Describe a toy you liked in your childhood (Score 8+)

IELTS Speaking Part-2: Describe a toy you liked in your childhood cue card and follow-up with band 7-9 answers

You should say:

1. What kind of toy it is?
2. When you received it?
3. How you played it?
4. How you felt about it?

9 Band Answer

Let’s dive into the ‘Describe a toy you liked in your childhood’ IELTS cue card (2022) with Band 7-9 sample answers & Follow up questions:

Introducing a toy

I was very fond of toys in my childhood. It was my favourite activity to spend time with my collection of cars, dirt bikes, toy guns etc.

Here, I would love to describe a toy that made my childhood memorable.

What kind of toy it is?

• My best-loved toy is a PlayStation which has lots of free video games.
• My fondness and love for gaming started when I was only 3 years old.
• This is when my life was filled with an obsession with computers, consoles, puzzles and toy games.

When you received it?

• I received this toy on my 14^th birthday.
• I had always wanted a video game ever since I saw it at the supermarket.
• So my parents fulfilled their promise on that day.
• When I woke up, I got the gift on by my bedside.
• I must tell you, it was the best birthday present ever.

How you played it?

• I still remember how crazily I called my friends to play with it.
• I invited a bunch of friends over and had a video game party.
• After my father made the necessary connections, the first video game was ready to play.
• It was Pitfall. This was a wonderful game where I played as a little man in green pants known as Harry.
• I spent my time jumping over scorpions, using vines to swing over logs, and trying to avoid being eaten by crocodiles.

How you felt about it?

• I felt super excited on that day.
• One could see the expression of happiness on my face every time I was holding my toy.
• I loved being able to play whatever games I wanted and spent hours doing so.

Concluding the cue card

In the end, I would say that it is one of the childhood memories that I would never let go of. Even as an adult, I still think about my favourite toy.

7-8 Band Answer

Follow-up (9 Band)

IELTS Speaking Part-3 Describe a toy you liked in your childhood follow up questions:

1. What is the difference between girls’ and boys’ toys?

The girls’ toys are differentiated with physical attractiveness, nurturance, and domestic skill such as Barbie dolls, ballerina costumes, makeup, jewellery etc. Whereas, boys’ toys are rated as aggressive, exciting, and somewhat dangerous such as wrestlers, soldiers, guns, etc. As boys and girls play with different kinds of toys, it is interesting to see the impact of these differences in their play experiences.

2. Do you think toys really help in children’s development?

Toys play an important role in the lives of young children. They stimulate the development of cognitive skills and nurture their creativity and imagination. Educational toys specifically can help develop problem-solving skills and teach about conflict resolution.

3. Does modern technology have an influence on children’s toys?

Technology always has a deep influence on the type of toys children play with. Most toys now have computer chips, memory, voice recognition, and interactive connectivity that has completely changed the landscape of play. 

4. Have we lost our hand skills such as sewing?

In the race of modernisation, we’ve certainly lost our Sewing hand skills. Today, there are college-educated, smart women who have no hand skills whatsoever. I think people lack the patience and self-discipline to make any progress in learning skills such as sewing.

5. What toys are popular with kids in India today?

Following toys are most popular among kings in India:

• Convertible Robot Car
• Thanjavur Dolls
• Funskool Jenga
• Hot Wheels Car Track Set
• Monopoly
• Rubik’s Cube
• Classic Chess

6. In general, do children today have many toys?

Most families have too many toys in India. Children are easily overwhelmed with choice, and generally, a child who is unsure of what to play with often ends up playing with nothing at all. From my perspective, I think fewer toys allow children to love books, music, colouring, and painting. They can spend more time outside the house and engage in physical activities.

7. Do you think playing with electronic toys has a good influence on kids?

Indeed, electronic toys acquaint kids with new technology. I think good quality electronic toys do more than just entertain – they make learning fun by captivating children’s attention with colours, sounds and interactive elements.

8. Do you think there are some toys that are only suitable for girls and some that are only suitable for boys?

Some toys such as slot car racers, radio-controlled cars, electric trains, wrestling figures and video games are only suitable for boys. Whereas, Barbie dollhouse, Bellarina costume, Pink ice skates are some of the toys only suitable for girls.

9. Which do you think is better, for children to play with toy alone or with other kids?

I think playing alone is preferably better than playing with others due to the following reasons:

• Playing alone fosters imagination.
• It develops a strong sense of independence in children so that they don’t need anyone around to be happy.
• Playing by themselves brings a sense of calmness.
• Playing alone allows children to be creative without criticism from others.

10. Do you think parents should encourage their children to share their toys with other kids?

It is very important for parents to encourage the habit of sharing amongst their children. Sharing teaches children about compromise and fairness. They learn that if we give our toys to other kids, we can get their toys to play with in return. I feel that when parents model good sharing in the family, it gives their children an ideal example to follow.

11. How are toys today different to toys of the past?

There are many differences between toys from the past and present. Earlier toys were usually made from wood, metal, or cardboard and they were mostly handmade. Modern toys are made from plastic, nylon or foam and are produced in large factories. Toys from the past were often unsafe as some had sharp edges and were made from unsafe materials. But nowadays, there are strict rules in place to make sure toys are very safe to play with.

12. How do you think toys will change in the future?

As we imagine the future of play, there are plenty of factors that will influence its evolution. I think Artificial intelligence, 3D printing and augmented reality are changing the ways new toys are being made and how we interact with them. I feel that smart toys will learn from children and provide an adaptive and more responsive play experience in the future.

or

Describe a toy you liked in your childhood #IELTSCueCard:

Q. How do you think toys will change in the future?
👉In the next decade, toys could foster early childhood development through holograms and other immersive, personalised experiences.

— Canadian Immigration Channel 🇨🇦💬 (@cic_talks) January 30, 2022

13. If you were going to give a present to a child, what would you give him?

I would give a child an interactive globe as a present. It would let them explore more about the world while sitting at home. They would download the app to learn fun facts about the planet, cultures and ecosystems on the planet, play games and go on scavenger hunts around the globe.  

14. What kinds of gifts do parents give to their young children?

RC Cars, Barbie dolls, Storybooks, T-shirts, Shoes and Watches are the kind of gifts that parents give to their young children. They anticipate the desires and act in a way that serves the child’s best interests.

15. Is it good to give children too many presents such as too many toys?

I think for children, an overload of playthings and toys can be overwhelming and distracting. They pick up one toy, drop it, and move on. So they don’t learn to appreciate their possessions or feel a responsibility towards them. I believe the children can be too much creative when they have fewer toys to play with.

Describe a toy you liked in your childhood Follow up (7 band)

Question(s)	Answer(s)
1. What is the difference between girls’ and boys’ toys?	Traditionally, boys have more vehicles (e.g., toy cars and trucks, and also larger items such as wagons). Girls, on the other hand, have more dolls, dollhouses, and domestic items (e.g., sinks, dishes, stoves). There are some major differences in biology between boys and girls that lead boys to be more interested in toys with wheels and moving parts, while girls prefer more attractive and nurturing play.
2. Do you think toys really help in children’s development?	Definitely, toys help children to grow up well-rounded, with strong cognitive, creative, and spatial skills. It makes perfect sense to provide toys that promote learning. Puzzle games are best known to boost a child’s IQ level by better memory retention, coordination and increased literacy.
3. Does modern technology have an influence on children’s toys?	Yes, modern technology has huge influence on children’s toys. Lots of advanced technology, such as motors and sensors, changed the toy manufacturing. Nowadays, about half of the toys have something to do with electric components.
4. Have we lost our hand skills such as sewing?	Absolutely! Sewing by hand has most certainly turned into a relic of past times. Fewer and fewer people still have such skills, and by extension, fewer are able to pass those skills on. I think If you have any such hand skills, teach your kids, or teach others if you can.
5. What toys are popular with kids in India today?	In India, Barbie dolls are very popular toys. Apart from them, there are also many popular toys in India like Nerf guns, Hotwheels, and Remote control cars and for toddlers and kids. On the top of it, many Indian eCommerce websites now have dedicated section of trending toys with huge offers.
6. In general, do children today have many toys?	Yes, they do have too many toys. It’s easy to see that having a lot of toys provides too many distractions, and it also raises questions about the quality of the toys.
7. Do you think playing with electronic toys has a good influence on kids?	Electronic toys can be great for kids, but they are not without their flaws and downfalls. For example, playing with robot for hours can lead to obesity. Also, when kids stare at their tablet or TV screen for too long, the light can be harmful to their eyes. Electronic toys like video games and apps can influence children’s interaction with others.
8. Do you think there are some toys that are only suitable for girls and some that are only suitable for boys?	Yes, I think some toys like dolls, artificial makeup kits, jewellery etc. are exclusively made for girls. On the other hand, sports equipment, vehicles, military toys and guns etc. are only suitable for boys.
9. Which do you think is better, for children to play with toy alone or with other kids?	I think playing with other kids is far better proposition than playing solo. Because playing with others teaches a child how to manage one’s emotions and behavior, while also being considerate of other kid’s feelings. Also, they learn the importance of cooperation, honesty, sharing, and giving chances to others.
10. Do you think parents should encourage their children to share their toys with other kids?	I most certainly think that parents should encourage their children to share their belongings with other children. This is because when kids share, they learn to control their emotions because they are letting go of something, even if it is only temporarily. It will make them empathetic, and the person starts to care about others unconditionally.
11. How are toys today different to toys of the past?	The earliest toys are made from materials found in nature, such as rocks, sticks, and clay. Today’s toys are totally different in the manufacturing composition with large use of chemicals.
12. How do you think toys will change in the future?	I think toys will radically change in the future. The notion you can create toys at home in a more personal way could create a multimillion-dollar shift in the overall toy industry. 3D Printers are not just a neat toy; they are the future toymaker.
13. If you were going to give a present to a child, what would you give him?	I would give him a Hey Clay set, which includes 3D, simple step-by-step video directions via mobile application to help them make adorable creatures. The kit would include five cans of nontoxic clay in a rainbow of hues, along with access to the apps for guidance.
14. What kinds of gifts do parents give to their young children?	Parents give a large assortment of gifts to their young children. Storybooks, Pens and notebooks, Sports equipment and Video game consoles are some of the gifts that parents usually give to their kids. They know the needs of their kids and act accordingly. For the most part, they choose educational presents so that their child could learn something.
15. Is it good to give children too many presents such as too many toys?	No it is most certainly not a good idea to give children too many presents. I think that playing with too many toys could affect the concentration level of kids and even hamper creativity, life skills, social interactions, thought process, mental health, and team spirit.

Also Read: Describe your experience when you changed your school/college IELTS Cue-Card

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