TOY: THE GREAT VIBRANIUM DETECTOR!
In the Pan-African movie, "Black Panther (Wakanda Forever)", we see the bid to explore a mineral dubbed "vibranium." To detect this precious metal, a machine had to be built by a young intelligent Black female inventor for that sole purpose. Without this machine, vibranium couldn't have been detected where it lies buried in the belly of the ocean or wherever God had destined it (or where the foosils are as Science told us).
In same manner, toys are detectors. While they may not serve as conclusive detectors (especially at your ward's early stage) yet they are (especially if he shows interest in a particular set of toys than others).
I'll advise that you furnish your ward with different range of toys. We sure know they'll change toys as their age or growth advances. From dolls or empathy toys to cognitive toys or those that'll help him/her develop motor skills.
As you do, begin to watch them at play. Play with them. Enjoy the task like they do. Offer assistance where necessary and set them on motion of what tasks to do with the toys.
You might be shocked to see your ward gravitate towards certain toys than the others. If your ward would love to play on end with certain toys or refuse to share it with any other, it might be because that type of toy sparks certain curiosity in him than others and he's saying, "I want to have this field for myself to own, dominate and advance." That's jealousy of protection for his love or obsession. It therefore means that's the toy waking up his natural passion or giving him a rare sense of delight or sublimity. Is he showing uncanny interest in animal toys? It's an indication of an attraction to animal science, wildlife photography or animal husbandry. What about a deep seethed obsession for technological toys? You might be looking at a future inventor or designer of something.
This sense of gratification will heighten as they grow especially as they meet the subjects that fit their natural inclinations. It's on that they'll spend more time. It's on that they'll shut out distraction and even delay pleasure. In childhood, I was drawn to Fine Art and I drew most of my time with special attraction to folklore, story telling and world's cultures. When I got to Senior Secondary School, my love for Literature knew no bound. It just struck something in me. I just loved it. I'm not surprised at my eventual studying of English and having M.A in English Literature, becoming an Educator and a fine creative writer cut-crossing many facets.
If you can make a good connection, you might have detected by now what possible area your child might fit into. While he might still need to choose a niche but these earlier and latter signs would have indicated the community he should go. For instance: Art, Science or Commercial.
However, his journey to narrow down will continue until he fits himself into a colony that most suits him. This journey begins at infancy when you begin to delight with toys in order to wake up their latent energy and ability where it resides. This will help because if this awakened interest is sustained, it'll help them carry surely this obsession to where they would make decision (without being confused) on which career choice or field to go into. Those who don't recognize the voice of their vocation early might have trouble hearing it later. Those who have heard it once have something to compare with, search for or wake up again.
Toys and the effective use of them can help us begin to have a glimpse into this. As a matter of fact, great masters of their vocations started out loving something or someone in their fields. It was the flickering camera with pseudo pictures, mathematical compass, folklore and world's cultures or experimental and laboratory tools that woke up the curiosity of some.
This simple sign made some writers, scientists, cinematographers or inventors. Toy is therefore a kind of machine built to help us locate where that precious natural resource - vibranium is hidden in our own kid. Even as your toddler or adolescent indulges in toys or games, we might infer where they'll end just by studying which wakes up their curiosity the more and for which they admire to replicate or explore more.
Toys are therefore not only tools to keep our babies or toddlers from crying. It is rather a means of awakening them to their world, cultivating social, cognitive, eye-hand (motor) skills etc.
For a body builder to sculpt a body that'll impress anyone, he needs some certain tools just for that. Those are located in the gym right? Several tools have been invented to develop and carve out muscles where necessary. There are tools and exercises just for training and sculpting the thighs, shoulders, belly, chest and other parts of the body. Without using them or indulging in those exercises, no materialization can happen. You therefore can't bring out the possibility that's possible in your muscular self!
To breed a creative child is simple. Stimulate him. Put something in their faces to watch. Be like Jacob who wanted a type of sheep and so peeled white streaks in poplar trees and set it at the animals' feeding troughs. At day's end, they gave birth to what was erected at their faces! He brought out what he was looking for. He created a device to call that forth. That's simple invention through the power of faith and visualization. Occupy them and once you're lucky to strike on their innate ability or passion, take that and train it to its height. But for now, you need to have a nursery of toys!
This is how some have child prodigies earlier on. It is not by leaving anything to chance but by making available the necessary tools, toys, games and exercises that can lead to the discovery, training and then realization of their individuals.
If you don't know, individuality wants to speak and through each of us. May that of your kid voice out. May it thunder like the voice of the Lord that breaks the cedars of Lebanon. May it be that strong, gracious and commanding on the day of its manifestation when it cries out.
Remember, we not only train/develop with toys, we discover with toys!
Who we are in our deepest self is gravitated towards and embraced once sighted in reality - even in toys, certain subjects, games, mentors and exercises!
Olusola ADEJUMO,
M'Wings.
Morning Wings Ministry, Nigeria.
+234 81 3704 6812
solaadenathmail@gmail.com or morningwingsministryplus@gmail.com
