Toy Evaluation

Toy Evaluation Article Brief Children apparently develop his or her cognitive structure according to his or her understanding (Bakir & Palan, 2010). This is not limited to social cognitive developmental toys, aggressive promoting toys, and gender stereotyping toys. Lev Vygotsky, a Russian Psychologist, created a theory of learning and development that may have implications in regard to play materials (Bradley, 1985). Apparently, children’s toys play a significant role in long-term effects in later development (Caldera & Sciarraffa, 1998). These long-term effects start from a child’s interest in toys that encourage social connections with his or her peers and with adults (Bradley, 1985). However, toys that encourage aggression could cause aggressive behaviors in children, especially boys (Klinger, Hamilton, & Cantrell, 2001). According to Klinger et al. (2001), children develop an aggressive script by observing aggressive behavior and internalizing that information. Parent’s who purchase these aggressive natured toys, are in fact, legitimizing the aggression played out by his or her child (Klinger et al., 2001). Parents are also responsible for gender-role social skills a child acquire (Schwartz & Markham, 1985). The gender-role social skills are typically found in toys. These gender-role toys contribute how gender-role socialization skills develop in a child (Chafetz, 1974) (as cited in Schwartz & Markham, 1985). Apparently, girl’s toys are focused on domestication whereas boy’s toys encourage analysis and building (Mitchell, 1973) (as cited in Schwartz & Markham, 1985). Children enjoy playing with gender-role toys because it is a rewarding aspect for children in his or hers same gender (Schwartz & Markham, 1985). As the child is more aware of his or her gender the child will practice more appropriate gender behaviors than non-gender behaviors (Schwartz & Markham, 1985). Whether aggressive natured, social, or gender-role appropriate, toys do assist parents