Farm toys: Learning about animals, work and nature
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A farm or homestead is the home and business of an agricultural enterprise. Often a farm also refers to a farmer's complete business, including a house, yard, pasture, arable land, stables and barns.
This is what makes it so much fun for kids. You learn everything about housing, living, working and animals.
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Why is a play farm good for a child's development?
Maybe you think a toy farm is 'just' fun toys is, but make no mistake, your child can really learn a lot 'on the farm'.
Many children have lost contact with nature and they are interested in video games or computer games at home from an early age.
Romping outside or experiences in nature are no longer part of the deal; do our children know that their daily vegetables, milk and fruit do not just come straight from the supermarket, but from the land?
Do they know how fruit and vegetables grow and where milk really comes from?
With this toy farm they learn the names and sounds of animals and how to take care of them.
What do chickens, cows and horses actually eat? Did they also know that a hen lays eggs, a cow needs to be milked and a horse likes a stable with straw?
Play and development come together; children can express their creativity and emotions with such a toy farm and can join the role play on the farm.
They learn to take care of the animals and all other farm chores (here also more tips to make tasks fun) to do.
In this open-ended farm world, children are challenged to discover more and more in a safe way.
Did you know that farm toys can stimulate the physical and mental development of your child?
After all, we find a lot of books, songs and stories for children about farm animals or about the farm itself.
Like the books Sounds on the farm en Tracking on the farm.
It is wonderful to make sounds and make up farm stories with your little ones.
And how about an afternoon really at the (children's) farm? Children love it and may already know some of the animal names and actions that take place on the farm.
And how nice is it to stay in the farm atmosphere after your visit?
Play at home what sound an animal makes or how you take care of the animals. All very educational, even for very little ones.
Check out some here too Miss Janneke talks about the farm! And did you know there a real farm school is in the Netherlands?
Children really enjoy visiting the petting zoo. Especially if they are allowed to feed the animals.
Many children's farms sometimes hold activities, such as petting guinea pigs or feeding baby goats, just like in the Amsterdamse Bos at the Goat Farm.
On some farms, kids are allowed to put on clogs and sometimes help to take care of the animals. How educational is that?
Why buy a toy farm for children?
Farm toys ensure the mental development of your child. Farm animals to learn to care for creates a sense of responsibility in little ones.
Parents and children can play together and make animal sounds and you can make up stories about the inhabitants of the farm.
Furthermore, this toy is good for the development of hand-eye coordination of the smaller farm fans.
Why play with animal figures?
Animal figurines have a timeless charm. Most preschool-age children love animals as much as they love fantasy play.
They are thus stimulated to take care of, in their development, creativity and imagination.
What do children learn from farm animals?
By telling kids stories about farm animals, you teach them how to love the animals of our world.
It teaches them to understand that animals also need to be fed and cared for and - like us - they need love.
This skill will translate into caring for others as well.
Specific uses for a toy farm
Toy farm with animals and fences
One of the most fun things to play is to guide the animals to their next destination. That is why many people are really specifically looking for nice farms with fences.
I even made a video about it on our channel, one that was very well received:
All the fences are at the large Playmobil farm, you can simply place them in a different way instead of around a cow as stated in the booklet and lead the animals to a pasture!
A toy farm: indispensable for every child
We think a play farm is an item that should not be missing at home.
And why do we think so?
Well, children of different age groups simply enjoy discovering all there is to do on a farm.
They can use their imaginations through role-playing.
Furthermore, most (wooden) play farms are solid and durable toys, good for use for several generations.
There are studies showing that playing imaginative games on a regular basis will greatly benefit a child in his development.
A few benefits of playing with a toy farm include:
- it helps build cognitive skills
- the child learns to solve problems through imaginative play
- building vocabulary and language skills
- promote fine motor skills
- develop better coordination
- the child develops an interest in nature
The words of farm animals also allow babies and toddlers to practice the many sounds we use.
Phrases such as 'a piglet grunts' or 'a cow that moos' will also quickly help your child learn new words.
If you practice with your little one every now and then they will develop a greater vocabulary. This is especially true if children are between 9 and 21 months old.
Most kids just love farm animals and often the machines, vehicles and jobs that can be done!
Always something to do for the holidays or rainy day?
Play Choice now has the ultimate activity book collection, with over 60 pages of fun coloring pages and educational puzzles.
Joost Nusselder, the founder of Speelkeuze.nl is a content marketer, father and loves trying out new toys. As a child he came into contact with everything related to games when his mother started the Tinnen Soldaat in Ede. Now he and his team create helpful blog articles to help loyal readers with fun play ideas.