What Is the Educational Value Of a Stuffed Animal Or Plush Toy?

People often observe a child at play & think, "Oh, he's just playing & having fun. He's not learning anything." This is a very unfortunate but all too common misconception.  Children not only can have fun but should have fun while learning!  

For children, especially young children, playing is learning. This is a longheld belief of those who believe in the learning process as described by Dr. Maria Montessori.  Children should be curious & seek out their own adventures with teachers & parents providing tools to do just that.  

Stuffed animals, plushes & dolls are tools that fuel the imagination & facilitate creative exploration.  Children create names, personalities & adventures with their plushes & stuffed animals. These tools are powerful resources for promoting healthy, whole child development.

In the "whole child" approach to education, it is understood that a child's education & life outcomes are dependent upon the child's access to safe & welcoming learning environments & learning opportunities & experiences both inside & outside of the physical classroom.  

The whole child framework views each child as a dynamic entity with his or her own interests, strengths, challenges & needs.  This framework also acknowledges that children learn best when they feel safe & engaged.  The framework is rooted in the appreciation that children have multiple educational needs & developmental goals which are equally as relevant as academic growth & development.  

Exploring different learning domains, exercising different intelligences, & experiencing a personal connection with the learning process facilitate whole child growth & development.  A key area of whole child development involves social-emotional wellness.

These tools gelp children to develop social-emotional skills including empathy, expressing emotions, building confidence, & facilitating a sense of safety or security.  Children practice language, apply new vocabulary & demonstrate nonverbal communication with these toys, too!  Stuffed animals & plush toys can help support healthy sleep habits & foster responsibility, too!

It is for these reasons & others that stuffed animals, dolls, & plush toys are offeref in this online learning resource & educational supply store!  

So, what are you waiting for? Visit the Learning Made Fun With Maestra Casiano online shop today & give the gift of a plush toy to a child you care about!  Help a child experience first hand the joy of learning.  See how powerful role a stuffed animal, doll, or plush toy can be in a child's journey of lifelong learning!