Toy Project

Your project must be submitted as a Word document (.docx, .doc) or Rich Text Format file (.rtf)*. Your project will be individually graded by your instructor and therefore may take up to five to seven days to grade.

Be sure that each of your files contains the following information:

• Project Name/Title of Paper
• Your name
• Your student ID number
• Name of School
• The course number and name
• Project number
• Date of submission

To submit your graded project, follow these steps:

• Log in to your student portal.
• Click on Take Exam next to the lesson you’re working on.
• Find the exam number for your project at the top of the Project Upload page.  
• Follow the instructions provided to complete your exam.

Be sure to keep a backup copy of any files you submit to the school!

Instructions

Consider both the instructions included within this study guide and also in the developed resources for this graded project, you’ll research the guidelines for selecting safe and developmentally appropriate toys for all children ages birth to eight years. Then, you’ll select three specific toys you believe to be safe and developmentally appropriate for children of a selected age group, and will explain the appropriateness of the toy as you answer a series of questions about each toy.

You’ll provide all of the requested information and answer all of the required questions in one continuous essay. Remember to use fully developed sentences and paragraphs, following APA format. 

Part 1

Research the appropriate guidelines for selecting toys for young children. This information is available on the Internet and in many early childhood publications. Then, write an essay of at least five (5) fully developed paragraphs, summarizing and explaining at least fifteen (15) guidelines regarding toy safety and developmental appropriateness. As you conduct your research you’ll likely find that there are more guidelines available on choosing safe toys than on choosing developmentally appropriate toys for young children. For this reason, it is recommended that students choose ten (10) guidelines on choosing safe toys and five (5) guidelines on choosing developmentally appropriate toys to discuss within their essay. Keep in mind that the essay should not simply be a re-statement of the researched information. Instead, it’s important to demonstrate your understanding of the information and how it should be applied in selecting toys for young children. This will be written in essay format and will not include any bulleted or numbered lists of guidelines. Each paragraph must consist of 4 to 6 fully developed sentences. Refer to the course resources available on the Early Childhood College Programs and Courses Learning Resource Center for additional guidance on completing this assignment:
https://pflibrary.pennfoster.edu/earlychildchoodcenter/college

In your essay, you must include in-text citations in APA format to indicate where the information originated from.

Exams received without proper in-text citations and a References page in APA format will be considered plagiarized, and a grade of 1% may be awarded. Ensure you are correctly citing all of your research in your essay.

For assistance with proper APA in-text citations and references, please review all available APA resources on the Early Childhood Learning Resource Center:
https://pflibrary.pennfoster.edu/earlychildhoodcenter/college

Part 2

Select one of the following age groups:

• 0 to 17 months
• 18 to 35 months
• 3 to 5 years

Select three toys you believe to be safe, developmentally appropriate and educational for a typical child within the age group you’ve selected. Write an opening paragraph that identifies the age group selected for Part 2 of the assignment. In addition, identify the three toys that were selected for this age group, ensuring that three specific toys have been selected rather than toy categories. The opening paragraph should be 4 to 6 sentences. For each of the toys, provide responses to the following questions using fully developed sentences and paragraphs of 4 to 6 sentences each:

• Provide the full name of the toy, and the name of the manufacturer. Then, provide a detailed description of the toy in your own words. Use 4 to 6 sentences to indicate, for example, the size of the toy, the materials it’s made from, its purpose, how it’s cleaned and sanitized, how it’s played with, how it’s stored, its typical purchase price and where it can be purchased, and other information you wish to share. 

Then, answer each of these questions in its own fully-developed paragraph of 4 to 6 sentences:

1. Why is this toy developmentally appropriate and educational for a child in this age group? What will be developed or learned by playing with this toy? Refer to the guidelines discussed in part one of the assignment on choosing developmentally appropriate toys, as well as the guidelines for DAP, as outlined by NAEYC at
   https://www.naeyc.org/resources/topics/dap/position-statement pages 16-23.
2. Why is this toy appealing to a child in this age group?
3. Would a parent select this toy? Why or why not? As a caregiver, would you select this toy to use with a child in this age group? Why or why not?
4. Is the toy safe for young children? Why or why not? What hazards could you anticipate with this toy? How can you prevent the hazard from happening? Use the guidelines researched and discussed in part one of the assignment to support your explanation.

Part 2 of the assignment will consist of sixteen (16) fully developed paragraphs in total, an introduction and five (5) paragraphs per toy, including the toy’s description. 

Writing Guidelines

1. Type your submission, double-spaced, in a standard print font and size Calibri 11, Arial 11, and Times New Roman 12 are all recommended fonts and sizes. . Use a standard document format with one-inch margins. 
2. Include a Title Page in APA format that includes your full name, the name and number of this assignment, the name and number of this course, the name of the school, and the date of submission. Refer to the Sample APA Paper for ECE Students on the Early Childhood Learning Resource Center.
3. Read the assignment carefully, and include all of the necessary information. Be sure to cite all of the websites and articles you use in both part one and part two of the assignment.
4. Include in-text citations in your essay, and a References page; use APA format for both.
5. Review the important information and additional guidance in the assignment’s video and assignment template.
6. You’re encouraged to access and review the course resources available on the Early Childhood College Programs and Courses Learning Resource Center for additional guidance on completing this assignment:
   https://pflibrary.pennfoster.edu/earlychildhoodcenter/college

To learn how to cite sources in APA format, please review all available APA resources on the Early Childhood Learning Resource Center:
https://pflibrary.pennfoster.edu/earlychildhoodcenter/college

Grading Criteria

Content

The student

• Provides clear answers to the assigned questions
• Addresses the questions in complete sentences, not just simple yes or no statements
• Supports his or her opinion by citing specific information from the assigned websites and any other references
• Stays focused on the assigned issues
• Has written an essay in Part One with a minimum of five (5) paragraphs and has included a minimum of 16 paragraphs in Part Two (an introduction and five total paragraphs per toy, including the toy’s description)

Written Communication

The student

• Uses correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure
• Makes sure the paper contains no typographical errors