THE COMPASS

Genius Tot, or Not?

Recent news releases have turned children’s development and so called “genius gear” into a hot topic. When purchasing items for your program do you consider if the item is going to turn the children in your care into geniuses? This alleged “genius gear” is marketed to families and educators to make them feel that providing children with these items is essential to their learning.

Walk down any toy aisle and count the number of products that promise to “teach” children. The companies that market these toys are usually named “smart,” “intelligent,” “brainy” or “genius.” Web searches result in numerous sites that sell genius toys. Flash cards that introduce nature to children, a video game that teaches phonics and reading; numbers and math; science and reasoning, as well as an electronic learning toy that enables toddlers to “master advanced concepts” are some examples of the “genius gear” that is on the market. Families and educators can easily become overwhelmed with the barrage of materials being marketed to them.

In reality, children don’t need genius gear to grow into happy and healthy individuals. Studies have shown that the skills children need for school readiness and life are not necessarily counting and letter recognition but social/emotional skills. Children who have opportunities to develop relationships, independence, compassion, trust and self-control will grow into children who will have many opportunities to be successful.

Consider a typical day in a child care program and the numerous opportunities for children to grow and succeed without the assistance of genius gear. Arrival time is a great opportunity for children to develop independence. They can put away their belongings and choose an activity. They can also fi nd their name and sign in. Arrival time is also opportunity for relationship building, as caregivers welcome children to their program. Preschoolers, as well as infants, are developing trust and compassion when the adults in their life care for their needs in a positive nurturing manner.

When the hot topic of genius gear is discussed, brain development is an important part of the discussion. In dispute is the value of genius videos to children’s development. The concern is that children are missing out on vital opportunities for human interaction when placed in front of the television. Children that are watching a genius DVD will benefi t more if the caregiver in their life is interacting with the child during the viewing. Hearing a caregiver or family member’s voice and seeing their facial expressions would make DVD viewing more meaningful.

Real hands-on experiences are the way that children learn best. Most early childhood educators agree that children should be introduced to nature without the use of genius DVD’s or flashcards. Nature can be brought into classrooms when opportunities to go out into nature are not available. Water tables fi lled with snow bring about visions of children building language skills and experimenting with science and math, all while interacting with peers and adults.

The next time you have the opportunity to purchase materials for your program, consider materials that support open-ended play and social interactions. Offer children opportunities to experiment and learn about their environment, while interacting and building relationships with humans. These opportunities will set up the children in your care for success now and in the future.