Toy Test

Here's another toy test that was done besides the one the Garden School was included in. They did it differently. The kind of toys we found the children liked had to do with the ability to play. Some children play well, and other don't know how. The ability to play comes from home, and a parents willingness to teach a child, at least the first child how to play.

Play is learned. It is not intrinsic. The idea that play is something children will be able to do unattended is a wrong idea. Too often, children are left on their own to play, and what usually happens is destruction and mess.

For a long time, the idea that childcare is a place where children simply play and everything is "child directed" is about the dumbest childcare scheme I can think of. The obvious and very predictable outcome for this is a loss of the preschool years. Children from "child directed" programs are going off to school as giant infants.

Teaching children is the heart of good parenting and good teachers - that's why teachers are called teachers!

Judy

Herb Weisbaum
Toy Test 2005 Results
November 21, 2005 By Herb Weisbaum

SEATTLE

We tested 383 toys for this Today’s Toy Test 2005. We had more than 8,000 children at 83 child care centers around the country play with the toys for four weeks. While they played, their teachers watched and rated the toys for us on everything from play value to durability.

Here are a few of the winners in each age category. You can find the complete list of winners on my Web site http://www.consumerman.com/ -- just look for the Toy Test 2005 logo at the upper left of the home page.

TODDLER: For us, the toddler means children from about 18 months to 3 years old. Toys with small parts (which could present a choking hazard to a toddler) and those recommended for children 3 and up, were tested in preschool classrooms.

Check-Up Time Elmo by Fisher-Price Friends, $20

Few patients have more instant kid-appeal than Elmo. He’s a friendly and quite silly patient for little doctors. For instance, take his temperature and he says: “not so hot, not so cold, Elmo’s just right! This set comes with an electronic stethoscope to check his heart, a thermometer to take his temperature, a bandage to cover his boo-boo (it sticks on with Velcro), and a tissue to help him blow his nose.

Weebles Weebly Wobbly Tree House by Playskool, $30

The Weebles have a new place to hang out. This tree house has lots of things to do, from the crow’s net on top to the musical water wheel below. The set comes with three Weebles figures, who like to ride the slide from the second story to the ground floor. Electronic sounds and music add to the fun.

PRESCHOOL: We tested 141 toys in the Preschool category this year. For us, preschool means toys appropriate for children ages 3 to 6 year old. Toys designed for kids 6 and up were tested in the school age category.

Touch & Discover Alphabet Town by VTech, $20

Alphabet Town is fun and educational. It has eight interactive activities: letters, spelling, vocabulary, counting, phonics, and telling time. Kids respond to the friendly electronic voice by pushing on the chunky light-up buttons. When they want to tell the time, they just turn the hands on the clock. Alphabet town is also filled with songs.

Poster Painter Activity Set by Alex, $20

Parents will like this paint set as much as the kids because it’s fun not messy. The colors come in brushless containers with a sponge on top, so there’s nothing to spill! The set, which comes in a see-through plastic carrying case, includes 8 poster painters and a drawing pad that has 48 pictures ready to color.

SCHOOL AGE: We tested 207 toys in the School Age category this year. The kids who tested these toys were aged 6 and up.

Crayola Color Explosion by Binney & Smith, $8

Here’s a different concept in drawing. Just rub the special marker over the black paper and a picture appears in bold colors. The marker removes the blank ink to reveal the colors already there. This is fun & very reasonably priced. Each Color Explosion set comes with a 20-page black paper color reveal tablet, stencil page and 3 color markers.

Super Mondo Inside-Out Ball by Play Visions, $10

It’s wacky, it’s silly and kids love it! The brightly-colored blob is smooth on one side and has spines on the other. It also feels strange - cool to the touch. So what do the kids do with this soft, gooey, colorful blob? They put it on their head, wrap it around their wrists, put it on other kids’ heads, roll it around the floor, throw it, squeeze it, squish it, and stretch it. Yes, it’s washable.