The Research On The Art Education Function Of Children's Toys

Based on the research of toy history, toy culture, toy market and a large number of present toys, this dissertation, focusing on toys' art education function and applying child psychology, pedagogy, design psychology, design ethics and related theory of product design, discusses the relationship between toys and childhood education, the art education function of children's toys and some related toy design ideas and methods.The whole article, sticking to the principle of applying theory to practice, is constructed as this: Chapter 1 Introduction. Focusing on research background, this chapter, first explains two basic concepts: "children" and "education", then analyses recent development of toy market both of China and abroad, pointing out a tendencyof toy design——the combination of toys and education. Finally, it talks about thisdissertation's research method, significance and purpose. Chapter 2 Toys and Childhood Education. It mainly discusses the relationship between toys and childhood education. Relying on the modern theory of child psychology and pedagogy, and the detailed study of present toys, we argue that the educational function is one of the two basic functions of children's toys. Then, after the analysis of toys' educational function system from two aspects: the definition and the content, we further discuss toys' seven characteristics which embodies specific educational functions. These seven characteristics, which are named "toys' educational characteristics", provide a logical and useful basis for the following chapters. Chapter 3 The Art Education Function of Children's Toys. Firstly, this chapter points out theessential characteristics of art education——the cultivation of aesthetic emotion, andanalyses the aim, content, characteristics and principles of child art education, which provides a theoretical basis for the following parts. Secondly, it puts forward the concept of "the art education function of children's toys", pointing out its definition, content, realizing channel and characteristics. Chapter 4 The Art Education Oriented Toy Design. This chapter, the last part of the dissertation, based on the research of the above chapters, firstly discusses the influence of design on the educational function of toys in the view of toy history. Secondly, applying the "toys' educational characteristics", especially the "open endless" and the "level of participancy" , it puts forward the art education oriented toy design ideas and methods from 3 aspects: 1. toy design and Children's color education; 2.toy design based on the artistic creation activities; 3.toy design serving for the art education of primarily schools.