Even for the
By DEBRA COOPER
Copley News Service
If you're like millions of other shoppers,
walking into a toy store at Christmastime, may
be overwhelming. Suddenly, you’re confronted
by an array of colors, sizes and shapes that
seem as endless as the aisles you walk down.
Traditional playthings are side by side with
newfangled, high-tech toys.
But toys are an important part of the giving
season, and even if you don’t have little ones of
your own, holiday time in the world of toys can
awaken you to the glee and happiness of
Christmas. :
Parents usually know exactly what their little
ones want for Christmas, but if you're choosing
a gift for the child of an employer, neighbor or
relative, the following recommendations from
LJN Toys, Ltd., a toy company and manufac-
turer of Photon, a new high-tech interactive
game, might help.
Get suggestions from friends who are parents.
If you haven’t shopped for toys for a while, you
might be in for a surprise when you see the
diversity of products on the market. One sugges-
tion is to find out what the popular TV shows are
among kids and check to see if toy collections
are available based on the series. Anything a
child can easily relate to - a TV or storybook
hero - will likely contribute to imaginative play
and creativity. GE
Select toys that feel good. “All children like
cuddly dolls - a doll that feels good to hold is
important to the child’s development,” says Dr.
Janice Gibson, chairman of the department of
psychology and education at the University of
Pittsburgh. “Children are attached to toys that
feel good to explore both visually and throu
touch.”
Consider the age of the child. As children
develop, their toy preferences change. A toddler
needs toys which stimulate imitative play.
During the middle school years, children enjoy
team play and become concerned with winning.
Group play during theages of 8 to 12, according
to child care experts, teaches children about the
nature of competition, which often helps to
stimulate cognitive growth. A game like Photon,
a high-tech version of “Cowboys and Indians”
that is played in teams, can help children learn
about group strategy, ingenuity and team partic-
ipation.
Select toys that stimulate the imagination.
“Playing with figures that have ‘human’ charac-
teristics can help a child construct new fantasies
and understand their own unique feelings and
ideas,” Gibson says. ‘Children are more easily
apt to i i i =
tively work out conflicts through imaginative
play.”
Know the child’s preferences. Find out from a
parent, baby sitter or neighbor what the child’s
interests are. For instance: Is the child artistic?
Does he or she enjoy independent or group play?
Children have the same likes and dislikes as
adults, so it’s important to learn what you can
about the child as a “person.”
Consider toys that are active. Remember, in
addition to intellectual and emotional develop-
ment, children need to develop and strengthen
their bodies. Whether it be the development of
small muscles in the hands and fingers or
improving and perfecting eye-hand coordination,
many toys are active in nature and allow the
child to foster his or her manual dexterity.
Select toys that have variety. Children are
constantly changing and, as their worlds
expand, their toys need to hold enough variet
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