Children's Toys
To say that the toy industry is booming is a bit of an understatement – it seems that every few months the new status toy is released with much fanfare and once again you face the begging and pleading from your child for a new gadget. If you are shopping for a birthday, Christmas, or other special occasion, there are a few avenues you can take when deciding what sort of toy to buy.
One of the best ways to connect with a child is to give them a toy which you remember having when you were a child, and which you can play along with. Classics such as train sets, Lego sets, Barbie dolls, tea sets, and board games such as Hungry Hippo and Guess Who? are always a popular choice. For the younger child, simple toys such as building blocks can do wonders for a child’s imagination and coordination. For the older child, art sets are a great way to encourage them to be creative.
Of course these ‘classic’ toys may seem a bit boring when faced with the newest Transformer, Doctor Who widget or other computerized gadget. These days, radio-controlled helicopters and planes, pretend mobile phones and computers, and the new bestseller the Nintendo DS have replaced some of the old favourites. Action figures and matchbox cars still find their way into the bestselling lists, but in new forms – HotWheels cars and movie-tie-in action figures (Lord of the Rings, X-Men, Spider Man, and so forth) are the new favourites.