You can count on classic toys. These are the long lasting toys that “keep on playing” long after the batteries and latest fads are gone.
Where do you turn for a selection that provides a timeless, fun experience that will hold your child’s interest?
It’s time to turn back the clock! Look for toys that have remained valued playthings since they were first introduced ten or more years ago. These are the lasting favorites of all children who have played with them.
The toys that with the passing of time have become true classics are often overlooked in the rush to get the “hot” new toys. Often great playthings may not reach youngsters who can benefit from playing with them.
Parents need to balance their children’s play experiences. They need to be reminded that classic, highly beneficial toys are still around. Quickly parents and grandparents will recall the fun they had with these same classic toys.
Stevanne Auerbach, Ph.D., known as Dr. Toy, has been tracking trends in the toy business for more than 30 years. In her just released Dr. Toy’s Best Classic Products for 2012, she has searched across the entire toy industry for the great classic toys that fit the criteria for fun and high play value’.
Dr. Toy says, “Classic toys are enduring and have many important benefits. They encourage the child’s interaction, involvement and are truly child-powered.”
A wide variety of selections are included among this year’s winners. The list reflects toys that Dr. Toy says “are perfect for all ages and interests from baby to older children, teens and adults, from low to high tech, and from nature to nurture.”
She recalls some favorite playthings in many family toy chests including (her favorite), Jacks and Ball, jump rope, paper dolls, pick-up sticks, and a long time favorite, marbles. Certainly anyone who has ever tried a hula-hoop still finds it fun to swirl one of the colorful plastic hoops anytime, and for exercise, stress reduction and amusement add a Frisbee or yo-yo!
“Classic toys,” Dr. Toy says, reflecting back to her own youth, “are toys you return to from your own childhood like the shiny, durable Radio Flyer red wagon, scooter, or tricycle.
Many parents want to introduce their child to that special favorite, a yo-yo, or Lincoln Logs, Erector Sets, or Tinker Toys, or an Etch-A-Sketch, or a first teddy bear, Raggedy Ann doll, or Lionel electric train. Classics are ‘basics’ that never go out of style.”
Dr. Toy carefully surveys the toy marketplace year round to select a wide-range of great classic toys. While Dr. Toy keeps abreast of new products, she keeps her eye on the enduring and endearing qualities of the toys of yesteryear. The classic toys she has selected as winners have been available for ten, fifty, or a hundred years or more.
The winners of the annual classic toy search are included in Dr. Toy’s Best Classic Toys for 2012, available now on the free, popular, accessible web-site that presents her award selections for parents and teachers to benefit children.
Dr. Toy’s Guide, www.drtoy.com, provides all pertinent information and includes photos, complete product descriptions, links to company sites, and consumer information.
If you are at a loss for an appropriate toy for the child in your life, the suggestions found in the Dr. Toy’s Best Classic Toys Program for 2012 will help you more easily locate valuable products to introduce to your child. These toys have truly met the ‘test of time.’ They have endured, entertained, and satisfied children for many years, and will continue to do so for many years to come.
Dr. Auerbach’s book, Toys for a Lifetime: Enhancing Childhood Through Play (Rizzoli), provides a close up of over 60 classic toys that you enjoyed. She is also the author of The Toy Chest (limited copies available upon request) and Dr. Toy’s Smart Play/Smart Toys: How to Raise a Child with a High P.Q. (St Martins Press, Educational Insights, and ICR). This book has also been published in China, Croatia, Germany, Greece, India, Israel, Korea, Russia, Spain and Thailand, Turkey, with more to come.
If you wish to nominate a favorite classic toy for next year’s selection of “Best Classic Toys,” send your recommendation to: Dr. Toy, 268 Bush Street, San Francisco, CA 94104. For a free copy of the Dr. Toy’s Best Classic Toys For 2012, go to www.drtoy.com
You can explore Dr. Toy’s web site, www.drtoy.com, to find out what all the excitement is about. Then make some of your own by selecting those products that most appeal to your child (or yourself). Perhaps you will easily share the fun of a special classic toy with your child. You may recall the fun of that toy when you were little. If that’s the case, you can enjoy carrying on a family tradition that spans several generations. Consider finding your favorite classic toy to enjoy. Many adults collect toys as a fun hobby. Besides, adults need more time to play for emotional and physical benefits. “More playtime for all!” is the best Dr. Toy’s Rx for playtime for children and adults.
