Constructors for children nowadays can be confidently called one of the most common toys - in developed countries, every child has at least one constructor. This popularity is due to the huge variety of kits produced. However, there is a certain disadvantage here, because you still need to know how to choose a good constructor correctly. It is impossible to focus only on the childish "want", especially in the case of babies. Parents themselves must understand what will work and what should be discarded.
The importance of educational games
It should be understood that the vast majority of children's toys are not just entertainment, but also a powerful development tool. While playing, kids learn the world, and constructors for children contribute to their all-round development. The benefits of playing regularly with a constructor are summarized in a few simple points:
- If we are not talking about a narrowly focused set like Lego, then such a gift will equally appeal to a boy and a girl. The child himself decides what to collect, so it is simply impossible not to guess with preferences.
- The child will be sincerely happy with each toy, but a good constructor is a lot of toys in one box. Imagination and creativity develop much faster due to the fact that the baby develops his brain by inventing more and more new crafts.
- If two different kits are produced by the same company, then their parts are likely to be mutually compatible, which increases the possibilities for assembly even more. Consequently, mental abilities will develop even more strongly.
- You need to train not only the brain, but also the motor skills of the hands, it is no secret that children are not so good at using their own fingers. A similar problem is also solved by the method of regular training. As the children play, their skill and dexterity improve.
- Designing will certainly be interesting for a child, but if he first encounters a complex set, then first he needs to be shown how it works. In the process of joint assembly with parents, the microclimate in the family improves, the process of communication between its members is being established.
- For the smallest, the constructor is also an opportunity to once again repeat the names of colors and geometric shapes.
Kinds
Since the development of constructors is a profitable and rewarding business, hundreds of developers for decades have been thinking about offering something new and really interesting. That is why sets are very different. But there are a number of particularly popular varieties that can be found in many toy stores:
- Cubes Is the first construction set in the life of every kid. Many do not consider cubes to be a constructor at all, but their principle is the same - to assemble a whole from parts. At the same time, the assembly mechanism is designed for the youngest age category, and therefore it is extremely simple: the parts are not connected to each other in any way, but only installed on top of each other.
- It can be difficult for children to cope with three-dimensional models, so often sets for the smallest are more a picture than a three-dimensional object. These include, for example, building set, in which all or almost all of the details have an individual shape and color, allowing you to add the image of the house. Mosaic or puzzles can also be attributed to such flat constructors, although there is no need to rush with the latter - it can be difficult for a child to work with such delicate details.
- Block constructor - this is the kind of set that everyone is probably familiar with. The details here also have their own shape and color, but they can already be fastened with grooves to each other, and in a completely random order. However, some manufacturers, for example, the famous Lego, literally push the kid to assemble not an abstraction, but a very specific figure, and then individual parts may not fit any other set. Due to their brightness and believability, such sets are still incredibly popular.
- A cognitive constructor can not only imitate the appearance, but also give the child a very real idea of a particular area of knowledge. For example, became sensational set called "Human body" with organs that can be extracted. Although such information could be extracted from the book, the construction set still looks more informative and more attractive to the child.
- Technical constructors with screwdrivers are considered by many to be a relic of the Soviet era, and yet they are still produced and bought. Such a gift will be more appreciated by a boy, because with a relatively unattractive appearance, the kit allows you to collect a lot of functioning models, be it a car, an airplane or a crane. A characteristic feature is the obligatory presence of instructions with numerous possible assembly schemes.
- So-called "Smart constructor" may be no longer just a toy, but a very real textbook that allows you to better understand the laws of physics and even make a choice in favor of a technical profession. Particularly advanced models make it possible to assemble even rather complex circuits, including a radio receiver, a remote-controlled mechanical car or even a lie detector.
Expensive varieties in their capabilities could please not only a child, but even an adult radio amateur who has no experience with a soldering iron, because the key feature of such a designer is the connection of parts by the plug method.
In addition, almost any of the described varieties can have additional characteristic features that somehow distinguish a particular set from the general link. For example, glow-in-the-dark kits emit a light glow, while water kits are designed for assembling and operating assembled models in the bathroom.
Materials
Small children all love to pull in their mouths, they are also especially sensitive to various harmful chemicals. Therefore, the choice of materials available for the production of constructors is not limitless. However, each of the options has its own advantages, so the choice of a set may depend on this criterion. The main materials are:
- Plastic constructors are most popular today. The reason for this was the low weight of the plastic parts and the ability to paint them in various bright colors. Good plastic has a fairly high strength, but due to its low weight it is difficult to injure them. The only concern is the possible harm from such synthetic products. However, if a manufacturer is known all over the world, then he is unlikely to risk his reputation.
- Metal and wooden construction sets are highly valued for their naturalness... There is no doubt that there are no harmful components in their composition, although you should take a closer look at the paint used. As a rule, such products do not take up the strength (especially for metal designers), and by weight they can be quite light, but the risk of injury is relatively high. As a rule, various cubes are usually produced from wood, but metal is widely used in technical nut constructors.
- Fabric designers are relatively rare, but this also exists.... Cubes are usually made of fabric for the smallest children, for whom the complete absence of rigid parts is extremely important. Naturally, in this case, tissue cubes must be strong enough, and most importantly, environmentally friendly. As a rule, felt is used to create cubes, which has a soft and pleasant texture.
- Flexible rubber constructor - a novelty rapidly gaining popularity... The shape of its parts is conditional, so a huge selection of available shapes and designs opens up before the baby. Usually, very young children are not given such sets, since they can complicate the understanding of the surrounding space for a child who did not previously have another designer.
It should be noted that some sets may contain parts from other materials - in particular, glass.
Dimensions
Many parents sincerely believe that the greater the height and weight of the child, the larger the toys he needs. In principle, this rule works, but when choosing a constructor, you need to be guided by a completely opposite logic.
For example, it would be too difficult for a baby to hold small parts, since his hand motor skills are not sufficiently developed. And on the contrary, a huge bright object, for example, a cube, will surely attract the child's attention, forcing him to devote more time to playing with the constructor. Here, of course, it is important not to overdo it by choosing a giant set for the baby. It must be remembered that the part must fit in one hand of the child. At the same time, there is a specific limitation about too small parts - they should not fit into the baby's mouth, otherwise there is a danger of accidental swallowing.
But when the child becomes a little older, then the time will come for designers with small details. This is interesting, if only because the task looks more complicated, because even a relatively small model can consist of several dozen parts.
If an assembly that is too simple can be perceived by a child as a boring task, then with a correctly selected set, he will be ready to spend even a whole day just to collect one whole from the smallest particles.
Manufacturers overview
Sometimes it is easier not to study dozens of criteria by which to choose a children's designer, but simply to trust a trusted manufacturer, which has been in demand for decades due to a clear understanding of what the consumer needs. There are many successful manufacturers, but it is worth dwelling on at least a few of them.
Of course, there is hardly a better-known manufacturer of construction sets than Lego. This company focuses on the production of block sets with specific details that allow you to faithfully simulate anything, including famous buildings, various equipment, people and much more. The popularity of such a constructor is evidenced by the fact that in several countries of the world special parks have opened, in which all buildings are built from such a constructor.
Meccano is considered the inventor and the world's most renowned manufacturer of iron construction kits that include bolts and nuts. In the Soviet Union, such a designer was the most popular, although the products, of course, were a domestic fake, and not at all an original. Of the analogs, the German EiTech kits can be distinguished, although in fact many brands are engaged in the production of such a product.
The choice should be made in favor of Meccano, if only because the range of sets of this company is much wider than that of any Soviet manufacturers of such a product.
Russian designers are also sometimes a very good option, for example, the Znatok electronic designers recently received first prizes at an international toy exhibition in Hong Kong. If the kid has special interests, he can easily learn the basics of electrical engineering and even independently design simple, but at the same time working electrical appliances.
How to choose by age?
The choice of the type of constructor, of course, also depends on the age of the child, because both too complicated and too simple a task will hardly seem interesting to the kid. When choosing, it is best to focus on the labeling indicated on the package, however, you should not take it too literally, because some children develop faster, others more slowly.
For the all-round development of the baby, it would be best to gradually buy him set after set in a specific order.
The sequence would logically look something like this:
- for the little ones (up to a year) - cubes, first soft, and then made of hard materials, and from the age of six months - also figurines-inserts, like the same nesting dolls;
- for a one-year-old child - mosaic (not a puzzle!);
- for a one and a half year old child and older - block constructors of all kinds, except those where there are too small details;
- For children from 4 years old - magnetic sets and other constructors in which parts can be connected by an invisible connection;
- for kids from 5 years old - bolted and electronic constructors.
If we talk about categories in general, then even the most complex constructors can be given to children 6-7 years old, however, it should be understood that in each category there are both simpler and very complex options. If a block constructor has been recommended from a year and a half, this does not mean that a child needs to buy a Lego from a thousand parts, and even at 5 years old the child does not need an electronic "Expert" for 999 circuits.
Reviews of mothers and children
As a rule, children really like to play with constructors, but an incorrectly selected set can cause a child to quickly throw a gift.
It is imperative to take into account the interests of the child and his age, and if you can still buy a constructor “for growth”, then it is definitely not worth spending money on one that is no longer relevant for your child's age.
As a rule, parents note that at first the child may not show any interest in the constructor if he is not shown how it works. Mom and dad should not only buy a set for the child, but also play with it at least several times so that the baby feels confident during the assembly process and understands how to properly use the capabilities of every detail.
It is generally accepted that small parts in construction sets and toys are prohibited only up to 3 years of age, however, when buying a set with a "trifle" for an older child, parents should still instruct him not to put the elements of the construction set in his mouth or ears. Many mothers write that such episodes are not so rare among preschoolers and even younger students.
You can see interesting options for constructors for children below.
