Toys and Aids for Baby and Toddler Early Development
Inspiration can come from everywhere, and our most recent was from a mama we meet at The Rocks Market in Sydney recently.
ABOUT QUIET BOOK
Jen is from the Northern beaches of Sydney and she has a 2 year-old boy, Mal. She was intrigued by our books, as she had heard of them before but had not had the chance to physically look at them for her little one. Browsing through them, they reminded her of the hand-sewn patchwork bedding that her grandmother used to make for her and her cousins, back in her hometown in Taiwan over 30 years ago.
It was amazing to hear her compare our Quiet Books with those from her memory, such a long time ago. While the lovingly-made craft-pieces by her grandma was non interactive, the basic education motives and intents were similar to that of our Quiet Books. She told us that they were embroidered or patched with themes like letters of the fruits, colors
Today, Quiet Books are not an entirely new concept as toys and aids for baby’s and toddler’s early development – as a testament to their form and functions, they can now be found in churches, clinics, hospitals, Montessori and child care centres. As an alternative to conventional toys, Quiet Books are tools for toddler learning; especially in the early stages of their development, Quiet Books capture little ones’ imagination and attention like regular toys would, but at the same time always delivering educational fun, and aiming to improve coordination and basic movement skills by providing some structure and flow to the learning.
To little ones, these hand-made soft books contain intriguing stories and tales, with colourful pages and interactive attachments and pop-outs that allow them to safely build the story-lines and do what feels natural to them.
When we met Jen at the market in July, she intended to use our Quiet Books to help Mal focus and pay attention to something that builds his motor skills and mental capabilities. Since then, she has told us that once they were introduced, our Quiet Books was a learning toy that gave Mal something to look forward to - he is adapting to uninterrupted play; an ideal aid for mamas like Jen to have a bit of much-needed time to simply guide and observe.
With their seemingly limitless energy and need to get-up-to-something, little ones might not realize it but they actually do need to unwind, just like grown-ups. During this slow-down, their minds are peaked to absorb and soak up, undistracted by all the littlest things around them - to concentrate, to develop skills, to recognize the elements around them, and to feel physically.
Benefits of Quiet Books
While Quiet Books expand toddler’s attention spans, they also creates an environment where toddlers learn to be independent and is instilled with a sense of self-reliance. By having a scheduled time when toddlers are with their development toys, little ones can be sat down and thought to play without distractions and the unnecessary noise. as they learn to enjoy the quiet and be calmer. Jen has noticed, to her amazement, that Mal is throwing fewer tantrums and meltdowns. When he does, they are also less harsh - he seems to have gotten used to the quiet and calm now, and is happy to be in his own world, at least for a little while.
Jen was convinced on our Quiet Books as soon as she looked through our range. Being hand-made, washable and easy-to-store, she intends to start a collection of toys that will benefit her next baby or to share with others in her family. They make great hand-me-downs and can be kept in the family for a long time.
We recommended several books to Jen as a good start for Mal, who has never played with them. She finally decided on the Peek-a-Boo & Who Do You Want to Be? books. These feature activities such as buttoning, tying and sticking
*All real names have been substituted with a pseudonym name and baby picture are not related to the post.
Useful Resources:
What is a Quiet Book and Why Every Baby & Toddler Should Have One
by Katrina Villegas