Children's Toy and Hobby Reviews

Ask a preschooler to count for you and watch his face shine with pride as he counts to ten (or twenty!) A kindergartner will count to one hundred for you over (and over, and over, and over) Counting and number recognition are important skills that he will use every day of his life.

There are many educational toys on the market that help children learn specific skills, and number toys are some of the most common.

"We've gone through three sets of plastic, magnetic numbers," says Libby Monson, a mom of three boys in San Ramon, CA., "my oldest son loved arranging them - first by color, and then by number. Now my middle child is playing with them every day."

Sorting is one of the first things children do with number toys and is a pre-cursor to counting and other math skills. Having small numbers that they can hold in their hands makes it easy for kids to begin to differentiate between the shapes of the numbers.

At first, it doesn't matter whether kids put the numbers in the right order - they can concentrate on feeling the shapes and enjoy sticking the magnets to the fridge, stove or any other magnetic surface in the house.

Next comes number recognition and sequencing. Number puzzles can be great for sequencing, since the pieces must be put in the correct order. You can find wooden number puzzles in an array of shapes: a caterpillar, crocodile, elephant, pig, etc. Wooden tray puzzles work for sequencing, as well.

Help your child put together puzzles, or place magnetic numbers on the fridge. Find the numbers to go in order, and say the name of the number aloud as you hand it to your child. He'll be counting in no time!

Even older children can enjoy number toys. "My oldest is now in kindergarten and can create simple addition problems on the fridge with our magnetic numbers," says Libby. More advance math concepts can also be taught using magnetic numbers.

For older children, there is an array of number games that can increase math skills. Sudoku, a popular puzzle game, helps kids with organization and placement. There are number tile puzzles that require youngsters to use strategy in order to place numbers numerically.

A few notes about number toys:

If you have children under the age of three, make sure that the numbers are too large to pose a choking hazard. If you're not sure, use an empty toilet paper roll. If the letter will fit inside the roll, it's too small.
Many letter puzzles are made of wood. Watch for cracked toys that splinter. It pays to purchase quality wooden toys that won't crack or peel.
Make sure that wooden toys are painted with lead-free paint. Lead can pose a serious health hazard to children.

Number toys, like all educational toys, can be a great addition to your toy room. Have them readily available, and watch your child glow with pride as he learns a new skill!

Iguana Wanna Count is is a wonderful learning toy that is comprised of 10 pieces. each of these 10 pieces represents a number from 1 through 10. each of these puzzle pieces is made of colorful splinter free rubber wood that is child-safe.

This cool looking and fun puzzle is designed for toddlers and preschoolers. It is a great toy for children who are learning their numbers and counting and play.

Parents are highly encouraged to play and learn with their children to enhance the process of learning and fun.

It might look like child's play, but Susan is working on her spatial skills as she puts the wooden puzzle together. Sam is developing early math skills as he sorts large beads by color and shape. Playing is the way in which children learn, and some toys can teach more than others. Here are a few things to look for when choosing toys for your children.

Safety First

One of the most common emergency room visits for children under three involves small toys that pose a choking hazard. Watch for small bolts or screws that can come loose, or pieces that can break off and be swallowed.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) regulates all toys sold in the United States. Still, toys are often recalled, so it's smart to pay attention to recall alerts and either destroy or return toys that are deemed unfit for children.

A few other safety points:

Toys should be painted with lead-free paint
Plastic toys should also be lead-free
Fabric toys should be non-flammable
Crayons or art paint should be labeled as non-toxic
Stuffed animals and toys should be washable and plastic eyes or buttons should be secure

Though the U.S. has very specific standards for toy quality and safety, some toys that are imported from other countries have been found to have high quantities of lead. Purchase toys made in the USA, or contact the manufacturer with specific questions about where and when toys were made, and with what kind of materials.

Lead found in children's toys can cause serious health risks, including brain damage, developmental delay and even death.

Which toys are learning toys?

You may think of educational toys as flash cards or computer games. But there are many kinds of toys that can teach your child. A few things to think about:

Toys that spark imagination are great for learning. Play food and dishes, playhouses, dolls, puppets, boats, cars and trains, dress-up clothing and stuffed animals are all great teaching toys. Kids learn by noticing, then imitating the world around them. Toys that allow for a wide variety of games or uses are great because they don't constrict the child to playing in a self-prescribed way.

Building toys are wonderful for math and spatial concepts. Wooden blocks, Legos, and TinkerToys are just a few of the building toys available. Parents and older siblings love to get in on the building action, too!

Puzzles are also good for working on spatial concepts. They range from three-piece wooden puzzles to several thousand piece expert-level puzzles. These can also be a great family project on a cold or rainy day.

Sorting and stacking toys can develop problem-solving skills. Shape sorters are great, as are nesting cubes and stacking rings.

Art supplies are learning toys, as well. Children develop fine-motor skills while cutting paper or tracing or coloring. And artistic development has been shown to help kids with subjects ranging from math to reading.

In general, any toy that sparks your child's interest and encourages interactive, not passive play is a learning toy. Violent toys, such as guns, should be avoided.

Age Appropriate Toys

There is nothing more frustrating than wanting to play with a toy and not having the motor-skills or maturity to make it work. Pay close attention to the age recommendation on the packaging. Even if you think Sam is highly developed for his age, the toy may have tiny parts that require fine-motor skills that he doesn't yet have, or could pose a choking hazard.
By the same token, make sure to challenge your child with toys that are on her age level. It might be fun for her to play with younger siblings and their baby toys, but she should be challenged on her level, as well.

Who doesn't like pirates? This high-quality Toy Pirate Shiptoy pirate ship is made of child safe wood with detailed pieces. It includes the pirate play figures Captain Jack, Jake Black, and Momma Rose.

The Venture Pirate Ship has cloth made sails that can be positioned and rigged like real mast sails. The set also comes with a set of 4 cannons, a parrot, a wooden plank and a barrel.

Lego Duplo Hospital

The Lego hospital set is a great way to enhance a child's imagination as well as teach them about the inner workings of a hospital. This set comes with everything from buildings, movable rooms, doctors, nurses, vehicles, accessories, and other medical staff. Lego is one of the most imaginative and fun toys manufacturers in the business and this set continues along those lines.

This wooden staking train is a great toy for children ready to move to more complex moving blocks. The train has 22 wooden pieces that can move and interconnect in many different ways while stacked onto the train.

This toy train was recognized as the "Best Toy" in Child Magazine in 2003, and it continues to provide countless hours of fun to foster development in toddlers and preschoolers.

Qualitytoysandhobbies.com.

This is an absolutely fantastic train set. The trains in this set attach together with magnetic endpoints. Roadways, trees, bridges, structures, and vehicles interconnect and are included with this highly-detailed train set.

This set lets your child build and an elaborate train track with many twists, turns, and tunnels.

Product Features:

* 125 detailed, non-splintering, child-safe, wooden pieces
* Signs, figurines, trees, and a wooden road track
* Straight, curved, and switching tracks to design different train tracks
* 3-piece train engines and a 4-piece Lionel Penn set
* Suspension bridge and track supports for multiple-level designs
* Wooden Gas Station and cars

The Art of Drawing for Kids, for children ages 4-1/2 and up, is based on visual demonstrations that are easy to follow. Children progress at their own pace as they learn from an experienced instructor and enjoy using "real" art materials.

In The Art of Drawing for Kids #1, children learn how to draw while following a series of clear, step-by-step demonstrations delivered by a highly trained and caring instructor, Melissa Zafarana. Each lesson builds upon the other as students learn how to bring their drawings to life using an array of non-toxic pastel colors and easy to understand painting techniques.

The Art of Drawing for Kids isn't another copying, tracing or "paint by numbers" program. In short, it really teaches kids how to draw and paint. You'll see immediate results as your child progresses through each of the lessons and their finished pictures will be nothing short of amazing! The Art of Drawing for Kids #1 makes learning how to draw fun and easy. Your children will have endless hours of creative enjoyment while developing skills that will last a lifetime!

NTSC or DVD 65 Minutes

The Art of Drawing for Kids #2 builds seamlessly upon the lessons learned on The Art of Drawing for kids -1. In this video children learn various perspective tricks and how to plan their drawings from start to finish.

This method of art instruction is not about rules, but focused on imparting the precise principles that underlie all drawing and painting. The goal is not to stifle originality, but to provide the best possible framework to help it to grow.

Let your children create amazing structures where their marbles will take twists, turns, and loops that provide countless hours of play. The Block n Roll 200 piece set is Made in the USA with non-toxic, child-safe materials.

Stack your Block n Roll blocks with Legos or Mega Bloks to expand them because they are compatible with both building systems! These Block n Roll blocks can be assembled in many different combinations, and they allow your children to express their creativity and logic.

This is recommended for children ages 4 and up, and we encourage all parents to play with their children to enhance skills and learning.

Once your baby is crawling and cruising, he'll be putting everything he can into his mouth, particularly dust bunnies, leaves, bits of paper - any and all non-toy treasures he can find on the floor. While a little dust and dog hair has probably never harmed a baby, the incessant cleaning of floors is but one of the secrets of motherhood that nobody can prepare you for. Keeping your baby safe is indeed a 24 hour a day job, and there are many household hazards to be vigilant of. Lucky for you, choosing safe baby toys is easier.

Toxins

There has been much press coverage lately about toxic paints in baby toys. Many toys imported from China have high levels of lead-based paint, which can cause numerous problems for your baby. While you can hope to rely on major manufacturers' vigilance in keeping these toys off the shelf, it never hurts to consult the Consumer Products Safety Commission's Toy Hazard Recall website, located at http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/category/toy.html. There you'll find a comprehensive list of toy recalls.

Many major retailers will post notices on the shelf when a toy is recalled due to a safety hazard, but you may have to find their notice board located in their customer service department.

Choking Hazards

Most toys will have a safety rating on them that tells the recommended age for a product. Usually, the warning is that small parts may choke a child under age three. There is no bright line that indicates when a child will stop putting toys in his or her mouth, so simply following the warning is never a replacement for adult supervision. Bright, scented toys may appear edible to even an older child, so try placing yourself in the child's shoes when purchasing a toy. Some play foods seem so realistic that children will want to eat them, and you should be careful of both the paint used on those as well as their size.

A good rule of thumb to follow when determining whether a toy will choke a child is to test whether it will fit through the cardboard tube inside a roll of toilet paper. If a toy can fit through that easily, chances are it could fit into a child's mouth and windpipe. If a particular toy, such a Legos, comes in a variety of sizes, choose the larger size for the younger child.

Edges and Moving Parts

Many toys have pointed or sharp edges, or metal pieces that, if used incorrectly, could puncture or cut a child's skin. Particularly if you have children of various ages in the same house, choose a plastic toy when possible, one with smooth edges and rounded corners. Test the flexibility of plastic toys to see how far you can bend them before they break. Keep in mind the vigorous enjoyment these toys will receive at the hands of your children.

Toy tools, such as drills, or cars with wheels that spin, present a hazard to children's fingers and hair. Again, with children of multiple ages in one household, it is easy for a toddler to get his or her inquisitive fingers or hair stuck in the moving part of an older sibling's toy. If you can avoid those toys, do so. If not, be certain that they are kept away from younger siblings.

Use Common Sense

Don't discount good old parental intuition. If a toy seems unsafe, it probably is. Even items such as chalks and crayons may contain lead, so always check the label to see if the product adheres to ASTM standards. If not, find a substitute brand that does. Less expensive brands of art supplies and modeling clay, such as those found at dollar stores, may contain lead, so pass on that "bargain." If possible, test drive a toy before buying it. This may be difficult if a product is heavily packaged, but do what you can to inspect the size, shape, and construction of a toy before bringing it home.

Remove all tags from toys, and discard all packaging promptly. Those silica gel packages do look a lot like candy, and are clearly marked "do not eat," so toss them out immediately.

Finally, buy toys new. While most reputable consignment shops don't accept unsafe toys and post safety recall notices prominently, it is safer to avoid used toys altogether. Buying new toys, checking the manufacturer's recommended age, and following your common sense are your best tools in choosing safe, fun toys for your child.

Buying "green" products made from environmentally-sustainable, renewable resources has gotten easier and easier, thanks to a growing demand for these items and the availability of online
shopping. Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could find toys that are made with "green" methods and are produced by fairly paid manufacturers? Thanks to ImagiPLAY Toys with Integrity (www.imagiplay.com/toys), you can find a wide selection of toys you can feel good about buying for your child or giving as gifts.

The Company

The founder and president of ImagiPLAY, Barbera Aimes, studied language and music across the Unites States and In Japan before settling in Boulder, Colorado to establish her business. Barbera believes in the value of play and in creating positive change. Her goal is to "help children appreciate our world. " ImagiPLAY toys make available safe, earth-friendly toys that teach children the alphabet, counting, and eye-hand coordination, all while fostering imaginative play and teaching about the diverse animal species our world contains.

How the Products are Made

ImagiPLAY's toys are all made from environmentally-friendly products. You won't find plastics and other synthetics among their products, so you don't have to worry about lead and other toxins. ImagiPLAY uses primarily plantain-grown rubberwood from rubber trees grown in managed forests. This wood is not only beautiful, it is durable and splinter-free, and allows for the trees to have a "second life" after their sap-producing years are over.
Not only are the products made from earth-friendly products, but they are manufactured in a way that respects their makers: because the factories where these toys are produced are close to the places where the workers live, those who make these toys can maintain a healthy life/work balance.
So, not only can you rest assured that they products you buy are helping to sustain our earth, you can know that they are produced in a way that fairly treats the company's workers.

The Products

You'll find toys for toys for babies and toddlers, and beautifully crafted animal figures for older children available through ImagiPLAY. Their baby rattles are crafted from smooth, beautiful, managed forest beechwood, and polished with beeswax. Toddler push toys in a variety of shapes, from hybrid cars to ducks, are made of rubberwood so they are safe for your child and your floors.
Puzzles, blocks, and bead mazes, all made from earth-friendly wood, will entertain your toddler for hours. Check out the veggie cutting set, which allows toddlers to "cut" vegetables made from colorful wood and to reassemble new vegetable creations with Velcro.
ImagiPLAY's puzzle playsets are puzzles and figures in one. After your child takes apart the three-dimensional pieces of the rainforest puzzle, he will want to play endless imaginative games with the figures, learning about different species as he manipulates the colorful, easy to hold pieces.
Colorific Earth Puzzles and Natural Dream Puzzles are interlocking, three dimensional, wooden puzzles that will spark your child's interest in the animals they represent as well as teach him hand-eye coordination. Wooden playsets such as A Day in the Kingdom or a Day on the Farm feature characters and sets to foster imaginative play, all made from easy-to-hold, durable wood.
Room décor items are also available, featuring giraffe bookends and wild animal coathooks. Collectible animal pairs feature zebras, wolves, lions, and other sets of wild animals in both natural wood and painted wood. These animals will be sure to spark some imaginative play and to encourage your child to learn more about the animals these toys inspired.

Where to Buy

ImagiPLAY's wonderful items are available at www.imagiplay.com, and you can also search the site for local retailers. These products make perfect gifts and additions to your child's toychest. You can feel good about knowing you're buying green products that are fairly traded and made from renewable resources, and your child will thoroughly enjoy learning through play.

Quality Toys and Hobbies

There are so many websites, from big retailers to small boutiques, where parents can shop for toys. The selection can be overwhelming. Wouldn't it be wonderful if there were a site devoted to quality, educational, fun, well-made toys? Well, there is: Quality Toys and Hobbies, located at www.qualitytoysandhobbies.com.

About the Company

Quality Toys and Hobbies is a division of Child Development Media, whose founder, Margie Wagner, M.Ed., has thirty-five years of experience in working with children with special needs. Ms. Wagner's expertise in working with children with disabling conditions, acute, chronic, and life-threatening illnesses, emotionally disturbed, and socially disadvantaged children make her uniquely qualified to bring together this collection of toys. Quality Toys and Hobbies' mission is "to build a collection of toys that bring joy to a child's life while promoting development and education."

The Products

Quality Toys and Hobbies offers a wonderful selection of toys, selected for their durability and educational benefits. Art and music, nature and science, puzzles and games, and wooden toys are a few of the major categories of products available.
The company searches for toys that are unique and long-lasting, and offers products by such makers as ImagiPLAY, Lego, and Uncle Milton. ImagiPLAY's toys are made from eco-friendly, sustainably grown wood; Lego is a timeless favorite, featuring interlocking blocks to engage any child's imagination. Uncle Milton offers classics such as an ant farm and tabletop terrarium, and fun items like a remote controlled tarantula.

Building and construction sets are available to suit the needs of your budding engineer. Train sets, from the simple stacking set for toddlers to the 125 piece Lionel set, engage children and teach them logic, design, and fine motor skills.

Flying vehicles, wooden cars, trucks, and boats and other things that go will delight children who are exploring their imaginations and their effect on the world around them. The Build a Racer set is made to be taken apart; the race car driver doubles as a screwdriver, making refining motor skills just plain fun.

Not Just for Young Children

Quality Toys and Hobbies has products for older children as well, including the Roto Rocket, for children age ten and up, that launches into the air and returns on copter wings - the perfect toy for teaching about physical science.

Other toys include the Jet Hawk Glider, which features an air pressure-powered launch system, and the Power Winding Bat, which mimics the erratic flight pattern of a real bat. The Xtreme Scope it Out microscope is wonderful for budding scientists.

Recommended for ages six and up, this product can be used underwater and features a 50x lens ideal for close-up study of specimens.

The Remote Controlled Mobile Solar System will delight children ages six and up as well as their parents. The unit includes an audio CD that provides a guided tour of our solar system and includes a light pointer to locate planets and simulate meteors. Battery operated, this produce comes with nine full color, detailed planets and includes glow in the dark star stickers.

Check it Out

For a wide selection of quality, educational toys, visit www.qualitytoysandhobbies.com. The site is easy to navigate and sorted by age, type of toy, and manufacturer. You're sure to find many toys suitable for gift-giving and for your child.

Guaranteed secure payment services mean you can shop with confidence; fast shipping at reasonable rates mean you'll have your products quickly.