Embedded Files
Children vs Adults
Children vs Adults
"Children perceive toys differently than do adults. Unlike adults, children see a wide array of objects as potential playthings, and they often manipulate and imagine discarded or unused adult artifacts or natural objects as toys." (Baxter 4)
Socialization via Toys
Socialization via Toys
"Girls could learn social graces, practice proper etiquette, and embrace a sense of sense of proper fashion by hosting tea parties and other events through imaginative doll play" (Baxter 4)
Squishmallows enable children to consider their world and make up their own version for their squishies. While adults see a fancy pillow, a child sees the newest movie star in their imagined world. Paying attention to how children use their Squishamallows can tell you as the adult in that child's life how they understand the world and what they are interested in. On top of seeing into your child's mind, Squishmallows provide your child a way of practicing the social norms they are learning. Their toys are like the test subjects for what a child is told to practice. For example, Avery wanted to play a board game that needed a fourth player so she invited her Squishmallow to be the fourth player and practiced playing the game with her toy.
Social-Emotional Learning
Social-Emotional Learning
"A number of studies point to the fact that make-believe play in preschools or in a variety of other settings I associated with more positive emotions in children and identify an adverse relationship between imaginative play skills and the overt manifestations of anger and aggression (D.G. Singer and Singer 1990). Joy and liveliness appear during pretend games, and in general, children seem to be having fun and are enjoying the pretense." (Singer & Singer 7)
Avery is only 5 years old, in pre-k, and is still learning how to express and cope with her emotions. When she gets angry or upset, she practices squeezing her squishmallows to help her calm down and regulate her emotions. This prevents her from getting overwhelmed and confused potentially causing her to take her anger out in an unhealthy or dangerous way. By learning to take a breathe when she gets upset, Avery is also giving herself time to clear her head and recognize what she is feeling with the security of her Squishmallow to keep her calm.
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