Do you find you’re normally able to predict which gifts will be the biggest hits, and which may take a while to catch on? Some years I feel like I’ve got it all planned–and the kids like the boxes best. This year, they were given boxes and baskets, some more classic toys, and some books. Can you guess the favorites?
One of the most important things to look at is whether a toy allows the child to imagine, or if the toy does all the work itsef. When the toy takes over, children don’t learn and explore. A toy that is open-ended may look like one thing (a rainbow) but it can be used many ways to represent different things (a building, a bridge, a bed) and most of all, it enhances the child’s ideas and imagination, letting them build and learn in their own world.
The texture of wooden toys is reassuring and solid in a way that plastic never manages to be. It its warm and feels alive to the touch—its inviting. They ask to be handled and played with, and are delightful to hold.