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No, It Doesn't Walk, Talk or Light-Up
Gifts with Staying Power
By Donna Smith
Surrounded by eleven other preschoolers, you watch as your daughter rips the clown-covered wrapping paper off another present. Smiling, she holds up her new battery-operated, remote control, multifunctional toy that plays music, converts to a robot, sings and can fold into a carry case for her other toys. You sigh, and wonder how many days she'll actually play with this thing before she either breaks it or throws it in her toy box and forgets about it.
Buying gifts for preschool-age children can be tough. Many parents instantly head for the electronic section of the store, where everything makes a noise and lights up. Parents often forget that simple, basic toys are the ones being played with the most. There are some toys that have stood the test of time and have been around for ages. Kids love them. They don't light up, sing, dance, play music and go through batteries at light speed; they entertain by making the child use his imagination. Your preschooler will not be entertained by the toy, but will be entertained with the toy.
So walk -- or click! -- past that noisy aisle at the toy store and get a gift that will be appreciated and have lasting appeal. Here are a few toys that will do just that.
Preschoolers are at that age where they love to create and make things. Simple activity books and crayons are perfect for this age. Find educational activity books that teach letters, numbers and shapes, or fun ones with farm animals, trucks and cartoon characters. As for the crayons, those short, fat ones seem to fit better in a preschooler's little hand than the regular sized crayons. They also love to use markers, but make sure they are washable! To protect their clothing, get them over-sized white T-shirts and let them decorate with fabric paint. If it's a gift, have your child decorate with the name of the birthday boy or girl.Want to see more?
- A Millennium Baby for the Berenstain Bears
- Nursery Rhyme Rhetoric -- Take this quiz to find out how nursery literate you are!
- Lincoln Logs or Logging On? Do Toddlers Need High-Tech Toys?
- What gifts do you enjoy giving to children? Tell us at the Preschooler Activities Discussion Board.
- Read a review of Puzzart's wooden dinosaur puzzle here!