Should parents and guardians be strict on the kind of toys their children play with?
According to educational psychologist Cara Blanckie, all toys should be able to engage a child's creativity and assist in their development.
Blanckie says that the impact of toys on a child do not concern her as much as the impact of video games on a child.
Speaking to #NightTalk's Gugs Mhlungu and Sizwe Dhlomo, Blanckie says that the extent in which a toy stimulates a child's imagination depends on the environment the child is in and how their parents communicate with the child about the toy they are playing with.
Listen to the conversation below:
The whole point of a toy is to try to work on a child's imagination
— Cara Blanckie, educational psychologist
I think a toy should be able to engage your child's creativity, to have them think. Often TV games aren't creative. You just have to follow the game
— Cara Blanckie, educational psychologist
On Twitter, 702 and CapeTalk #NightTalk listeners also responded on the kind of toys they preferred for young kids.
#NightTalk What are the best toys to buy for a three year old kid? @GugsM @SizweDhlomo
— 702 (@Radio702) August 23, 2016
#NightTalk What are the best toys to buy for a three year old kid? @GugsM @SizweDhlomo
— CapeTalk (@CapeTalk) August 23, 2016
This article first appeared on 702 : It's not a toy if it doesn't engage a child's creativity