Toy Shopping

I rarely do this. In fact, I really try to avoid shopping altogether, but this has been kind of fun. I'm traipsing around looking for developmental toys for the orphanages we will visit while we're in Azerbaijan. The humanitarian workers that we are going to assist while we are there have helped the orphanage workers in learning how to interact with the children by holding the babies and playing with the little ones. In one of the orphanages, workers used to rarely hold the babies, and in fact they would only change their diapers once a day (whether they needed a change or not - ha!). Last year when we were there, our team painted a room in the orphanage that is now used as a playroom. We hope to add to the collection of toys by bringing some developmental toys that will stimulate the babies and children. In addition, I am hoping to be able to just sit and hold some of the infants. This sounds like such a basic thing, and you would think that it already happens, but it doesn't. In so many orphanages, there are days when babies are only held or touched when it is feeding and diapering time. Infants need the stimulation of touch, specifically someone who holds them, strokes them, looks into their eyes, talks and sings to them. It is amazing to think that this is how babies learn, and it is a crucial part of their development. They simply MUST have this in order to develop in a healthy way. The babies in the orphanage are missing this - and so I am hoping and praying that we can hold them, rock them, cuddle them even if it is only for a half hour for a few days while we are there.

As for the little ones, if we can get them over the stares, we'll be doing good. They mostly just sat at their little tables and looked at us as if we had just rocketed in from outer space. Toys should break the ice. It's difficult to find toys, however, that don't incorporate language learning or counting. This won't work for Azeri children. So I'm getting giant foam legos, stacking rings, unbreakable mirrors, shape sorters, snap beads, etc. Fortunately these are cheaper than the fancy language and counting toys. No Leap Frog toys for these kiddos!