Toys that teach - educational toys
Author: Better Homes & Gardens

Educational toys and games are hot, as any merchant this season will tell you. But are kids clamoring for these toys that teach, or are well-intentioned parents buying them only to have them sit in the back of the closet until the next garage sale? If you shop wisely, you can buy a toy that is fun while it helps the child learn something or develop a skill.

Toys and games have to be fun, says Joanne Oppenheim, child development specialist and coauthor of The Best Toys, Books and Videos for Kids (HarperCollins). "If you take the fun out if it, you've lost the play." And play, a child's work, is really why we're buying toys in the first place.

A good toy challenges a child to do, think, or feel, says Diana Huss Green, editor in chief of Parents' Choice, a nonprofit consumer organization that evaluates products for children, and author of a recently published Parents' Choice book (Andrews/McMeel). She says a successful game contributes to the child's physical, mental, social, or emotional growth.

When buying a toy or a game, be sure that it's safe, first and foremost, and fun, says Huss Green. It should be appropriate for the child's talents, abilities, and size. But the toy also must please the parents. "It has to fit in well with your own tastes, knowledge, and pocketbook," she says. "Do not buy what you can't comfortably buy, or nobody's going to enjoy it." Well-meaning friends and relatives also should consider the parents when selecting a gift for a child. If a child's mother or father says "no" to a gift, it is important to respect their wishes.