Playworks sells toys that invite play and enhance early childhood development [fun for all ages]

Playworks sells open-ended toys that engage children in self-directed play. Children use their imaginations and create their own play scenarios. They draw on their knowledge and experiences, and this includes books that have been read to them as well as movies and television shows they've watched. Although children may incorporate characters and story lines from these experiences, the toys do not dictate their play.

Licensed products, on the other hand, come with an implied script which suggests how the child will play.

Think about how a child plays with a classic wooden railplay set. Starting with the basics the child learns to connect and disconnect individual pieces and lay out track, thus refining fine motor skills and exploring spatial relationships. The train is kid-powered with the child using his imagination to create a scenario. Perhaps the child has ridden a train or visited a train museum. Those experiences inform his play.

As the child gains experience, he'll likely want to create more complex lay-outs. This enhances problem-solving skills as he moves from visualizing to creating the "perfect" lay-out. He may want to add trains, perhaps different kinds, from the classic steam engine to diesel locomotives and bullet trains. He may want freight trains and passenger trains.

Often children incorporate other toys to bring a whole new dimension to railplay, adding an airport or a harbor where the train takes on freight or a zoo awaiting delivery of new animals. With blocks children can "develop the land" along the tracks, laying out a farm teeming with animals or a city complete with towering skyscrapers. The possibilities are limited only by their imaginations and available materials.

The point is: the classic toy grows with the child and the child with the toy. On the other hand, a licensed railplay set comes with a script that limits the imagination. Who needs to "reinvent the wheel"? The kid knows what's what about this train and its adventures. He may embellish or otherwise alter the script, but the essence remains a given.

Of course, a child familiar with the stories behind the licensed product may choose to act out some of that character's adventures with a classic wooden train set. That's an option, but only one among the many that come into the child's mind.

Albert Einstein said "imagination is more important than knowledge." We agree. What do you think? Let us know. We'd be delighted to hear and share your observations on children and the importance of open-ended imaginative play. Visit our blog and leave a comment. We’ll send you a coupon good for $5 off your next order of $10 or more.