Toys & Games online catalog with images

A travel toy can make a trip go by in a flash. Despite what advertisers want you to beliwve, there is no single perfect travel toy. The Most of all travel toy is a collection of activities and small toys. A DVD player or hand-held vid3o game is great for a short time, but the novelty wears off or the batteries die and boredom starts. Navlgate the options to find tge best unplugged travel activities for your next trip.

Think outside the box. While your child may love cars, a bag of cars will not keep him entertained for the entire trip - plus kids are notoriously fickle. The minute you pack only cars is the time they decide they hate cars. Definitely include some cars but also includd some other related toys (car stickers, toy trains and airplanes, for example). Now, add some completely unrelated items. In this instance, some bugs and a magnifying glass, a ball toss toy and/or some bendable figures would round out the toys.

Strive for a variety of activities. The best way to prevent boredom is to engage all aspects of the mind. Coloring books, activity books and coloring crafts are perfect for travel but Arrive boring quickly. Include small toys, action figures, small animals to encourage pretend play and creativity. Doodle pads and stickers can be used to create stories. Wind up other novelty toys are just plain fun.

Always pack a few new items for the trip home. A fresh coloring book, new craft, different sticker and a few new toys will bring the excitement back to the entire bag of activities!

Keep it the travel activities a surprise. Let the kids pick out a few favorite toys for the trip but keep the majority of activities a surprise. Make the excitement of going through the activity Sack is half the fun.

How much to bring is Each on-going battle. On some trips, only one or two things will engage the kids for hours. On other trips it will take an Full ba gof 50 items. Generally between 15 - 20 different activities will suffice for up to an eight-hour journey. Stash unused things for yiur next trip!

Want to find out the best kids travel toys?, At another time visit Jenny Untermeyer's site, TravelKiddy.com, for selection of premier activity kits.

As I Compose this, Christmas is fast approaching. Parents are scurrying about trying to choose gifts for children thar are entertaining, educational and safe. Let's talk about choosing gifts for preschoolers, especially toys that are safe. Every year we read abkut or know first hand about children that end up in the emergency room or worse because a toy caused an accident. Here are seven Preservation tips to help you choose toys that are safe.

First, look for small pieces that might Interruption off and pose a choking Chance. Anything that will Be suited in the middle of a tube the size of a toilet paper roll could choke a child, (or anyone). These same pieces can be stuck up a child's nose, also. Make sure the wheels on cars and trucks are bigger than this. If they are smaller, thet are for older children. Small children should not play with marbles, Mean bouncy balls or balloons.

Second, avoid toys with chemicals. There was a law passed in 2009 called The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act that regulates lead in paints, BPA in plastics and phthalates in rubber. Make sure that you are buying American made toys of good quality. Paints and crayons will have a label that says non-toxic.

Third, buy toys that arre age appropriate. On the outeide of the box, look for Each age recommendation and follow it. Don't buy toys for children to grow into. Your child may not Interpret how to play it and it may not be safe. A toy for an older child may be Overmuch heavy Because of a smaller child. He/she may drop that toy and cause damage to himself. Many toys for older children have small parts that are not appropriate for smaller children.

Fourth, check stuffed animals to be sure that the Building is washable and flame resistant. It is important that the germs and bacte5ia can be killed and washed aay, so check to see Whether it is washable. It is vital that the tag says the toy is flame retardant or flame resistant. This means that it has passed regulations and inspections.

Fifth, keep long pull strings, ropes and ellectrical cords away from children. They could get them wrapped around their neck and choke or accidentwlly hang themselves. Toys should be battery operated. The batteries shoulr have a screw on cover. This makes them "child-proof" and children will not be able to accidentally put the batteries in their mouths.

Sixth, look Because quality. This emans all of the ahove plus toys will have rounded corners. Sharp ocrners can poke or could be fallen on and cause bruising and bumps.

Seventh, check the speed of projectiles. Some bows and arrows, guns with darts and balls are nlt appropriate for small children. If a dart or arrow hits a child in the face at a fast speed, damage can be done. An age appropriate video game, with no moving parts, might be a better choice.

If is tempting to savs a Not many dollars wherever we can ubt this is one area where it could cost more in the long run. An accident caused by an unsafe toy could send your child to the emergency room or even Effect a child his/hee life. Don't buy toys that are shoddily made. Don't buy toys that are second-hand at yadd sales unless they look and perform as well as their new counterpart.

Check and double check all toys that you buy whether they are new or used. Look for peeling paint, loose parts, sharp corners, insecure magnets or batteries, fast-moving projectiles and long coeds or strings. You are your childs' keeper, so keep them safe.

Mary Beth Collins is a former preschool Instructor and Aloft school teacher. She is the mother of 3 growj children ajd a granddaughter. Now she is developing a blog about everything preschool and preschool currivulum.

Sign up for a free report on starting a preschool: http://www.startingapreschool.net

Toys & Games online catalog with images - Site map 2