Christmas is over. All the fuss and hassle and all the joy and excitement. But is it really all over?

Remember all the toys your little one opened. After your child glanced at them, they were set aside and it was time to open the next one. But it really is far more than just a glance. Let’s look at this toy event again.

• Your baby enjoys ripping the paper off the gift and finding a new toy. Your baby begins by just looking at the toy.

• By about 5 months, she grabs it and immediately puts it into her mouth.

• By about 7 months, she is very aware of the feel of the knobs and bumps and the softness or hardness of the toy in her mouth.

• By 6 to 8 months, she wants to bang things with her toy.

• By 9 months, she will like something with a button to press or dial using her finger.

• By about 12 months, she will completely ignore this toy.

All of this helps her fine-tune her hand skills. She learns how to reach, how to judge where her hand stops and the rattle begins.

Soon she will be able to do it easily, but it takes lots of practice.

In order for her to learn how to use her hands with skill she also needs your help buying the toy, wrapping the toy, putting it under the Christmas tree, putting the toy where she can reach it, keeping the toy clean, putting the toy away, and praising her for her skills as she learns how to use her new present.

“Thanks, Mom and Dad.” She really appreciates you; she just doesn’t know how to say it to you.

It is easy to put down the value of a toy. After all, it is just a toy. But it is important to remember all the skill and effort your little one will put into her play with this new learning tool.

Instead of felling like this is just a toy, look at the things your give your child that help her learn how to live in the world today and in the future. It makes it a lot easier when you spend money or when people give her gifts if you can see the learning value of each item.

You may not learn anything from a toy like this but she has much to learn.

Merry Christmas to you and get ready for Happy New Year. What learning tool will you give her for the new year?

Cynthia Martin is the founder of the First Teacher program and former executive director of Parenting Matters Foundation, which published newsletters for parents, caregivers and grandparents.