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In my last blog I talked about how the most affordable toy is the one your child plays with the longest. But now you’re in the store seeing thousands of ‘interactive,’ ‘open-ended’ and ‘creative’ toys that your neighborhood toy store sells. So how do you choose, from all of these, that one toy that will most interest your child?
Forget the toy ads on TV. Television is the ‘Holy Land’ for toy companies to hook your kids into their latest versions of ‘Tickle Me Elmo’ and other non-interactive toys that your kids will likely leave in the bottom of the toy box after a short time of play.
The best way to know what toys to get your children is to watch how they interact with other kids, how they interact with their toys and what type of play interests them.
Some kids are very active and always play a specific role in whatever they have imagined. They don't just move the characters around, they become one of the characters. Toys like dress-up clothes, kitchens and tea sets, workbenches, sporting goods and dolls are good for these kids. Were this a play we were producing we would consider the girl at the tea party, the boy who becomes a fireman and the children playing kickball as the participants in the play.
Other children like to be the ‘Director’ of the play. They don't play a specific role as in the previous example, but they control all the actions of the characters in their play. Toys such as themed playsets from Playmobil, dollhouses, action figures, and wooden trains make great toys for these kids. The child isn't one of the characters, like she would be at a tea party, or he would be as a fireman, but is still fully involved directing what the characters do.
Building and construction toys such as Lego and Magformers are also great ‘interactive,’ ‘open-ended’ and ‘creative’ toys. Finding the right construction toy is easier when you know the answers to these questions: Are they quiet, able to stay focused for long stretches of time? Do they get frustrated easily? Can they follow multiple directions? Are they more likely to color within the lines or follow their own path?
Some construction toys such as the more advanced Lego sets require more careful planning, following of directions, and overall time to build the models. Other building toys like Magformers and Duplo are easier and quicker to assemble the finished product. The key is to know your child's skill level and be able to match the right building toy with their ability. If it's too easy, they get bored quickly. If it's too challenging, they get frustrated and walk away. Following age guidelines and knowing your child's abilities helps you pick the right level.
The same can be said about arts and crafts projects. Does your child need a framework to work within or can they create from a blank canvas? Are they better suited for coloring books or sketch pads? Thin pencils or thick markers? Finger paints or fine point brushes? Creating a specific item or creating whatever comes to mind? The more you understand your child, the better your choices will be for arts and crafts projects.
Observe your child's play habits and you'll be more likely to find the right toy for them to play with for hours and hours and hours.
Note: Thanks to my toy mentor Phil Wrzesinski for the lesson above and for his unselfishness to share with all.
Joanna Mileos and husband Craig Hartman are the owners of The Granville Island Toy Company in Vancouver, BC, a member of Neighborhood Toy Stores of Canada (Nets). Their moto: “We Don’t Cease to Play Because We Grow Old, We Grow Old Because We Cease to Play.” GB Shaw