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WHY take time to EVALUATE TOYS?
We can all agree that play is an important part of growing up. Fact is, by playing our children begin to learn life skills like cooperation, communication, problem-solving, and negotiation. Someone once said, “A child’s job is to play.” If this is so, then toys are the “tools” children use to do their “job.” The toys you choose for your child determine their ability to do their “job” and the type of learning they will get out of their play. With all of the options today, more than ever children need to be encouraged to just play. They need to be encouraged to seek out an adventure, to stretch their imagination to the moon, and to discover the world around them. So what is the secret formula? Why does one toy get played with time and time again, and others sit in the closet or toy box to collect dust? To help answer these questions, become schooled in the three simple questions on how to evaluate a toy: 1. Does it meet the criteria of a “GREAT TOY” by being... INTERACTIVE, OPEN-ENDED and CREATIVE2. Is the toy made with QUALITY parts and workmanship (will it stand up to rugged play?)3. What is the toy’s TRUE COST? (TRUE COST is measured as “Cost per Hour of Play”. For example, an expensive toy that a child plays with for hours will have a lower TRUE COST than a cheap toy that loses the child’s interest or breaks after only minutes of play.) Three criteria to look for in a Great Toy:· INTERACTIVE: A toy is “interactive” if it requires active participation by the person playing with it to make it work.· OPEN-ENDED: A toy is considered “open-ended” if there are many different ways to play with it, limited only by the imagination.· CREATIVE: A toy is considered “creative” if you must engage your imagination in some way to play with that toy. The more criteria a toy has, the LONGER A CHILD PLAYS with the toy. Here are some examples: ROLE PLAY TOYS Interactive: High Open-ended: High Creative: HighToys in which you play a “role” and create scenes & events. Examples: Dolls , Puppets, Kitchens, Wooden Trains, Action Figures, Dress-up Clothes, Playmobil, Themed Playsets CONSTRUCTION TOYS Interactive: High Open-ended: High Creative: HighToys that you build, take apart, and build again Examples: Wooden Blocks, Lego, Cobi, Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toys, Erector, Magnets GAMES Interactive: High Open-ended: Medium-High Creative: Medium-HighAll board, card, strategy and action games (non-video)Examples: Chickyboom, Monopoly, Bananagrams, BrainQuest, Chess, Quiddler, Canasta, etc. SCIENCE KITS Interactive: High Open-ended: Medium-High Creative: Medium-HighToys that use experimentation and building to learn Examples: Forensic Labs, Chemistry Sets, Build-Your-Own Kits, Insect Farms, Experiment Kits NOVELTIES Interactive: Low Open-ended: Low Creative: LowToys that “entertain” with little or no child involvement Examples: Talking/Singing Plush, Gag Gifts, Push-Button Musicals, Television Specific Benefits of Toy criteria: WOODEN BLOCKSINTERACTIVE – they are just expensive pieces of lumber until a child picks one upOPEN-ENDED – from stacking to building, there’s no wrong way to playCREATIVE – with it’s endless possibilities for play, the child’s imagination creates the toyBONUS – quality blocks last forever and will even be enjoyed by your grandchildren PUPPETS (ALL AGES)INTERACTIVE – the puppet doesn’t work until you put your hand inside and move itOPEN-ENDED – you give it the voice, the actions and the directionsCREATIVE – develops fantasy and role play skillsBONUS – puppets are great for families of multiple ages, one of the few toys your nine yearold will play with your two year old Building STYLE Blocks (AGES 5 TO 12) INTERACTIVE – teaches fine motor skills through building and following directions. OPEN-ENDED – you can build the model shown or make up your own creations. CREATIVE – combines both creative building and creative role playing in one toyBONUS – every time you buy a new set you make the “old” set new again DRESS-UP CLOTHES (ALL AGES) INTERACTIVE – without a child inside, dress-up clothes are just glorified rags OPEN-ENDED – role-play has no structure other than what child develops on his/her own CREATIVE – with each costume the child creates whole new worlds of make-believeBONUS – probably one of the easiest toys to make or get (especially if you were smart enough to save your old clothes) WOODEN RAILWAYS (AGES 3 TO 10)INTERACTIVE – skip the battery-operated trains, the manual trains make this toy funOPEN-ENDED – you can be a track builder, engineer, or passenger on a rideCREATIVE – different elements of creativity from layout design to role playingBONUS – offers progressive skills as each age group “plays” differently, preschoolers who are into the trains, then become older children who are into the layout and design of the track STORY BOOKS (ALL AGES)INTERACTIVE – engages the mind and also offers parent/child interactionOPEN-ENDED – you can read the book, or make up your own story from the picturesCREATIVE – develops the imagination as images form in the mind of the readerBONUS – reading takes us to places our pocketbooks can’t, including places that do not even exist in our “real” world ACTION SETS (AGES 4 TO 10)INTERACTIVE – many moveable parts and accessories that require manual operationOPEN-ENDED – although limited in what you build, there is no limit to how you playCREATIVE – develops imagination through role playingBONUS – quality and attention to detail keep child’s interest in the toy for long time DOLLS (AGES 3 TO 10)INTERACTIVE – rule of thumb: the less it does by itself, the more a doll is lovedOPEN-ENDED – some dolls are the child’s baby, some her friend, and some her dreamCREATIVE – a doll’s life is only limited by the mind of the child who plays with itBONUS – watching your child’s interaction with dolls helps you reinforce positive behavior patterns MODELING CLAY (AGES 2 TO 8)INTERACTIVE – the ultimate build, destroy and rebuild toyOPEN-ENDED – it’s a sculpture, a piece of art, a finger therapy tool, a paper weight…CREATIVE – oh, the endless possibilities of a lump of clayBONUS – modeling clay not only stimulates the creative mind, it also helps develop fine motorskills and hand-eye coordination Cars & Trucks (AGES 3 AND UP)INTERACTIVE – no motors necessary, just an active child and lots of vroom, vroomOPEN-ENDED – some cars & trucks drive, some talk, some line up by color, others by styleCREATIVE – no end to the designs, no end to the uses, no end to the creativityBONUS – new cars & trucks are cheap enough that kids can buy with their own allowance which helps teach fiscal responsibility ACTIVITY BOOKS (AGES 7 AND UP)INTERACTIVE –gives you both the means and motivation to do the activities describedOPEN-ENDED – the books teach the skills, how you use those skills is up to youCREATIVE – many activities are arts & crafts skills where the design is of your own creationBONUS – because of the types of activities and how easy the books read, they are great for older children and even adults, and the skills last a lifetime TRUE COST is measured as “Cost per Hour of Play”For example, an expensive toy that a child plays with for several hours will have a lower TRUE COST than a cheap toy that loses the child’s interest or breaks after only minutes of play. Take careful consideration to measure the true cost of a toy. As a parent, grandparent, friend or caregiver your ability to properly evaluate toys will go a long way towards helping your children develop into a productive and thoughtful adults. We’ve discussed a few tools to help you understand how to evaluate toys based on three criteria, and help you measure the True Cost of a toy purchase. These tools give you a guide for what types of toys have proven time and again to be sure-fire winners with kids.
Measuring the True Cost of a Toy ... COST ÷ HOURS OF PLAY = $1/hr TRUE COST$40 Wooden Train ÷ 40 Hours of Play = $1/Hr TRUE COST$2 Airplane ÷ ¼ Hour of Play = $8/Hr TRUE COST$25 Tickle Me Elmo ÷ 5 Hours of Play= $5/Hr TRUE COSTThe LONGER a child plays with a toy, the lower the TRUE COST will be.
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