, because the too complicated and too simple task will hardly seem interesting to the kid. When choosing, it is best to focus on the label indicated on the package.However, it is not worth taking it too literally, because some children develop faster, others - more slowly.

The sequence would logically look something like this:

• for the little ones (up to a year) - cubes, at first soft, and then from solid materials, and from the age of six months - also inserts, like the same dolls;
• for a one year old child - mosaic (not a puzzle!);
• for one and a half year old child and older - block constructors of all kinds, except those where there are too small details;
• For children from 4 years old - magnetic kits and other designers, in which parts can be connected by an invisible connection;
• for kids from 5 years - designers with bolted connection and electronic designers.

If we talk about categories in general, then even the most complex designers can be given to children 6-7 years old, but it should be understood that in each category there are both simpler and very complex options. If a block constructor is recommended from one and a half years, this does not mean that you need to buy a Lego child from a thousand parts, and in 5 years the baby does not need an electronic "Expert" on 999 schemes.

As a rule, children love to play with the designers, but the wrong set can cause the child to quickly give up the gift.

As a rule, parents note that the child may initially not show any interest in the designer, if he is not shown how it works. Mom and dad should not only buy a child a set, but at least several times to play with him, so that the baby feels confident in the assembly process and understands how to properly use the possibilities of every detail.

It is usually assumed that small parts in designers and toys are prohibited only up to 3 years, but parents, buying a set with a “trifle” for an older child, still have to instruct him that you should not put the elements of the designer in your mouth or ears. Many mothers write that such episodes are not so rare among preschoolers and even younger schoolchildren.

Interesting options for designers for children, you can see below.