Growing up, many of us fantasized about helping Santa deliver toys to
all the good boys and girls and dropping off an occasional chunk of
coal to the not-so-nice. We imagined ourselves as elves, hammering
away, wrapping presents, putting on the bows.
And now that we're grown up, we really are Santa's helpers. And it's a
lot different than we imagined. But we still have our list. We still
check it twice. And we still end up with bright-colored paper and
ribbon.
But when it comes to toys for kids, there's a lot more to consider than
we ever thought.
"It’s not always an easy decision," says Dr. Rochelle Harris, a
developmental psychologist at Children’s Mercy Hospital. "Sometimes you
have to balance your own views with what’s going to be important to
your children and important to them in their peer group."
The age of your children, of course, plays a vital role in the toys you
choose for them. But in general, Dr. Harris offers the following
suggestions for parents to consider before a trip to the toy store:
- Parental involvement. Things that parents and children can
enjoy using together.
- Creativity. Arts and crafts toys or the ever-popular Legos
are wonderful gifts because they allow creative juices to flow, lending
themselves to many uses. "Kids will have so much fun with this sort of
creative play, they won’t even know they’re learning something. And it
can keep them occupied for a long time," Dr. Harris says.
- Durability. Some popular toys have built-in obsolescence.
Make sure you’re buying something that will last.
- Desire. This might be the hard part for some parents. Dr.
Harris suggests buying (if you can afford to) at least one toy the
children really want, even if you aren’t wild about it. That’s part of
the balancing act. It might not be important to you, and it might have
no lasting value, but it could be extremely important to your child and
his/her peer group.
- Education. If you can find a spelling or math game, it will
do the kids a lot more good than Nintendo. They could wind up enjoying
it just as much if it’s designed in such a way to make learning fun.
- Safety. Think not only about the child the gift is for, but
also younger siblings. A Nerf bow-and-arrow set might be great for a
first-grader, but not for the toddler who will be a natural target.
- Charity. Before you think about loading your children up
with more toys (especially those with tons of them), suggest they go
through their toy box to find items to donate to those less fortunate
than themselves. It will instill good values in the children and clean
out their rooms all at once.
The experts at Children’s Mercy also caution parents about the hazards
presented by some toys. Some things to keep in mind:
- Loud noises. Toy caps, noise-making guns and other toys can
produce sounds at levels that can damage hearing. The law requires
labels on certain toys. Look for it. And tell your children never to
point any gun at anybody, anytime.
- Small parts. Children often swallow tiny toys, pieces that
have broken off and small removable parts. Beware of squeakers that in
some squeeze toys can be removed and swallowed. Also keep in mind that
poorly constructed stuffed dolls can break open and release small
pellets.
- Electric toys. Those that aren’t well constructed or wired
or are misused can shock or burn a child. Teach your children to use
electric toys cautiously.
- Sharp edges. Toys made of brittle plastic or glass can break
easily, exposing dangerous, sharp cutting edges. Broken toys can expose
dangerous prongs and knife-sharp points. Even a teddy bear or stuffed
toy can have barbed eyelashes or wire limbs that can cut or stab. Use
caution ... and happy holidays!
- Batteries. Make sure the battery compartments are enclosed
and a screwdriver is necessary to get at the batteries so they can’t be
accidentally swallowed.
