MESH Toys: Designed to Make a Difference

By Louise Pettifer

Introducing MESH Products for Children’s Wellbeing and Healthy Development.

The benefits of play for childhood development have been widely recognised for many years now, however today we are seeing an exciting movement in the toy industry that’s placing meaningful play back on the agenda, with children’s resilience and wellbeing at the forefront!

Children are facing more challenges navigating our modern world, resulting in increased social, emotional and mental health concerns. To combat this, experts and parents alike are turning to toys, not only for their entertainment value but as a progressive solution for our future generations.

This is where Mental, Emotional and Social Health (MESH) toys come in, promoting essential life skills children need to thrive in the 21^st century. MESH toys offer the ultimate combination; not only do they help to reinforce fundamental skills, but they do so through PLAY – a child’s greatest learning tool and ultimately, one that speaks their language!

The Power of MESH toys: Skills to Help Children Thrive

Underpinned by extensive research from the MESH Helps White Paper, 8 fundamental MESH Skills are outlined that can help to build children’s resilience through the 4 Play Patterns. When children have opportunities to develop these important skills through the fun of play, they are better equipped to navigate their world – from having long-lasting friendships to achieving goals, overcoming adversity, feeling a sense of belongingness, and even impacting future job prospects.

What are the 8 MESH Skills?

Problem Solving

MESH toys can help children to be curious and think creatively to find solutions. In order to strengthen these skills, children need to experience challenges that increase in difficulty as they learn and develop.

Perseverance

MESH toys teach children to keep going when faced with obstacles – building self-esteem and confidence to tackle the challenges of everyday life.

Adaptation

When engaged with MESH toys children develop initiative and flexible thinking, this helps children to embrace new situations and adapt to the never-ending changes of life.

Conflict Resolution

Turn-taking, respecting differences, empathising and negotiation are key MESH skills to help children to work together and build healthy relationships.

Self-regulation

From making mandalas to puzzles, fidget toys and artistic creations – MESH toys provide opportunities for introspection which supports children to identify and understand their emotions, plus learn positive coping strategies to respond in helpful ways.

Self-advocacy

MESH toys support children to understand their experiences and navigate their world. This provides important opportunities for self-expression and to share their needs and interests with others.

Cognition

Brain boosting toys that encourage the abilities involved in perception, learning, memory, reasoning and judgement, essentially providing the building blocks for lifelong learning.

Communication Strategies

MESH toys aim to foster collaborative play, which supports children to build fundamental social and communication skills, from teamwork to building relationships, perception, understanding, negotiating and problem solving.

CONNETIX Joins the ‘MESH Pledge’

If you know and love CONNETIX, then you’ll understand that their team of educators and experts are passionate about championing the importance of play for childhood development and learning. The CONNETIX values align with the MESH Helps initiative, so they’re joining in their efforts and have received MESH accreditation for four packs under the newly launched program. You can find the MESH accreditation Seal on participating products, highlighting that CONNETIX play supports to build all 8 MESH Skills, plus encourages the 4 Play Patterns. Check out which CONNETIX Packs have been accredited so far.

Delight in the magic that is taking place, and the important work of play

The next time your child is playing, I encourage you to take a moment to “think MESH”. Reflect and ask yourself, what skills might they be acquiring in this moment or working towards? Or simply, delight in the magic that is taking place, and the important work of play that is having a profound impact on your child’s healthy development.

If you’re interested in learning more, stay tuned as we will be covering a series of how CONNETIX can build MESH Skills through play!

Louise Pettifer

Louise has had over ten years’ experience and a rewarding career working with families in the community services and education sector. Louise authentically draws on the importance of PLAY in nurturing attachment and childhood development.

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