Reviewing Toys

Wandering around Mothering Magazine’s website I came across an old article From War Chest to Toy Chest, written by Daphen White, former executive director of Lion & Lamb. Sad to say that Lion & Lamb is no longer up and running but their website is still life and is a good source of information about non-violent toys. Through it I came across TRUCE: Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Children’s Entertainment.

I think this is an area where allot of parents feel torn about how strict they should be. You want your kids to enjoy their toys and know that play time doesn’t always have to include intense learning games but at the same time there allot of toys out there that could be deemed harmful in many ways but still pass safety regulations.

TRUCE has a good toy guide that has some helpful points on how to filter out toys that are harmful and/or a waste of time:

Toys have limited play value when they . . .

* Can only be used in one way.
* Encourage everyone to play the same way as determined by the toy designer.
* Appeal primarily to a single age or level of development.
* Will probably sit on a shelf after the first “fun” half hour.
* Will channel children into imitating scripts they see on TV or in movies.
* Do special high-tech actions for the child instead of encouraging the child’s exploration and mastery.
* Lure children into watching the TV program or other media linked to the toy.
* Promote violence and stereotypes, which can lead to disrespectful and aggressive behavior.
* Introduce academic concepts to children too early, keeping them from the kind of play that truly prepares them for later learning.

Before Bea was born, the concept of baby-boredom seemed ridiculous to me. Surely the simplest things would entertain babies, how could they possibly get bored of toys? Of course, as soon as Bea was old enough to focus on objects, I quickly realized that baby boredom can happen. I’m making it sounds like a disease - ‘Watch out or your child could pick up….BABY BOREDOM!’

It’s not that bad, but it is frustrating when a toy that has worked for weeks at keeping them entertained, suddenly seems to them to be the lamest thing ever invented. This is especially frustrating when you’ve spent MONEY on it. Babies and infants can get bored of toys but don’t throw them away! If it’s a toy that obviously still has hidden depths that your child can discover at an older age, just put in the cupboard. Also try rotating toys on a bi-weekly basis, or even longer for older infants. This often works like a charm for two reason: a) they don’t even remember it to begin with and think they got a new toy and/or b) they might remember it and also recall how much fun they had and jump right in playing with it.

baby boredom, baby toys, toy rotation

Just came across Absolutely Bananas, a mommy blog that you should all be linking to. She has a great post (from March…) about top 5 toys you should never waste your money one. Please read it! So funnny. Actually I don’t agree with the train set on her list, but it’s child-specific and in the words of Lewis Black, we are all unique snow flakes. What’s on your list of top worst toys?

When I announced on my other baby blog that I was going to be blogging here about toys, someone left me the following comment:

Althought I know babies are amused and kept distracted by lots of the new toys, I’m not sure they NEED them. I think this field is just one more example of consumerism gone mad. Babies and young children are often just as happy with pots and pans and bright colored magazines. We should think carefully before sinking lots of money into many of these things that will serve for a few short weeks.

And yes I agree with them, which is why I wanted to write this post about time. Now, for most new parents time is the most valuable commodity. There is never enough time to brush your hair, put in that last load of laundry, call your best friend on her birthday, finish washing the dishes, make that delicious and healthy dinner for the whole family, help volunteer at the local [insert charity of choice] and about a million other things. You constanly feel like you never get a second to yourself and if you do its used up doing the latter chores, not for something really relaxing such as taking a long bath (to wash off the layers of baby spit up) or just READ a book. Remember that? Remember non-parenting related reading material?

We often buy/make toys that we think will occupy our kids for long enough to get a few seconds to ourselves. Of course then you meet a parent whose child has just gone off to college and then remind you that you’re going to blink your eyes before you know it that tiny baby will be moving into dorms and you better cherish every moment with them now. And you get that horrible parent-guilt for wanting a few minutes to yourself, even though you know that if you got some time to yourself one in a while, just to center your crazy core, you would be a better parent. It’s a great catch-22.

We should remember that TIME is often the best toy. Kids (up to probably the age of 13 and then you might as well not even exist) often can be entertained by hanging out with you, helping you with chores (as long as you make it into a game!) or doing ‘grown up’ things. Especially for babies. How many times have you read in baby books that the most best toy a child will respond to is your own face.

family, time, parenting, toys

Today was one of those days when Bea didn’t want to play with any of her toys, just her mom’s thing: vaccum cleaner, my watch, face cream, cell phone. Ever have days like that?