The Preschool Times

It was Sunday morning and I spread the newspaper out in front of me as I settled in for a leisurely morning read with my cup of Yogi Tea. As I worked my way through the various sections, a colorful insert caught my eye. There it was the first official harbinger of the holiday season, a toy circular. Rather than toss it to the recycle bin (since my children have long outgrown the toy selections), I decided to look through the offerings.

There was page after page of colorful items destined to be used for a VERY short period and then cast aside; each toy coming with a price tag higher than the last, each one promising the very elusive “happy child.” Ohhhh… right there on those pages, that joy that comes when children first set eyes on this new toy, a toy which will surely buy you the title of “Best Parent Ever!” So you buy it and you give it to them. And it does. For one perfect moment your child is happy.

Then it happens, that perfect toy which sailed through the holidays is set carelessly aside amid complaints that “it is no fun!” They need a new, bigger and better version. Yep, that will make them happy… and the process continues in an endless loop. The problem with your toy selection can be separated into two groups. The first is the type of toy, and the other is advertising.

Let’s begin with the first category: The Toy. Many of the toys featured are intended to be used in only one way. And hopefully they will at least play with them for awhile, but even the neatest race track and car will become boring if they can’t change it up.  If it can only be used in one way, the novelty will wear off and they will become bored with it. (Most of all those lovely Disney toys fall into this bracket!)

Toys which have open ended features have greater lasting power. When I use the term open ended in reference to toys I am talking about toys which require your child to bring their own imagination to them.  An example of an open ended toy would be a general set of legos (not the kits per say, just the blocks) or art materials. Equipment or materials which do not have a defined outcome allow children to pick and choose the results. The possibilities are as diverse as your child’s own imagination. The more a child flexes their creativity muscle, the better they become at creating endless hours of exploratory play.

Open ended toys may not initially elicit squeals of delight but they do have staying power. You may have to sit with your child and role play how to use these types of toys for a time but the effort will be well worth it. Helping your child learn how to use their own creativity to create stimulating play will enhance skills that will serve them well in adulthood. Can the same be said about “Polly Pocket Tricked Out Concert Play Set,” “Charge Ups Charge ‘n Race Speedway” or “Rock Star Mickey?”

Advertising: What can you say about advertising? The whole point of advertising is to convince you and your child that you need to have their item to be truly happy. I don’t know about you but I have never owned an item that has made a difference in my happiness quotient for any significant amount of time. Some items have made my life more convenient, but nothing has made me happier. Our children are defenseless against the titans of advertising. They do not have the ability to discern truth from fiction when all of their senses are being assaulted at the same time.

It might be time to drag out those board and card games and settle in for some family fun, because the T.V. set is about to get even more dangerous. Soon you might even be convinced that your seven year old needs an electric car to be happy!

Peace & Light,

Grace