Walking through the aisles of toys in a toy store can be overwhelming. Even before you get to the store, millions of advertisements flashing on your TV have already confused you on the zillions of choices. So how do you choose the right toy for your children?
Parents can find guides in magazines, websites, and forums. Helpful guides can also be found at local stores where attendants work with parents and children daily, and have learned about the toys the store carries and choices that other children have made. Eugen Lisov, creator of Child-Toys-Guide.com, a site focused on helping parents worldwide to choose the best toys for their children, says that watching your child closely to determine his/her preferred activities, skills level, preferred band(s) and movie(s) is the best plane to start with. Based on these observations one can get a clue on what types of toys your child would prefer. Other additional (and obvious to most) are the child’s age and gender, toys that the child’s friends play with, and the oft forgotten age-gap between the parent and your child.
Charles A. Smith, a child development specialist at Kansas State University Research and Extension strongly recommends that parents follow the age recommendations for each toy. He says that a toy recommended for older ages may not only be unsafe but also not suit a child’s development level. He also says that buying toys that children will be able to put together and teach themselves how to use can be very beneficial. In addition, board games that invite others to play along can teach values and be something that parents and children can do together.
There are certain issues to avoid as well when purchasing toys. You certainly don’t want an injury to your children. Kidshealth.org reports that choking is a particular risk for kids ages 3 or younger, because they tend to put objects in their mouths. The site also advises to ensure that a toy isn't too loud for your child. The noise of some rattles, squeak toys, and musical or electronic toys can be as loud as a car horn — even louder if a child holds it directly to the ears — and can contribute to hearing damage. However, the most important thing a parent can do is to supervise play. Not only does it help to avoid accidents, it also provides important moments of bonding that growing children require.
The recent lead paint scare has made toy buying even more difficult this year, but armed with proper advice, parents can still buy the right toys for your children. And when in doubt, ask the attendants in the local toy store; they deal with parents and toys on a daily basis and know the merchandize more than any ‘expert’ in magazines and websites. Feel free to ask for advice on what’s ‘hot’, educational, and what the other kids are buying, so your kids are as cool as the other kids!
Sujan Manandhar
MBA, M.Sc. IAKM (Kent State University)
My Little Red Wagon
http://www.mylittleredwagon.com
