Craft of Research Questions

**These aren't entirely categorized correctly, some things are mixed in. I just responded to how I annotated the book...if that makes sense...

3.1.1: Interests within child development and toys

• How do toys playing a "gender role" affect the children long-term, if at all?
• How has the creation of more technological toys affected our recent generations?
• Which toys are the most beneficial to children?
• Why is play important, if at all?
• What is the best approach when it comes to toys and child development?

3.1.3:

• People should care about the information this thesis entails, because it's interesting and they will be exposed to it at some point in their life. Be it with friends, family, work, or their own children. Recognizing the effect that the world around us has on our children is vital to a positive development.
• I think the idea of toys and play already interests others. When the question is brought up, I think people will be more aware and interested in the activities presented to the youth.

3.2

My broad topic: the effect of toys on child development

-->The conflict that certain toys impose on the youth and how those toys contribute to the overall development of children.

3.3.1:

1. Why did your topic come into being?

New parents are constantly flustered with providing for their children and doing "what's best" for them. They research every possible thing from what to feed their child, to the safest car seats, and finally what toys they should buy. Toys fall under the category of care. It's impossible for a family to not have something for the child to play with, and if nothing is presented the child will improvise--nonetheless resulting in play.

2. How has this topic changed through time?

Society as a whole is more aware of their surroundings now. The effect that certain foods have on health, the most efficient phones, and what things can be most beneficial for childhood development. I think that in the past, there wasn't as much emphasis on the effect of certain things, especially toys. Children used to be used for manual labor or left to entertain themselves while the parents did the time-consuming housework. Today, more time is set aside to spend with offspring.

3.3.2:

• What do the toys represent for the families?
• How are toys represented to people?

3.3.3:

My topic can easily be categorized into kinds.

• What are the different kinds of toys?
• What qualities does this group of toys possess?
• How do todays toys differ from toys 50 years ago?
• How do infant toys differ from an elementary school student? More importantly, how are they the same?

Other questions..

• How are toys harmful to child development?
• How much is too much time for play?

• What if there were no electronic toys?
• What if toys weren't designed to engage specific skills?
• Should different age groups have different "foci"? (such as visual, reading, identification, etc.)

There are all kinds of controversies involving toys and what is considered "the most beneficial" for child development. It seemed to be a consensus that tv was bad for children until at least age 2, but I recently read an article that it could actually help with language development. This is just one of the many controversies involving child development.