Shopping For Christmas Toys

I went shopping to buy for a few toys to give as Christmas presents to a friend's 3 year old. It's been quite a few years since I looked at toys for little ones, and I have a few observations about how toys (the kind does reflect society) have changed or remained the same.  First to the similarity. Kid toys are still sold with an appeal to "education". That is, the seller hopes mom and dad will think that when they buy their toy it will turn junior into Einstein. That foolishness started in the 70's and is still out of hand.

A small child under 3 years old needs play more than he or she needs educational enrichment. That's because at that age it is through play that kids best learn. Too, small ones are not ready to read or do math. Any success they have at "learning" those skills is really a mirage. In fact, they would be memorizing not learning, not having much understanding or comprehension of what they "read" (pronouncing words is not reading) or computed.

Another similarity between toys today and the past generation of toys is how expensive that plastic is. I realize that selling toys is dependent on time and appeal. Those toys that are trendy or fashionable make big bucks for the maker. But those that are not often lose money or break even for the manufacturer and seller. That Brabie-ization of toys began last generation and is in full steam ahead mode. It's harder to fin traditional toys today. Look for a simple doll house and it might be impossible to find. instead, doll houses and other toys are branded by what kids see visually, as in movies and TV shows.  You'll find plenty of Barbie doll houses, but then Barbie is for sale everywhere.

That leads me to the biggest difference between last generation toys for sub 3 year olds and today's selection . The majority of toys sold now are branded to a character that kids love and know. It's wise to have a Lil Pony doll house, for instance. That's because when a little one sees the character image on the toy container at a store, that child will scream fro mom to buy it. The same doll house without an image of Lil Pony, Barbie,  Ice Age characters etc. will get a zero reception from  a small child.  It explains why there are hundreds of Barbie dolls for sale, yet the dolls themselves are identical. Only the clothes differ. Mom and dad see that and wonder why they have to buy an entire more expensive doll each time Barbie changes clothes or identity (maybe Barbie has multiple personalities?). But the child does not.

The other thing I noticed about today's toys that is different is how so many more have computer chips embedded. A toy today must be electronic to appeal to the little ones. This is great training for the small one become the cell phone addicted , electronic moron that are their parents and older siblings. Sadly, often kids don't play with toys. Rather, they press buttons and watch the toys play themselves. It's not a recipe for developing creativity but peer pressure says toys have to be that way and mom and dad rarely fight the commandment.

I think the kinds of toys kids get from adults today are really the images of the adults, not the desires of the children. If left alone with an empty cardboard box that once housed a toy and a toy itself, a child might benefit and enjoy far more the box.