Everything you Ever Wanted to Know About TOYS

Well, almost.

Last week I got to have lunch with the toy gurus from Time To Play. Be jealous. Food and toys. I was in heaven.

I’m often asked about toys- what’s safe, what’s educational, what’s a good investment, etc., so this was a great chance to get the inside scoop from the experts.

source

Their site offers tons of toy reviews, including- get this- videos of the toys being handled and played with out of the bag/box. It’s a great way to see how the toys actually function and work before you and your child decide if a purchase is really worth it.

Another feature of their site that I adore is the safety page. It has 10 tips for keeping playtime safe and fun and also has an up to date list of toy recalls.

So, what did we talk about at lunch? Here are my three take away points:

1. Toys are like wine. A toy can get rave reviews and be the ‘it’ item of the season, but if your child doesn’t like it, then it’s not a good toy for your child!

2. Which toys ‘live’ in the closet? As Jim Silver put it, some toys ‘live in the closet,’ or have longevity. These are the toys that your kiddos keep coming back to month after month or year after year. Pay attention to these. They are a good investment and good to keep around if you have (or plan on having) more kids!

3. Keep it fun. Bottom line: toys are for play. If they aren’t fun, it’s not worth it.


What toys do your kids come back to day after day, month after month??

In case you’re wondering, I was not paid in any way for this post. I just really enjoyed my time with these nice people. They did not ask me to write about them or even suggest it. They did, however, pass along some goodies that I, in turn, will be passing along to you in the form of a giveaway. Soon. Stay tuned. It’s good. Real good. These people know toys.