Introduction
Toys and games play a very important role in the development of the physical and cognitive skills of children. In this regard, the influence of a famous childhood toy, “Vtech Spin & learn color Flashlight,” on the development of these skills is analyzed in this paper.
Analysis of the Toy and Influence on Development
As its name suggests, Vtech Spin & learn color Flashlight is a very engaging toy for children of the age range of 1-3 years to learn through spinning the colour-changing ring accompanied by different sounds. It is not gender specified and can also be used as a simple flashlight by pressing the adorable turtle button. With the help of different buttons, which are interchangeable as well, and perform different functions, children can enjoy a variety of mini-games that introduce numbers, animals, letters, and many basic concepts through spinning flashlight rings, lights, and sound (picture is attached in appendix). The toy is mostly regarded for its usability as it provides numerous playing and learning options to children with the help of the interact-able animal ring, number buttons, and ladybug handle button. It only requires 3 AAA batteries for its regular use. To manage the battery life and level of sound, the slider button can be used, which adjusts the volume according to the requirement.
Influence on Physical and Cognitive Development
There are several modes featured in the toy that encourages creative play, learning, and exploration so that children can enjoy quality playtime because of its entertaining and educational potential and visual and auditory stimulation. All these functions have a significant impact on the development and growth of children, including both cognitive and physical benefits such as motor function, focus, hand-eye coordination, etc. (Zach et al., 2015). For instance, the animal ring that provides the sound of different animals along with color with each turn is a source of curiosity for the child to explore other options as well after each turn. This can be well described by Piaget’s Cognitive Developmental Theory, that primarily deals with the development of thought processes (Barrouillet, 2015).
The toy is also very effective for children to grow faster and develop basic skills as different modes of the toy stimulate and develop their young senses. Moreover, the Learn flashlight and Spin functions of the toy stimulate creative play and encourages exploration and imagination. The child can also have a good listening experience along with learning numbers with the help of buttons at the base of the toy, which initiates many tunes and fun beats. This helps children in improving their motor skills in a very interactive way as they develop an attachment with the particular activity, supported by Bowlby’s Attachment Theory.
In this way, due to the very engaging design and multiple functions, children can spend several hours in entertainment in a very effective manner.
Recommendations
Although the toy has many features that teach letters, numbers, and animal names along with providing quality play and entertaining time to children, it does not provide comprehensive knowledge of preschool material. Therefore, the addition of more numbers and a complete alphabet can improve the educational potential of the toy. Moreover, light and sound functions can also be separated to increase the versatility of the toy as it does not allow light and sound to show separately. This will significantly improve the thought process of the child, build connections and increase the memory of children.
Conclusion
Vtech Spin & learn color Flashlight is a very useful toy that has a very significant effect on the development of physical and cognitive skills of children of age between 1 to 3 years. However, the toy can improve by adding more details of alphabet and numbers to improve the thought process and memory of the children.
References
Amazon. (2020). Redirect Notice. Google.Com. https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FVTech-Learn-Color-Flashlight-Yellow%2Fdp%2FB007XVYPS2&psig=AOvVaw3_9awDrsat3AAp2_b7cT2t&ust=
1603780102658000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CA0QjhxqFwoTCLjGlND
Q0ewCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD
Barrouillet, P. (2015). Theories of cognitive development: From Piaget to today. Developmental Review, 38, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dr.2015.07.004
Zach, S., Inglis, V., Fox, O., Berger, I., & Stahl, A. (2015). The effect of physical activity on spatial perception and attention in early childhood. Cognitive Development, 36, 31–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2015.08.003
Appendix
Vtech Spin & learn colour Flashlight Toy
Vtech Spin & learn color Flashlight Toy (Amazon, 2020)
