After the recent toy recalls, you may be tempted to buy socks for all the kids on your holiday shopping list, but when was the last time you watched a six-year-old’s face light up for a pack of tube socks? And have you ever glimpsed a letter to Santa that included pleas for “wicking fabric,” “ultra-fine toe stitching,” or “reinforced heels”? Me either.

Besides being fun, toys can be a really valuable part of children’s day-to-day development. A "good" toy is not only safe and age-appropriate, but it also encourages kids' creativity and sparks their imaginations.

Safety First
You want to eliminate any hazardous toys that might be lurking in your child’s toy chest or on your child’s wish list. While most of the recalls we’ve heard about involve lead-based paint, the list of recalls is incredibly long. It contains everything from stuffed animals with eyes that fall off (posing a choking hazard), to problems with magnets on Polly Pocket dolls. (You might wonder, like I did, why Polly Pocket even needs a magnet!) For a list of toys that have been recalled by manufacturers, visit the Toy Hazard Recalls page of the Consumer Product Safety Commission website: www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/category/toy.html.

Next, take a little time to inspect toys and read their labels. The National Association for the Education of Young Children offers the following criteria for selecting safe and appropriate toys for young children.

Toys should be:
• well-made (with no sharp parts, splinters or parts that might pinch)
• painted with nontoxic, lead-free paint
• shatter-proof
• easy-to-clean
• toys for children under age 3 should have no small parts or pieces that could become lodged in a child’s throat
• electric toys should be "UL Approved" (look for this on the label)

Toys should be built to last and withstand the wear and tear that children will inevitably inflict on them. Purchasing cheaper plastic toys may seem frugal, but buying better made—and, sometimes, more expensive—ones may save you money in the long run and may be safer for your child. It is important to remember that after hours of play, a once safe toy can become dangerous. Adults should check toys often to make sure they are still in good shape.

Toys as Tools
After years of working with young children and watching my own kids play, I know for a fact that a good toy has nothing to do with a cartoon character, or how many incredible things it can do when you push a button. A good toy is versatile and open-ended (meaning it can be used in a variety of ways), and there is more than one “correct” way to play with it. Think wooden blocks, Legos, baby dolls, trucks, plastic animals, crayons and paper. Open-ended toys encourage children’s creativity and problem-solving skills. And they often grow with your child, offering years of play time. Good toys also teach kids about real-life skills. Both girls and boys enjoy playing with dishes and utensils or woodworking tools, and setting up a pretend office, school room or restaurant. We need to think of toys as our children’s “tools” for play. As Maria Montessori was the first to tell us, “play is the child’s work.”

In addition to being safe, toys for young children need to match their stages of development and emerging abilities. It is helpful that today’s toys are labeled with a recommended age for play. But keep in mind that all children develop at different rates. While your three-year-old may be well ahead of others in language development, he may be behind most three-year-olds in physical development. You’ll need to keep this in mind when choosing toys or making suggestions for Grandma’s holiday shopping. You know your child much better than the toy manufacturers, no matter how many white lab coats they don or how many seals from organizations they put on their packaging. The labeled age is meant as a guideline, but you get to make the final call.

Better Ways to Play
It is our responsibility as parents to be sure that our children have access to toys. A few safe, appropriate toys on a low shelf are much more inviting than a heap of toys tossed in a toy box. This also makes it easier for you to keep an eye on toys for safety and cleanliness. Try to provide your child enough space to play and explore different options with toys.

Having other people to play with, (children and adults), makes play time both richer and safer for children. Stevanne Auerbach, PhD, also known as “Dr. Toy,” explains that, “Consumers (parents/grandparents) should not stop playing with children or limiting play options because of a small segment of recalled toy products. There are millions of toys out there that are fun and safe products. [The recall] is a wake-up call for parents, teachers and childcare providers to be more diligent in selecting products that are age-appropriate for children and to always supervise playtime and the children’s use of their toys.”

Choosing toys carefully is an important part of protecting our kids’ health and safety, not to mention making sure their playtime is fun and rewarding.

Toys You Can Trust: Our Picks for Kids of All Ages

Infant
Lamaze® Octotunes – This plush, cuddly octopus makes a different musical note when each one of his eight legs is squeezed. Introduces baby to the concept of cause and effect. $24.95

Toddler
Discovery Farm Animal Bowling Set—These cute, fabric farm animals can be used for open-ended play or set up as a bowling game. Each critter makes a rattle sound when you shake it. $22.00

Preschooler
Rapido Game—Kids are encouraged to “think fast” and “move faster” with this fun hand-eye coordination challenge. Made from eco-friendly bamboo, including small colored balls, this game is best for children 4 years and older. Builds pattern recognition. $19.95
Automoblox—This unique building system lets kids design their own cars. The cars and trucks in this wooden collection can be taken apart and put back together in a variety of ways. Teaches problem-solving, gross and fine motor skills and visio-spatial processing. Each car is $34.95.

School-age and Tweens
Zome and K’NEX construction toys—Both brands are made in the USA and offer hours of creative play. Zome sets include spherical nodes and colorful plastic struts. K’nex are plastic bricks, similar to Legos but with pieces that let them move. $19.95 and up.
Late for the Sky Games—These monopoly-type games have themes like Horse-opoly, Bug-opoly, and Dino-opoly. They are great fun and available for $23.99 at www.KazooToys.com.

More Online Support:
For information on lead poisoning, you can obtain a free brochure from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Just go to www.aap.org/new/Lead-PatientEdBrochure.pdf.
If you have any doubts about a toy, contact the Consumer Product Safety Commission: www.cpsc.gov.
For more info, advice and recommendations from Dr. Toy, check out www.drtoy.com.

Great Toy Sites:
www.Klutz.com
www.MagicCabin.com
www.FatBrainToys.com
www.Shopping.Discovery.com
www.StillMadeInUSA.com/toysngames.html