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When my first daughter was born there was a huge boom of products called “smart toys.” Smart toys typically have micro chips imbedded in the product. They also tended to promote learning by rote memorization. Unfortunately, in the last five years this trend toward passive, rote memory toys has only increased. (And if my memory is at all accurate, I believe the industry has tripled to the billion dollar range.)

We know children need touch, interaction with humans and yet, the toy industry is continusously promoting play materials that are truely “solo” toys. While the picture and the description on the box may claim that learning is enhanced when the child plays with the toy and the adult, the reality is, these toys are mind numbingly boring for an adult. I have no desire to listen to a computerized voice sing to my child the abc’s when I could be doing it, so why would I sit with the toy and the child, when the toy can do it for me?

I will admit to over generalzing here. I know many, many parents who sit and play with the child and the toy but I have to wonder, why sit and learn with your child when you can let the toy do it for you? It is as if, the toy manufacturers are marketing directly to the child. The concept may sound strange but I am sure it is true. Yes, they need to market to the parent (hence the “eduspeak” that they use to describe what the child is learning while playing with the toy) but since the toys require little input from the parent, then the toy must be mean’t to be used in a solo fashion.

As mentioned in a previous entry, I do not believe technology to be all bad, evil, brain cell deadening as one might think but there is a time and place for micro chips and I will argue that toys do not need sound effects, lights and motion to have good play value. I also believe that any toy that is made to enhance one area of learning is short sighted, since most good toys will engage a child in several areas of learning/development.

What makes a toy a “good toy”?

———————————————————– 1) Looking at the toy from safety standards… Consider the size and construction of the toy. Is the toy free of sharp, rough or loose pieces? Does the toy have small pieces that could pose a choking hazard to a young child? Is the toy free of toxic materials or labeled as non-toxic? 

2) Does the toy build new skills? 3) Does the toy help refine existing skills? (i.e. further development of fine motor skills) 4) Does the toy help develop the child’s interests? 5) Can the child add their own personality to the toy? 

6) Does the toy allow for structured, or open ended play? (It could be both, if so, how) 7) Does the toy allow for solitary play, parallel or group play? 8)Does the toy allow the teacher/parent to take part in the play? 9) Does the toy provide the foundation for further development? If not, does the toy provide for specific developmental milestones? 

10) Does the toy support more than one type of play?  If so, circle which ones and give a few examples as to how they can be used.