Fun is Good for You!

The American Academy of Pediatrics recently published a summary of research into the benefit of play in the development of a child, and, importantly, what type of play is most beneficial.

The abbreviated version is that young children are increasingly spending much too much time playing with electronic toys that involve passive participation (i.e. pushing a button and watching). In addition, a growing number of stuffed toys revolve around licensed media characters where most of the personality and disposition of the character has been pre-defined by the media creator.

Imagination is not just nice, it's quite literally essential for the development of a child's intellectual and social development.

Examples of toys that support this kind of development are building blocks, simple household items like wooden utensils and containers, and unbranded animals or characters.

While academic research is a great validator, we knew instinctively that our organic cotton Joobles collection, made by fair trade cooperatives in Peru, was a healthy thing for mind and spirit, young and old, and in this case, unlike too often,  consumer and producer.  Doctor's orders: have fun!