Ah, the holiday season.
A wonderfully happy time of planning get-togethers and exchanging gifts. Children, naughty and nice, will send their wish lists to Santa (or Grandmom) and dream of presents.
But this year it seems the number one topic of conversation is, “We will have to cut back.”
Many are feeling the effects of the tight economy, and it couldn’t come at a worse time.
A recent round-table discussion that included parents, teachers, a speech therapist, and an occupational therapist proved that there are many great gift ideas for children under $20.
If you splurge on one big special gift, you can include a few more reasonably priced items that children love.
Some classics were clearly the favorites: Mr. Potato Head, Play-Do, Rubix Cube, puppets, puzzle books, arts and crafts supplies, balls, Nerf balls, jump ropes, and sidewalk chalk.
The experts loved board games, and their top choices were Candyland Scrabble, Operation, and any Memory Game.
Build-A-Bear Company is out with $10 bears this year, but our panel cautioned that does not include any clothes and accessories. WebKinz, which have a computer connection, are still a good bet, and puppets are huggable and invite creative play.
There are many electronic hand-held games in this price range for those who don’t want the expense of a Nintendo DS, for example.
Connect Four, Battleship, 20 Questions, Gridiron Football, Yahtzee, and Wheel of Fortune are all available under $15. These also make great traveling games.
If your child already has a Game Boy or Nintendo unit, consider used games at stores like Game Stop. A gift certificate here goes a long way.
Speaking of gift certificates, a great one for older kids is I-Tunes.
Action figures and Barbie dolls still make the list. Barbies were at K-Mart for $8.99, but these come with the same caution about costly accessories.
Several children joined the panel and offered their advice on the toys they loved: yo-yo’s, fake food, Etch-a-sketch, Magic Screen, Pick up stix, Dance Mats, Legos, Lincoln Logs, Erector Sets, and blocks. Prices vary here but reasonable sets are readily available.
Magazine subscriptions are appreciated, too. Two favorites are National Geographic for Kids and Sports Illustrated for Kids. These run $19.99 and last the whole year.
Of course, all the adults and children loved giving and getting storybooks. The experts were all in agreement that electronic reading systems cannot replace the human interaction of reading your child a story.
The group offered two pieces of advice:
• Check the recommended age levels found on most toys.
• When shopping at dollar stores or second-hand stores, safety comes first.
Safety is not just a concern when buying reasonably price toys. Recent major toy manufacturers have had their own problems with lead paint and small, unsecured parts, and there is ongoing concern about harmful chemicals in teething toys and other items young kids put in their mouths.
Kathie Arena, local representative for Discovery Toys, advises everyone to register at the government’s Web site to receive immediate alerts to toy and child product recalls.
“This is the easiest thing people can do to be sure their toys are safe,” Arena said. “I am surprised how few people know about it. Visit cpsc.gov and specify which recalls you want to know about, in this case, child-related products.”
Discovery Toys is a franchised home-based business whose products are sold at home parties. The guests in the roundtable were familiar with Discovery Toy products and gave them a definite “thumbs up.”
Arena picked out some of her favorites from the latest catalog. All were priced below $20.
For the Early Years, she likes Place ‘n Trace, a set of three puzzles. The pieces fit into a plastic tray and can be used for tracing stencils and cookie cutters. This toy has won National awards and is listed for $12.99.
Pre-schoolers will love Flip Flop Faces. A new twist to Bean Bag Toss, it uses bowls with faces. The child needs to flip the bowl over so it “eats” the bean bag. A little over budget at $22.95, but the daycare provider at the roundtable, recommended this one, too.
For school age kids there is Puzzle Island Book, a super sleuth activity storybook; Whiz-Kids Card Game for ages 7 and up; and Super Balls Science Kit, where children ages 8 and up make their own super balls. Each of these is just $9.99.
There are new storybooks geared for boys and babies. A good bet is the two book set called “Shiny, Touchy, Smelly.” At $15.99, it’s perfect for baby’s first book.
Interested in Discovery Toys, check out discoverytoyslink.com/kathiearena or call Arena at 609-536-2737.
When helping Santa choose gifts for the children on your list, remember there is no need to break the bank, chase the sales, or go into debt. There are plenty of great toys available at really good prices.
Think outside the list, and happy shopping.
