EDUCATIONAL TOYS AUSTRALIA 

Learning starts as you exit the womb. From the moment you are born you begin to learn from your surroundings and your parents. This learning curve continues until the day that you die. Much learning takes place in school, however learning at home is just as important. Many behavioural traits are learned at home and much personal development takes place under the watchful guise of parents. Educational toys can be the perfect conduit for child development within the home. Some toys are there simply for fun but others have a deeper importance. They are there to be the basis of learning as their tiny brains begin to grasp new concepts, challenge themselves and see what their body and mind is capable of. 

Learning doesn't have to be hard or laborious. It doesn't have to be all about reading textbooks and sitting exams. Learning can be fun, frivolous and engaging. Children have many different ways of learning and each kid is individual. Experts have categorised the main learning styles into three main categories - auditory, visual and kinaesthetic. 

Auditory And Language Learners

Children who are predisposed to auditory learning take benefit from listening to others - their teachers, their parents, their friends - about how and why something works the way that it does. They also like to talk about their learning experience and express the concepts and ideas out loud. This may involve having things explained orally rather than following written guidelines and instructions. They may also benefit from a group discussion and talking or repeating things they are learning. Sometimes auditory learners appear aloof however these kids are great listeners, so even if it doesn't look like they are paying attention, they probably are. Educational toys can be a great teaching aid for this learning style, as parents can engage in the activity with their kids and talk their child through the process and steps involved. Kids who fall into this mould may not be able to take the instructions out of the packet and hit the ground running, but if you explain how it works they will master it in no time. This communication between parent and child is pivotal for development. 

Visual Learners 

This is the most common learning style among children and dominant in most Australian schools. As the name would suggest things are absorbed by watching and viewing. Kids who fall into this category will most likely doodle and take notes and will prefer to see a demonstration. Educational toys are great for visual learners as well. Kids will watch the toy in use and then mimic and reproduce the the outcomes. Parents can use the toy and then let kids follow suit. Things such as puzzles and colouring in are great tools for visual learners to use. 

Kinaesthetic Learners

These kids learn through doing. They don't just want to see or watch something get done, they actually want to do it! This means that educational toys are absolutely ideal, in fact they are probably best suited to these learners than any of the others. Tactile learners often move around a lot, talk with their hands, and like to touch and hold things when learning about them. 

Whilst there are only three reported learning styles, many child development experts believe there is loosely a fourth. The analytical learner who likes to break things apart in depth and love to know how things work, ask a lot of questions, and are able to compute difficult maths problems at a young age. These children excel in strategic games such as Chess. Our range of science experiments will be perfect for these kids. They'll love analyzing how things work right down to the core.

Educational toys are also great for developing things such as motor skills, coordination, balance and hand-eye coordination. In the Yellow Octopus range you will find great educational toys for children of all ages. From young preschoolers to Prep, Year 1, Year 2 and Right up to teenagers.

There's all different styles of educational toys available. For example there are a lot focus on language, vocabulary and words such as trivia, riddles and conundrums. For the more inclined to mathematics and science there are countless experiments to get their teeth stuck into. Things like the Potato Powered Clock lets them set up a fully functioning clock powered by nothing more than two potatoes. It's heaps of fun and it will teach them the basics of power and energy. 

There's the Science Magic Trick kit which will allow them to perform 30 science related magic tricks to a captivated audience of friends and family. The Glow In The Dark crystal growing kit will teach them about the power of light and biology. In a period of Global Warming and polution, the Clean Water Science Filtration Kit will show them how to process and clarify water. 

For the worldy kids with their heads always in an atlas, there are plenty of educational toys about the planet and the countries in it. 

And there's even stuff for the creative, arty types. Stuff like the Giant OMY Colouring in posters will let them explore there inner artist. And of course there is the ever popular 3Doodler 3D Printing Pen which allows children to draw and create whatever their imagination inspires in three dimensions. 

For more great information on child development and learning check out Kidspot, Raising Children and School Family.