Latest toy trend: The Makers Movement
One of the major trends emerging from this year’s Toy Fair New York was the Makers Movement. The Maker Movement spotlights toys that allow kids to build and create items that are unique to them. Supporting the Maker Movement can help kids develop cognitive skills, build confidence, promote creativity, resourcefulness and problem-solving skills.
Tips for Raising a Maker
1. Create a maker space and stock with maker materials
Gather household materials that you can create and build with
Everything from empty toiler paper rolls, to string, to empty cereal boxes. Get creative and reuse materials!
Keep this as a permanent space in your home just as you would keep traditional toys within reach.
2. Provide inspiration & encourage creativity
Find magazines with fun pictures and letters, look and travel books for inspiration and themes, and utilize a letter dice to help decide what you’re going to create!
Choose a letter, picture or place to help kick start the brainstorming process, then get building!
3. Be a maker yourself
Power down your own electronics and lead by example. Create with your children and spend time talking about what you will create and how they envision the final product. It’s about re-connecting and using your imagination.
4. Keep Creating!
Set up a monthly or weekly activity that keeps the family creating NEW things.
Draw inspiration from an upcoming event or family trip. Create different things by reusing and recycling materials.
Don’t just build and forget, keep building!
YOXO links are made from recycled wood pulp
YOXO (yock-so) offers various creative construction kits that inspire open-ended play for ages 4-104
YOXO ‘s mission is to keep kids creating. The YOXO pieces work with household items like paper towel tubes and cereal boxes for endless hours of play.
YOXO is available at a number of specialty toy stores and just launched in select Target stores across the U.S. All products retail for under $25.00
For more information visit their website at www.yoxo.com