Smart Toy Shopping-Part II

Shopping for toys on a budget is not as hard as you think, the key here is to know where to buy and preparation. The more you know about toy shopping the better you'll buy and the more you'll save. Here are where the deals are:


Seasonal Toy Stores: You see them one day, and you won't see them ever again. These kind of stores pop up in vacant mall storefronts or in kiosks around the mall. They are usually around only from Thanksgiving to Christmas. Their low toy prices makes them the perfect place to buy a toy. However, you must know that with these types of stores, "what you see is what you get", and the toys are usually non-returnable.
Price Wars: Competition among toy stores is fierce. It's hand-to-hand combat among the discount stores, and specialty toy chains. With every toy store fighting for your toy dollar, it's very common to see price wars break out during the holiday shopping season. Remember, this price war usually breaks at the very start of the season and in the last week. Keep your eyes on advertised prices in newspaper circulars.
One-Stop Shopping: Stores that sell toys plus other products are eager to attract your business. They may offer discounts if you purchase a certain large dollar amount. Factor this in when deciding where and how you'll shop.
Watch out for any hidden costs of toy shopping. If you buy online, do not forget to add in the shipping prices. Usually the shipping price are not displayed until the final clicks of the sale. Shopping without a list is a perfect way to give your money away to toy stores. If you are not prepare and do not know what you want, wandering in the aisles just leaves you vulnerable to the marketing messages of the toy makers. You are much more likely to end up with toys you don't want or can't afford. Then we have the Panic Toys. These are the toys you buy because you are afraid you're not going to be able to find what you really want. The only good way to guard against this type of toys is to start your toy shopping early enough so that you feel as though you have plenty of time. Although it is not easy, it will save you money in the long run

Source: "Toy Tips" 2004

Smart Toy Shopping-Part I

Before you head to the toy store this holiday, prepare yourself with a list of toys. Going unprepared into a toy store is a setup for a poor shopping experience and poorly chosen toys. The successful toy buyer arrives at the store prepared, shops the aisles like a pro, and leaves happy (and most likely saved money)

Step One: BEFORE YOU GO

Do not enter a toy store before having done the proper research. Remember that your shopping trip begins way before you leave the house. Here are some things you should do:

Review the toy box:

Do an inventory of the toys your child already has. Gather all the toys you have around the house. Once you have all the toys, answer the following questions:
Which toy have gotten a lot of play?
Which one have sat in here gathering dust?

Which of these toys has my child already mastered? That will give
you some ideas for magnifying and supplementing recently acquired play skills.
Finally look around and be honest; Which toys did you think would be big hits but in fact turned out to be duds? Make a promise to avoid those kinds of toys.

Make your list:

Yes, make a list with your child's name, his/her age, skills mastered and her interests. If you already have a toy in mind, jot it down. (do so or else you might blank out once you see the huge toy inventory at the store). If you have no idea which toy to buy, don't worry, try to come up with a category of toy you wish to buy this holiday; this can be action figures, dolls, educational, outdoor toys, etc. Wondering the aisles hoping to find the great toy only guarantees that your choice will be driven by smart marketing ads and sheer desperation on your part. Have at least a general idea before you go to the store.

Ask the relatives:

If you're buying a toy for a child that you don't know, pick up the phone and ask for some general information, such as recently acquired skills or hobbies.

Cruise the "Hot toys" lists:

Don't let them fool you. Magazine articles and TV ads do not care about your child. They just want to sell you the toys. List makers certainly do not know what is best for your child. ONLY YOU KNOW YOUR CHILD.

Double dip:

If you are buying a birthday gift this December, try to buy the Christmas gift as well. This will reduce toy shopping stress, especially during Christmas shopping.

If you can consolidate your efforts by shopping for more than one item per trip, you can cut back on your days spent navigating the wonderful world of toy retailing.

Set a budget:

I know, it is hard to stick to it, but it does not hurt to try.

For more toy tips visit us at www.bluepixo.com

Source: "Toy Tips" 2004

Your child's preferred toy types

Take a short quiz to help you better understand your child's preferred toy types. Keep in mind that toy preferences can change over time, so results today may be different six months down the road.

Does your child...

A. Prefer to play alone?

B. Prefer to play with playmates or siblings?

A. Prefer open-ended play with no time limits on any toy or play activity?

B. have siblings or playmates (for example, at day care) with whom to share toys?

A. Enjoy repetitive play with one kind of toy?

B. Change toys often during play?

A. Enjoy competitive play?

B. Ask constantly for new toys?

Results and Suggestions

If your answers are mostly A's, your child is an independent player. Choose toys that  encourage self-challenge and individual creativity; puzzles and single-use art, craft, or science kits are good choices.

If your answers were mostly B's, your child seeks out the social stimulation of peer play. Consider activity sets and toys that encourage sharing or team play.

If your answers are a mix of both A's and B's, your child has a creative streak. Look for toys that encourage make-believe and role-playing situations.

Source: "Toy Tips"  2004

A Toy Chart for Your Holiday Shopping

Now that Christmas is around the corner, getting the right toy for your child is very important. Why? because for a child Playing is Learning. And the right toy can make a difference in your child's development.

Skills	Toys
Toys for Infants
Listening	Rattles, books, music
Focusing on objects and swatting	Mobiles, crib and floor activity gyms
Grasping, reaching	Nesting blocks
Pulling head up	Tummy toys
Pressing	Books with sound
Holding, hugging	Stuffed toys, dolls
Pulling up, balancing	Push toys, pull toys
Mouthing	Teethers
Sitting	Bath and sand toys, stuffed toys
Standing	Push-behind toys
Walking	Pull-along toys
Blowing	Bubbles
Manipulating objects	Shape sorters
Toys for Toddlers
Developing fine motor skills	Ball drops, abacus, pop-up books, crayons, modeling dough, finger paints, puppets
Engaging in pretend play, Imitation	Tool kit, doctor sets, kitchen sets, dolls, costumes, telephone
Developing gross motor skills	Large balls, climbing structures, slides, foam mats, ride-ons, wagons
Understanding patters and rhythms	Puzzles, musical instruments, memory and matching games, phonics, alphabet toys
Understanding spatial relationships	Remote-control toys, activity playsets, water toys
Toys for Preschoolers
Following rules	Age-appropriate board games, sports toys
Sharing	Construction toys, activity sets, outdoor climbers
Preparing for school	Spelling, math toys, read-along books
Toys for School Age kids
Developing concentration	Trivia games, magic sets
Strategic Thinking	Challenging board games, brain teasers, science activity kits
Promoting educational reinforcement	Math, spelling, history, and geography toys
Fostering individual creativity	Craft kits, advanced construction sets, arts, karaoke

Source: "Toy Tips", 2004

What Toys Should I Buy? "School Years: Five to Nine Years"

At this age, the classic wooden toys are not cool anymore. Kids will be attracted toward the "Cool" toy of the year, the toy that all of his/her friends have. You on the other hand will want toys that will help their educational development and social skills. Unfortunately, this is also the time when media will play against you. The multi-million dollar advertising, movie tie-ins and television programs will start to play a huge influence on your child's toy preference.

Electronic toys can be very good pick for this age group. Studies have shown that these toys, such as computers and video games, are helpful in building eye-hand coordination. One of the preferred games are those electronic games that engages kids in mysteries and quests. These games can both be entertaining and educational. Unfortunately, these educational games are also competing with the so called "cool" violent video games. Please, don't let a rating on a box decide whether a game is appropriate for your child. Do some research, ask friends and most important, play with the game yourself. This is your job as a parent. After seeing the degree of violence, you can decide whether or not it is appropriate for your child. Remember, the text on the back of the game box is there for one reason and one reason only, to sell you the game.

This is a perfect time to discuss TV commercials with the whole family. Explain to them what commercials are and what they are trying to accomplish. Tell them, the person who makes the commercial is only trying to convince you to buy the toy/game, but you don't have to. By doing this you are helping them become more savvy consumers. They will soon learn not to believe everything that is advertised.

What Toys Should I Buy? "Preschool to Five Years"

Preschool years is a magical time when anything is possible for a child. For them, elephants fly and monsters hide in the closet. facts and fiction are intertwined. This will be the age when they'll discover the thrill of pretend play. Classic toys that promote pretend play such as dollhouses, railroad sets, pretend zoos and toy garages will give hours of fun play to a preschooler. These toys will give a chance to act out realistic and fantastical settings. Although, you might want to buy the hip, fancy toy, you must keep in mind the fact that these toys might and will be thrown around. Resist the urge to choose delicate toys and go for the solid constructed toys.

This is also a perfect time to introduce artistic and musical toys. When buying art supply toys, look for variety of colors and textures. Always, Always, Always make sure that the paints and any art tools are safe for children. Remember, this is a time for your kid to show his/her creativity. So prepare to get messy. And please let them be artists. Let them enjoy the moment of painting all over the easels without any rules. As for musical toys, consider toys that encourage children to make their own music as well as to learn about melodies. A toy piano that can both play popular nursery tunes and act as a free-form keyboard is a good example. And of course, remember that this is a discovery age for your kid. Hitting all keys on the piano at once will fascinate them. So don't expect any soothing evening music yet.

What toys should I buy? "Birth Through One Year"

Before we begin learning which toys are best for your babies, Please Note: There is no toy nor game more important to your baby than YOU. Mom and Dad are fascinating to babies. Your eyes, your voice, your laughter, are fascinating to a baby just exploring the world for the first time.

For a baby, the perfect toys are the ones that offer exploration of new shapes, colors and sounds. Example of them are rattles, and squishy toys that encourage grasping and holding. Recent studies have shown that during their first months, babies, are more visually attracted to black and white designs rather than colorful designs. We all think that a colorful toy looks more appealing, but this is appealing to us and not to our newborns. So keep your baby in mind when buying their first toys.

How about music? You'll be surprised, but one thing babies love more than music, it's repetitious music. We all know that classical music is beneficial to our little ones than simple nursery tunes, but guess what? it's not the sophistication of the music, it's the rhythm that attracts babies to music. So any kind of rhythmic music will have your baby entertain.

Since babies can spend most of the time on the floor, a well designed floor mat can be a perfect toy for you baby. When buying for these mats, look for stark, contrasting colors and designs that will attract your baby's eyes. Some of these mats come with textures and attached elements for babies to explore. Before buying them, double check that these attached elements are well secured and won't detach.

Once your baby can sit up, it's time to change the toy selection. What are great toys to start with? You guessed it. Blocks, nesting cups and stacking rings. These toys offer endlessly playtime for your baby. Your baby will be delighted putting blocks one on top of another, putting things together and then taking them apart. Look for toys that encourage reaching. Your baby will enjoy his new found skill and try to reach everything he can.

Always remember, that a toy that is too complicated or too difficult to use will frustrate your little ones. Always keep your babies in mind when choosing a toy. A simple toy can bring endless hours of entertainment to your little ones.

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