Doesn’t a child learn something from every “toy,” a word actually derived from the Old English word meaning “tool?” And don’t advertisers try to lure parents by throwing in the word “educational” to describe any old toy they’re selling? True educational toys are developed specifically to encourage certain skills in children while offering a high play value. Studies dating back to 1940 have shown that it is well worth a parent’s time and effort to research for a proper age-appropriate educational toy that can permanently improve a child’s IQ by more than 50 points. Here’s 
a brief overview that might help sift through the child development jargon and assist parents in choosing an educational toy that is the right fit for their children.
CHILD DEVELOPMENT TERMS
Gross motor skills and fine motor skills: Gross motor skills refer to whole body movements from the large muscle groups, including standing, walking, and running. Fine motor skills are small muscle movements or dexterity, particularly in the fingers, and are necessary for such activities as buttoning shirts, zippering, writing, and sewing.
Hand-eye coordination: The eyes provide information on an object’s size, weight, texture etc. and direct the hands to the target. Without this ability, even the simplest task of picking up an object would be difficult.
Cognitive/Intellectual awareness: how a child perceives and makes sense of his environment.
Social awareness: learning to build and maintain relationships, share, and cooperate with others.
Emotional awareness: a child’s sense of “self,” and his ability to understand and cope with his own feelings.
Creative expression: allowing children the opportunity to use their imaginations and express themselves. This can be offered either from a structured activity, such as a paint-by-number craft, that gives children a sense of accomplishment, or by simply setting a drawing pad in front of them and encouraging their imaginations to “run wild.”
EDUCATIONAL PLAY ACTIVITIES
Puzzles: help develop patience, problem solving, hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills
Dolls, dress-up and role play toys: encourage cognitive and social awareness, creative expression, and even fine motor skills (self-dressing)
Building toys: hand-eye coordination, creative expression, fine motor skills, patience, intellectual awareness, and basic principles of science, such as causal relationships, spatial awareness, and the effects of gravity
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