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I’m going to get on my soap box for a minute, and probably sound like an old hag or fuddy duddy.
We are a society of kids dealing with obesity and sitting in front of the TV or video games for hours on end. Kids no longer know how to entertain themselves. This is incredibly detrimental to families and attachment, especially with kids in foster care.
The toy industry had its big reveal of the new toys that will be coming out and there are several that I am thrilled with.
Exercise is vital to our kids for so many reasons. Obesity is just one of them. Kids who are creative and spend time exercising have good brain development. This has been studied for years, and is not just my opinion.
Using both the right and left side of the brain helps kids develop. Brain gyms have been used for years, and a teacher in one of the schools in our area has started to utilize them in his classroom, and the students can tell the difference. Yoga is a form of a brain gym. I do yoga daily, and Hannah loves to do it with me.
Back to the toys. There are new toys, same available now, and some coming in the near future, that can make both parents and kids happy. Some include video, but also include movement and exercise.
U-Dance – Kids love music, and many love to dance. This game requires the player to put the controller on their feet and the movements they do show up on the TV. The game is set to popular music, including one of Sammy’s favorites, Chris Brown. If this motivates our kids to get up and get moving, I’m all for it.
Laugh & Learn Bounce & Spin Pony – This is geared toward the one to three year old age group. Kids sit on the pony and bounce and it activates the pictures on the TV. They teaches colors, shapes, letters and numbers.
You to the Rescue – This game is based on the Dr. Seuss book and movie “Horton Hears a Who”. A remake of the movie will be out soon. Kids put on an elephant trunk on their head, then have to run around the house, find hidden clovers, pick them up with their trunk and race back before time runs out. You might not be thrilled about your kids running around your house, but it could be a great rain or snow activity when the kids can’t get outside.
Football training bouncer – This is on the high end of the pay scale. An inflatable jumper with an obstacle aspect to it. We know that kids love the bouncy toys and ball pits and slides. It can hold up to 330 pounds, so you can have several kids in it at one time.
You can find a list of the favorite toys here.
Photo credit – Hannah playing outside
