Invent a toy for toddler to preschool?

Question

If you were asked to invent a toy for cognitive learning that would be for children from toddler to preschool what would be your ideas? Come on let's really use our imagination. This could be fun to read the answers and get some ideas from others.

Answer 1

To me, one of the biggest changes (and the most fun to watch) are a young child's fine motor abilities.  I would probably create a "secret compartment station."  It would have different sections and compartments that are opened in different ways - increasing complexity with different compartments.  For example, there might be some very easy to open compartments for when the child is younger such as a button or a twist k**b.  Then there would be more complex compartments that open with more meticulous fine-motor manipulations, such as a lock and key.  Each compartment could have different age-appropriate toys or tasks ranging from openings to crawl through to stuffed animals to manipulative toys or art materials.  These toys could even be changed out to encourage practicing opening the compartments.  It would be fun to incorporate the entire station into a cute structure, like a very large (ottoman-sized?) ABC building block or if you want to go all out, maybe a tree house!

Answer 2

a stuffed kitten with a flamethrower in it's mouth

Answer 3

if i were to invent a toy for a toddler to preschool aged person, I would make a sort of doll that you could rearrange to make different stuffed animals, like a rabbit that you could move around to make a puppy or something. It would stimulate the mind, plus there could be endless possibilities to what kind of creature you could make....you could even invent a new animal!

Answer 4

i think the thing you need to focus on for toddlers are motor skills and talking so you need a toy that encourage the children to talk and walk too

Answer 5

Although I would love to see Austins stuffed kitten with the flame thrower ......It wouldn't promote many cognitive abilities. All of us who work with infants/toddlers and preschoolers know that this, without a doubt , is the time of the little scientist. I use to love water play and saw its profundity as I began to teach.  I think that I would like to see something that has clear tubes and sits in a tub of sorts where many children at once can not only pour, feel, see the water but actually engage in some problem solving watching the water go to and from different places.  I would like this to have exits and openings that can be manipulated by the children. This could work with sand also for more texture...but having taught I know the mayhem that would ensue with large numbers. I think if the tub was not that tall that the children could actually take off shoes and stand or sit in the water.  I guess its a manipulative, fine motor, sensory motor, social, cause and effect toy?

Answer 6

"chutes and ladder"

Answer 7

Clear hollow building blocks with items inside that are different colors and shapes and make different sounds when you shake them.

Answer 8

maybe tunnels that you could crawl through - or tunnels to put cars through as big as a wrapping paper roll.   They would be fascinated with the cars rolling through and seeing where it comes out at.