Mitbander 1

Avantika Mitbander

PSY 341- Prof. Benitez

November 15, 2022

Evaluate a Toy - Avantika Mitbander

One of the staples in a parent’s arsenal, a teething toy can come in a variety of different

forms. It can be described as a ring shaped rubber object that is meant to be chewed on. It's easy

for small fists to grasp and provides the pressure needed to soothe sore gums. Generally, infants

from ages 3 to 7 months will benefit most from using a teething toy. As described in the

textbook, Piaget states that children of these ages are in the sensorimotor stage which means that

they are learning about the world through their basic senses. The act of using a teething toy

directly connects to this concept because infants are able to use their basic reflexes of grasping

and sucking in order to learn skills. Additionally, it can be related to the concept of object

permanence because they start to realize that just because they can't see it, it doesn't mean that it

ceases to exist. Based on this, there are many pros to utilizing this toy. One of them being the fact

that infants are able to realize that they can manipulate objects around them using their actions.

Since it is a relatively harmless toy, children have the independence to explore it freely using all

their senses including taste and touch. This allows for the development of a sense of self and

increased movement all of which are evident in the sensorimotor stage. On the other hand, a few

cons related to the toy include the fact that it could be detrimental to physical health. This is

because there is a chance that the toy is made out of toxic material or the fact that it is unhygienic

for infants to put things in their mouth because of germs. However, in general, the many pros of

a teething toy include the fact that it supports child development during the sensorimotor stage

and teaches valuable life skills.