How many toys bought by doting parents lie forgotten and unused at the bottom of a closet? However attractive or "educational" a toy is becomes irrelevant if your child isn’t interested in playing with it. The problem is fitting the child and toy together. There is certainly no shortage of toys to choose from these days, and the job of selecting an appropriate toy is made difficult partly because of this wide variety and partly because of the heavy merchandizing by the toy industry.
Before you set out on any buying adventure, consider the basics: first a toy must be SAFE and DURABLE. No matter how attractive a toy might be, if it won’t survive the holiday season, it’s obviously not worth buying. Don’t hesitate to request a demonstration and a close examination of a mechanical toy. ECONOMY is another basic consideration. Parents should be able to expect that a major toy will last for years and be passed from one child to another (e.g. wooden blocks, easels, sturdy wheel toys). Look for well-made items rather than brand names and check on product guarantees and a store’s return policy.
Next, consider ENJOYABILITY. Will your child actually enjoy playing with a particular toy? Many toy manufacturers now classify toys by age, but these are broad generalizations and gift givers must look beyond the label. Remember, too, that this year’s "in" toys may not appeal to your child after the momentary thrill of recognition. Avoiding fads in toy buying takes parental will power and determination since children are literally bombarded with advertisements during the holidays.
Think about the individual child’s preferences, needs and interests. Remember that play is often called children’s work; your selection should encourage the idea that a toy is a tool which stimulates the imagination and helps a child actively learn about the world. Some children enjoy playing alone for hours with a set of tiny plastic people while, for other children, a toy which can be shared with other playmates is more appropriate. One clue you can use is what toys have been popular with the child in the past. Choose a new toy which stretches this interest further.
Another idea for toy buying is to look for toys that have multiple uses throughout early childhood. A simple example is a set of colorful nesting cups. These are nice for infants to look at, for 1-2 year olds to touch, chew on, roll, etc.; for 3-4 year olds to stack, to pour liquids into and out of or to sort by size and color; while 5 and 6 year olds find them perfect for hiding things in. Choose toys with a variety of uses to challenge but not frustrate your child. A good fit with the child’s developmental level is essential.
Children often like toys which help them imitate tasks they see adults performing. Good gifts to help in this growing process can be found on a stroll through the hardware store, art supply house, or sporting goods store. Depending on the child’s age, a put-together tool set of real and durable tools (small hammer, hand drill, etc.) or a ball of yarn and large knitting needles with a promise to teach a child to knit are ideas which have appeal. Other possibilities are magic markers, tablets of drawing paper, a hole punch, tape, magnets, kitchen timers, rubber stamps and stamp pads (a commercial stamp can be purchased which prints a child’s name), paints and assorted brushes, musical instruments, garden tools, balls of varying sizes...Second-hand stores are another good bet. Use paint or needle and thread to spruce up your great finds there. A "store" made out of a crate and wood scraps and stocked with empty food cartons (cereal boxes, milk or yogurt containers, etc.) is a gift your child can help you create. Then supplement the new store with a cash register, play money and a grocer’s apron.
Toy selection changes as children get older. Now, they frequently know exactly what they want and the question becomes whether you can afford it or think it is appropriate for them. With the advent of the computer age and the accompanying video games, "toys" have become considerably more expensive. Honesty is the best policy if a toy is simply out of the question financially. And, buying a toy that you will feel compelled to "police" is probably only setting you and your child up for conflict. Educational games can also be played on home computers. If your family has a home computer or is planning to buy one, select software whose content you are comfortable with and which is appropriate for your child’s age and learning style. Negotiating the choice of toys beforehand with an older child takes away from the "surprise" element of the holidays, but it may be difficult to avoid if you both want to be satisfied.
Don’t forget books. There are now affordable, attractive paperbacks for children of all ages (even infants enjoy looking at a page from a picture book!). Treating books with special care and as a special gift will help enhance their value for a child and begin the process toward reading. As with toys, books should be selected with a careful eye toward each individual child’s interest. For example, if your two year old likes playing with trucks, choose a simple, colorful book featuring pictures of cars and trucks.
Trying to find a few minutes after the children are asleep (and before you collapse yourself) to plan toy purchases is difficult, but it may pay off when you actually go shopping. It’s all too easy in the seductive holiday atmosphere to overspend and to buy toys which don’t have lasting appeal. The "perfect" gift can turn up unexpectedly, it’s true - but, if you have given some time to thinking about your child’s interests and preferences, you will be in a better position to judge. You’ll reap the rewards of your thoughtful planning when you watch your child spend many hours playing and learning with your selection.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission’s local office is at 555 Battery Street, Room 415, S.F. 94111, (415) 744-2966. The Commission has a number of publications on toy safety including "For Kids Sake - Think Toy Safety" and "Which Toy For Which Child? - 0-5 Years" (with another version for children 6-12 years). It also distributes a brochure on holiday safety, "Merry Christmas with Safety." Call or write for free copies. For recorded product safety information, including recently recalled toys, call the Commission’s toll-free Hotline, (800) 638-2772 and enter ext. 200. To speak with a real person enter ext. 300.
Keep in mind that no law or agency can take the place of parents’ experience, care and knowledge in choosing appropriate and safe toys.
Toy Safety
Remember, when doing your holiday shopping, toys should be chosen with care - especially for the very young. Avoid toys which:
are small enough to be swallowed
have detachable parts that can lodge in windpipe, ears or nostrils; avoid stuffed animals with squeakers that can be easily removed, etc.
can easily be broken into small pieces or pieces with jagged edges
have sharp edges or points or are put together with straight pins, sharp wires, nails, etc.
are made of glass or brittle plastic
have parts that can pinch fingers or toes or catch hair
are painted and lack a "non-toxic" label; avoid painted toys for infants altogether
have long strings or cords.
And, monitor toys which:
make sharp, loud noises - can cause hearing damage (e.g. cap guns)
propel objects (e.g. darts, flying toys)
use electricity or are otherwise meant only to be used by older children Safety considerations don’t end with the purchase of a toy; proper maintenance and safe storage are equally important.
Avoid toy boxes with heavy lids and those with no ventilation holes.
Protect outdoor toys from rust.
And remember... Poinsettia plants and mistletoe berries are pretty but poisonous. Keep them both out of reach!
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