Buy Your Baby A Red Wagon: Here’s Why

Christmas is coming and you’re making your list and checking it twice. Clothes, books, something from Disney, and a digital or electronic gadget may already be on layaway.

While you and your baby have many things you want and need, such as clothes, here’s a suggestion for a toy that you probably haven’t thought of—-a red wagon. Think a little red wagon can not possibly be as educational or as fun as a purple tablet? Think again!

Here’s a shortlist of educational/learning opportunities a wagon provides that a tablet does not:

1. Builds a strong body. Sitting while the wagon is being pulled improves balance, pulling the wagon builds strength, climbing in and out strengthens and improves balance. Doing all of this with a sibling or friend builds vocabulary and communication skills. If one tumbles and gets hurt, empathy and sympathy can be expressed. Playing with a wagon inside or outside burns energy and promotes healthier eating and sleeping.
2. Builds spatial and problem-solving skills. Climbing in or out, riding in, or pulling a wagon teaches your child if he or she is up or down, in front of or behind, in or out, pushing or pulling, moving or stopping. Waiting while brother climbs in so he doesn’t fall out, teaches problem-solving and self-control. Figuring out how to face forward or load the puppy helps little brains learn how to solve spatial problems.
3. Promotes better eating and sleeping patterns. Science shows children need fresh air, lots of physical activity, and toys that allow expression of personal creativity and imagination. Tired children are hungrier, more relaxed, and sleep better. Science now shows the blue light your child is exposed to when playing on a tablet does interfere with sleep. See my previous post on the topic. You want those babies to sleep well, don’t you?

Yes, the purple tablet is loaded with catchy music, funny and colorful images, and will hold your child’s attention for a long time. But during those hours, he or she is mostly inactive and alone with no back and forth interaction with others. Her bones are not getting stronger, his balance is not being challenged and their communication and social skills remain under-developed.

So, get your baby a red wagon and use it. And . . . if you did buy a purple tablet, control access, and use. You can play on a tablet too much. But a red wagon? Never. It is always a healthy choice for your baby.

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