Page 2 - Holiday Showcase 2016

2 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2016
Choosing toys: Child’s play it’s not
Nothing beats the ex-
citement of being a
kid at Christmastime
and creating a holiday wish
list. For parents, however, few Insider. “Always check the
things are more stressful than
trying to balance giving a
child what he or she really
wants with buying the best,
longest-lasting toys one can
afford.
Experts agree that toy
quality, durability and age
range are important consider-
ations when determining what
to purchase.
“There are landfill toys and this toy? Will kids use it more
there are legacy toys,” says
Richard Gottlieb of Global
Toy Experts, a consultancy
and resource for toy-industry
information. “Landfill toys
tend to be relatively cheap,
based upon some character or
brand a child currently loves,
and end up being thrown
away within a couple of
months.”
Gottlieb describes legacy
toys as those that are durable
— typically made from wood,
metal, or heavy plastic — that
can grow with the child,
involve some form of mastery,
and can withstand being
passed down to other chil-
dren. “Because legacy toys
are more expensive, they need
to be seen as an investment,”
he says.
Premier legacy toys, ac-
cording to Gottlieb, are Lego
sets, Tonka trucks, Meccano
robots, Lincoln Logs, Ameri-
can Girl dolls and even bears
from Build-A-Bear.
“The most important thing
to consider before buying a
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toy is age appropriateness,”
says Marissa DiBartolo,
senior editor of The Toy
packaging and see what the
suggested age range is for a
toy. The manufacturers’
suggested age ranges exist for
lots of good reasons, includ-
ing safety.”
DiBartolo also believes it’s
important to consider play
value before buying. “Ask
yourself: Does the toy allow
for lots of imaginative play?
Can kids play together with
than once? Will it last for a
few years, or will they out-
grow it quickly?”
And while teaching toys
aren’t always the most popu-
lar with kids — at least until
they get their hands on them
and realize how fun they can
be — DiBartolo says parents
and grandparents should
consider how any new toy
could help a child grow.
“Will it help develop their
fine motor skills? Will it aid in want to buy a model plane or a
enhancing social-emotional
growth? All kids learn
through play, but make sure
you are choosing toys that
will help kids grow in ways
that are right for them,”
DiBartolo says.
Above all, parents should
purchase toys that match their
child’s interests. Part of the
joy of Christmas morning is
getting exactly what was
asked for, and, while he
stresses the importance of
durable toys, Gottlieb agrees
there’s no harm in getting
your child a quality branded
regular tasks more com-
fortable and convenient.
For example, pruning is no
fun with shears that are
rusted or hard to handle. To
upgrade your gift recipi-
ent’s gardening tool box,
look for a rust-resistant
stainless steel blade and a
no-slip rubber grip. For
safety, the shears should be
able to lock into place
when not in use.
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toy if it’s what he or she really Durable playthings like Lincoln Logs will survive the test of time. CTW Features
wants.
toys remain trendy with both “In a world where technology Nostalgia toys and brands
“Buying a toy featuring a parents and kids alike. is constantly evolving, parents encourage families to unplug
beloved character is fine, but have a strong desire to return from their devices and spend
make sure it has play value,” “Nostalgia toys are very to simpler times and share some quality time together.”
he says. popular because they allow their own childhood experi-
for a truly unique parent-child ences with their children. Matthew M.F. Miller/
DiBartolo concurs. interaction,” DiBartolo says. CTW Features
“Think about what the
child you are buying for likes.
Kids have big personalities,
and you should always con-
sider what their interests are
before purchasing a toy. Not
all girls like princesses and
not all boys like superheroes.
If you’re unsure, go with
classic, gender-neutral op-
tions, like board games, arts-
and-crafts, or cool tech toys,”
she says.
Grandparents, Gottlieb
says, could forgo a child’s
wish list, at least for one gift,
to teach the child about some-
thing that’s important to the
elder members of the family.
“Grandparents could buy a
child a gift that reflects the
grandparents’ passions. For
example, if a grandfather was
an Air Force pilot, he might
book on planes,” he says.
“The most that will happen is
that the grandparent will
create an enthusiasm in the
grandchild that they can
share. The least is that the
child will get a sense of who
their grandparent is, which
will pay dividends in later
years.”
The most popular toys for
2016 are those that teach kids
how to code, small collect-
ibles and small technology
toys. Also, as has been the
case in recent years, nostalgia
For indoor use actually grow five times faster Enjoy the results Another great gift for
When there’s a chill in the than soil gardens. Automated Half the fun of gardening is herb and vegetable garden-
LED lights and reminders to ers is a salad dressing maker
air, consider focusing your add water make growing fun reaping the benefits of one’s that has pre-marked settings
attention on gardening gifts for seasoned gardeners and labor. Help gardeners turn for oil, vinegar and herbs,
that can be used indoors. One easy for even those with no their harvest into something which can take the guess
unique gift for a gardener of gardening experience. delicious. An herb chopper work out of meal prepara-
any level is an indoor garden makes a great stocking tion during busy week
kit, which are available online Well-suited for a kitchen stuffer. To speed up herb nights.
or in some gardening stores. countertop, this is a safe, preparation and help garden-
healthy and easy way to grow ers avoid bruising the leaves With a few creative ideas,
Hydroponic gardens let fresh herbs and vegetables they worked so hard to grow, it’s easy to make a gardener
your loved one grow fresh year-round. To learn more look for one with multiple smile this holiday season.
herbs, vegetables and flowers visit AeroGarden.com. rounded blades.
in water, not soil. And they StatePoint
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