TOYSWhat Makes a Good Toy?

TOYS Always been a part of the child’s world!

Simple, home-made, complex or high tech.

Provide entertainment

Educational, encourage creativity

Encouraging development

AGE APPROPRIATE Skill and abilities needed to work a toy.

Challenging enough to stimulate interest, creativity and further development

Physical (coordination/motor skills)

Mental (creative and problem solving)

Social (cooperation, team mates, friends)

ATTRACTIVE Is the toy interesting to look at? Does it

grab your attention?

Colour, sound, texture, weight, movement.

Response to child’s action.

“Attraction” factor depends on the child.

Older children are attracted to “realness” of a toy.

DURABILITY Can the toy stand up to the kid?

Unbreakable

Washable materials

The longer a toy can last, the better.

Toys are expensive!

MULTI-USE Can a child use the toy over time?

Number of ways to enjoy a toy.

Allows for the changing maturity/interest of the child.

Example: sports equipment

SAFETY Playing rough, dropping, throwing

Putting the toy in their mouth

Soft/Flexible vs. Hard/Breakable

Materials that do not attract bacterial growth (mold, mildew)

EASE OF USE Different stages of play (how they play and

who with)

Encourage a variety of activities (individual and cooperative)

Design should allow for minimum supervision

Cause frustration?

Limitations (batteries)

CONTAINMENT Is the toy easy to keep track of?

Designed so that all parts stay together.

Can missing parts make toy unusable?

SOCIAL & ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS Are the materials safe?

Biodegradable or recyclable

Durability – Toys that can be passed along to siblings or other families

How was the toy produced? Child labour, working conditions, Canadian made.

COST Sometimes the cheapest and simplest

are the best!!

Cost varies widely

Quality over quantity

Expensive toy is worth it is all the other factors apply.

SLINKY – 1960

KEEP IT SIMPLE!

What were some of the simplest and most entertaining toys you had as a child?