Trying to choose just the right toy can be overwhelming. There is an abundance of toys to choose from, each claiming to be hours of fun or educational. Of course you don’t want to get one that will be an expensive disappointment. So keep reading to find out how to get just the right toy.
Look at the age limits of any toy you are considering purchasing. These age limits aren’t there just for show. Real research has been put into it for your child’s safety. Toys marked for use above your child’s current age could contain small pieces and sharper edges that can really hurt a young one.
If you’re shopping for toys for the holidays, buy them as early as you can. The earlier the better. As the season wears on, prices for the hottest toys trend more to premium buys. There are few discounts to be found. Some of the best discounts actually happen after the holiday season, so shopping after Christmas for the next year can be a smart strategy.
Before spending your money in the toy department of your local store, make sure you check out prices online. Many times Internet retailers have lower prices. You could save quite a bit of money doing it this way, especially if it’s around the holidays. However, ensure that the shipping and handling charges do not make the toy more expensive than in the store.
Consider age appropriate toys. Toys have age ranges marked on their packaging. Remember them as you shop. There may be issues if you purchase a toy for a child that is intended for someone older. The child may also grow too old for it quickly. Don’t spend a lot on a toy that will not get much use.
Introduce your young child to music by giving him toy instruments that he can play on. A toys piano with large, colorful keys is always a favorite. Your child can experiment with making up his own tunes. Many toy instruments come with a play along option so your child can listen to the music and play at the same time.
Whenever a toy is opened, dispose of all the plastic packaging immediately. These pieces can cause fatalities in children. Age appropriate toys may also include packing items that are dangerous. Potential plastic dangers include suffocation and choking; make sure tiny pieces are thrown away before they can get lost and rediscovered later.
Check to see whether or not a toy requires batteries before buying it. If the toy is going to require quite a few batteries you don’t often have on hand, it might be best to choose something else. Try to factor the price of batteries in along with the price of the toy.
Kids love to create. Arts and crafts are among their favorite things to do. It is important that you let them have independence in how they create. If you are concerned about messes, just make sure to protect the table surface with a disposable tablecloth and the floor with a tarp.
Before you give any a child a toy, check the toy over for removable parts. An assembled or packaged toy might look to be big enough for play as-is. However, many toys come with detachable parts like eyes or noses. These can quickly become choking hazards to your children.
If your older kids have toys that may not be age appropriate for young children who also live in the home, make sure they keep the toys away from the younger ones. They should be responsible and not allow their younger siblings to risk choking on dangerous pieces.
Inspect every toy in the home regularly for damage. Any individual items that are broken need to be disposed of immediately. You do this to prevent any risk of injury to your children or anyone else visiting the home. You might not want to do it for fear of wasting money or upsetting your children, but physical safety is always the highest priority.
Look through the toys to check the condition of them. Kids are not always gentle with their toys. Make sure that there are no loose parts. Pieces that break off create a hazard during play. Looking at the toys regularly will help you to find problems with toys that you know are used.
Make sure to be very careful when buying toys from online. Things may not be exactly as they appear in pictures, so it is important for you to read all of the details. It can be costly to send back unwanted items, so it is a good idea to make sure that you are buying the right thing.
If your local toy store doesn’t have what you’re looking for, the Internet might. There are plenty of online toy stores who want your business. Oftentimes, discounts are offered to first-time buyers. This saves you both money and time, as your goods are delivered right to your door. Talk about convenient!
Develop a way to quickly clean up toys. You don’t always have a lot of time to get things put away. What are the various options? Having a toy basket on hand would certainly help. This is great if you have people coming over.
Create rules around toy playing. If you aren’t careful, kids will take advantage of the toy situation and not do anything else. Set house rules that they must follow to get proper toy time. If they don’t follow them, then they don’t get toy time. You’ll see good etiquette start to form.
As you read from above, there are many things to look for in a toy. But just keep the above tips in mind as you shop for toys and you will be able to weed out the ones that are not worth. Then you can find the one that is just right for your child.
