Simple Toys.

I sent my grandson a cord a while ago.  The cord came out of one of my hoodies and rather then go to the trouble of threading it back in, I sent it to him.  As a present!  As a toy. Guess what? He has actually had a lot of fun with it and it can occupy his attention for lengths of time.  It's one of his favorite items in his toy basket. A simple cord.

While I was visiting him last week, his mom, dad and I sat around visiting and observing him with this cord.  We tried to list some of the things he might be learning as he played.  Please note that all of the play was self-initiated.  Myles is 10 months old in these pics.

How long is it?  How wide can I stretch my arms?  What happens when I swing it really fast?

I can hold one hand up high and slide my other hand down low.

I can gather the cord together and twist it around my hand.  I can manipulate it.

I can taste it.  Being ten months old Myles is still very oral and is learning about his world through the sense of taste and smell.  He might be learning about the size, shape, surface texture, temperature or weight.  Or he might be teething.

He likes to swing the cord and hang it around his neck.  His parents are watching and supervising and so there is no hazard from this.  Part of his play with the cord included a book box.  He was intent on trying to get the cord into the box.  He worked on that for quite a while.

Swinging the cord while standing.  That included a whole new level of learning!

Myles reminded me yet again how children like things simple. 

We saw him working on:

*cause and effect

*fine motor skills

*gross motor skills

* problem-solving

....and more, just from the play with a cord.

So cool.

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