NOTICES
Safe Toys and Gifts Month
December is safe toys and gifts
month. The holiday season is the time
when scores of new toys are introduced
via television commercials,
store displays, and other
m e d i a .
Purchasing
/
age-
appropriate
toys helps
ensure your
children’s safety. One of the
keys to buying safe toys is buying age-
appropriate ones. The guidelines that
follow will help you determine if the
toy you’re considering is appropriate for
the child you have in mind.
Babies: Birth to 1 Year
To stimulate your baby’s senses,
select toys that are brightly colored, of
various textures, nontoxic, and
lightweight. The following toys are age-
appropriate choices:
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♦
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♦
books made of cloth, plastic,
or cardboard, with large, color
ful pictures
large, chunky blocks made of
plastic or wood
rattles and squeeze toys that make a
lot of noise and are brightly colored
washable dolls or stuffed animals
that are soft and cuddly
Toddlers: 1 to 3 Years
A toddler needs toys that will keep
his or her curious mind busy as well as
satisfy the need to imitate adults.
Puzzles, nesting blocks, and other
stacking or fitting-type toys, musical
instruments, play furniture and
appliances, and games that involve
sorting are good choices for a toddler.
A kiddy car, wagon, or low tri
cycle usually is a hit with a
child in this age group,
though use of such
a toy must be
supervised
carefully. These
low, rolling vehicles
are sometimes hard to see from the
driver’s seat of a car.
Avoid push- or pull-toys that have
long strings. Do not buy toys that have
sharp edges — inspect musical toys
closely in this regard.
Preschoolers: 3 to 5 Years
Preschoolers are the masters of
make-believe. They constantly create
imaginary situations to act out the
grown-up roles they observe around
them. They need props to use in their
re-enactments. For a preschooler, a play
cash register and money; play food; and
make-believe villages, forts, farms, gas
stations, and the like are just the ticket.
Many preschoolers are fascinated
with cars, trucks, planes, etc. and
how they work. This
is an appropriate age
for a child to receive his
or her first two
wheeled bicycle -
provided that the bike
has training wheels and the child has
a helmet.
This is also an appropriate time to
introduce board games, electronic toys,
and word and matching games. These
pastimes sharpen visualization and
memory skills.
In addition to the toys already
mentioned, consider these gifts for
a preschooler:
books
blackboard and chalk, crayons,
non-toxic paints, clay
toy workbench and tools
tea party set
dress-up costumes
6- to 9-Year-Olds
This age group enjoys toys and
games that help develop skills for social
and solitary play. Fashion and career
dolls for girls and action figures for
boys enable children to experiment with
different grown-up settings. Craft kits
and model building allow children to
touch and experiment with the world
around them.
A larger bicycle, roller
skates or roller blades,
or other sporting
equipment, along with
appropriate protective
gear, are gifts that help
a child interact within
a group or team
atmosphere.
Many electronic games designed
for this age group are more than
educational. They help teach specific
skills and concepts - skills with money
18 */□ ” Siletz New*.\ □’ * Dédértiber2002-’
and currency, reading, and word
association, for example. Some
electronic games help children develop
hand-eye coordination and the ability
to enjoy competition.
Preteens: 9- to 12-
Year-Olds
A preteen begins to develop
specific skills and his or her lifelong
interests. Advanced chemistry sets,
advanced model kits, and advanced
construction sets may be appropriate
gifts for children in this age group.
Physical play now focuses on team
interaction, such as that found in
various sports. Sports equipment can be
popular with sports-minded 9- to 12-
year-olds.
Video and other electronic games,
especially those that require strategy
decisions, are excellent choices. Books
and tapes con-tinue to serve as
ways for pre-teens
to learn. Crafts and
musical
instruments help
them
express
themselves
artistically.
Teens: 13- to 16-
Year-Olds
During the teen years, a young
person's interests begin to merge
with those of adults. Electronic games
and computer-based systems marketed
as “family entertainment’’ have been
developed to meet the interests of
teens. Most teens are interested in
challenging board games with themes
that stimulate their interests.
During this time, many young
people begin collections and collections
of dolls, models, and stuffed animals
are common. Books, tapes, crafts,
and musical instruments usually
remain popular.