What Interests Your Child The Most With New Toys And Learning?

[Katie7]

I am doing a technology course and I am designing an educational toy for under seven year olds.
I would like to know what young children are interested in and what makes them want to learn.
For instance does colour play a large part in engaging them, do they prefer wood toys, plastic toys or different textures.
When playing with a toy do they enjoy a learning toy eg geography based, science based etc.
Any feedback you can give me will be gratefully recieved. Thank you

[boxtops]

Don't forget that experience has shown that a young child is often far more interested in playing with the cardboard box than with the toy it contains....

[murraymints]

bright colours and noise..

[NOX]

Got to second that Boxy.
All of my kids ( and I have quite a few) have liked science based toys or toys that require quite a bit of thinking about or skill, they were not keen on inanimate things or things which didn't stretch their experience, so action men, barbies etc were out and toys like 'Simon says' and tilt mazes were defineatly in. Colour and texture too played a big part but usually when much younger say under 3 years.

[boxtops]

team games are good too, noisy things like Hungry Hippos go down a bomb.

[murraymints]

and an opportunity to succeed

[needawin]

My 8 year old granddaughter spends hours playing with bits of ribbon or even cardboard. Cutting them up and colouring them. My 2 grandsons are only interested in computer games. Ages 12 and 13.

[puzzled54]

Think you need to be a little more age specific. Are you including baby toys?

[Katie7]

Thanks for your answers so far - we have to do plenty of research into all age groups to the age of seven to inform our designs before making an end product. But I am currently thinking I will make a product for a five to seven year old so extra information on that age group would be good.

[sherrardk]

What level are you studying at as that will inform what you will have the skills/ability to make. I can't see my (nearly) 5 year olds or my 7 year old playing for long with something that has been made at GCSE level (not being mean, just being practical). If you are going to make something that is quite simple it would probably suit a younger child.

[sherrardk]

Sorry, just looked at your profile and see that you are an adult (as opposed to a school child). I was looking at your post from the view point of being an ex-secondary teacher.

[Katie7]

It is for a GCSE project - I was asking on behalf of my daughter but she wanted to word it - sorry for the confusion.
Thanks sherrardk with the advice that making a product for 5 - 7 year olds would probably not be suitable and has certainly given my daughter something extra to think about.

[Nini74]

my son is 2 so i'm not sure i can help much - but he seems to really like toys that are imitations of things we, as adults, have. eg his laptop, countless toy mobile phones, toy car keys, cooking toys etc. toys that make lots of noise when you get the answer right, or put the right colour block in the right section etc..... let us know what she decides on! good luck x