Early Toy Preferences of Four-Year-Old Readers and Nonreaders

Abstract

THOMAS, BILLIE. Early Toy Preferences of Four-Year-Old Readers and Nonreaders. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1984, 55, 424-430. In this study, parents of early readers and nonreaders recalled their child's toy preferences. Subjects were 56 4-year-old children and their parents. On the Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests, 28 of the 4-year-olds read at or above second-grade level, and 28 could not recognize 3 sight words. Groups were matched for sex, family background, and General Cognitive Index Score on the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities. Parents completed an interview and questionnaire about their child's play materials since birth, developmental milestones, and family background. There were no significant differences in the children's backgrounds or developmental histories. According to parents' reports, there were significant differences in the toy preferences of the 2 groups. The early readers played with, enjoyed, and valued reading readiness toys, such as books and alphabet cards, significantly more than the nonreaders, who preferred gross motor, construction, and fantasy toys significantly more. Results indicate that early readers cannot be differentiated by IQ or family demographic information alone and that consistent toy preferences precede the acquisition of early reading skills.

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