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More expensive = more educational is not the right formula for buying good children's toys
AFP/Google via PhysOrg ^ | December 11, 2008

Posted on 12/12/2008 12:07:32 AM PST by CE2949BB

Edited on 12/12/2008 12:36:26 AM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]


(Excerpt) Read more at physorg.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: christmas; gifts; presents; toys
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1 posted on 12/12/2008 12:07:33 AM PST by CE2949BB
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To: CE2949BB
-- Does the toy have staying power?: “Is the toy or the box more interesting?” ask Hirsh-Pasek. “If a toy is good, children revisit it again and again. If it’s not, the box will be more exciting that the toy.”

There's nothing more exciting than a living room full of wrapping paper, especially if you have a cat or two.

2 posted on 12/12/2008 12:37:06 AM PST by dr_lew
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To: CE2949BB

Maytag Box, Wooden Spoon and Metal Pot will always be king of the toys!


3 posted on 12/12/2008 1:16:21 AM PST by neb52 (Go Frogs!)
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To: neb52

“Maytag Box, Wooden Spoon and Metal Pot will always be king of the toys!”

You sound like my mom!


4 posted on 12/12/2008 1:23:46 AM PST by Seeing More Clearly Now
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To: Seeing More Clearly Now

Was enough for me. The box was a castle, spoon a sword and the pot a helmet. Among other imaginations. Granted I had my Nintendo years until I burned it out from playing Bases Loaded and Gauntlet to much. LOL!


5 posted on 12/12/2008 1:28:57 AM PST by neb52 (Go Frogs!)
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To: CE2949BB

Somebody would get rich selling a box that would be a toy, when I was a kid your status in the neighborhood was how big your toybox was and who had the most technical toys, hint to my age, hot tech was erector sets.

Knowing the chinese they will probably make a toy shipping box that looks like a toy, or would it be better to buy a toy that looks like a box?

My wife told me to go buy an Xbox game for my young teen son, he has over 100 of those games, a 360 and a PS, plus his own 55” tv.

I tell her I need to get something he won’t just buzz through in about 4 hours like most video games he does get and then loses interest unless its a really good shooter like Halo.

I bought him a really cool all aluminum 21 speed mountain bike for last Christmas, I think he rode it twice.

I bought him a replica of this battle rifle with a fake chainsaw under it that makes sounds, its 3 feet long by the way and looks very much like the Lancer in Gears of War, he goes everywhere with it, sleeps with it and even actually takes care of it, go figure, it must be our children following our footsteps.

If only he had the patience to re-load 2000 .223 cartridges on a single stage press.....


6 posted on 12/12/2008 1:39:49 AM PST by Eye of Unk (Americans should lead America, its the right way.)
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To: neb52

Oh no!

Not a sword!

Don’t you know a sword is a WEAPON!!!!

</ lib rant>


7 posted on 12/12/2008 2:19:02 AM PST by Straight Vermonter (Posting from deep behind the Maple Curtain)
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To: Straight Vermonter

OK, OK, OK, how about a cattle prod and I can be an Obama Internal Defense Jack Boot?


8 posted on 12/12/2008 3:15:02 AM PST by neb52 (Go Frogs!)
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To: CE2949BB

Leftism first forms in childhood from envying playmate’s toys. This is when little socialist dictators develop the idea of taking things from others and controlling their lives. Some people never forget their toy envy and lobby to keep the Joneses from buying nicer toys than they buy for their children.


9 posted on 12/12/2008 3:26:27 AM PST by Reeses (Leftism is powered by the evil force of envy.)
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To: neb52
My kids and grandkids have always loved boxes. Now they are all too big to play like that (youngest is 12).

One just had his Sweet 16 - he wanted Guitar Hero World Tour. For Christmas, he wants the new DS - which won't be out by then, so he will get a letter promising it.

10 posted on 12/12/2008 3:32:36 AM PST by mathluv ( Conservative first and foremost, republican second)
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To: mathluv

Just bought Rock Star of my 17 yr. old for his birthday, he and his friends love it. They play it every day, sounds like I have a herd of buffalo above me. I thank the Lord I never broke down and bought and actual drum kit.

My youngest just turned 12 as well, he got a unicycle. He loves anything with wheels. It’s kept him quite busy, he is determined to ride it.


11 posted on 12/12/2008 3:45:15 AM PST by panthermom
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To: CE2949BB

For my youngest, a stick is all he needs. Even at 12, he still loves sticks. They become guns, swords, what ever he wants them to be.

I had to stop him from bringing his collection inside, though. Now, he sticks them into my shrubbery t hide the best ones.


12 posted on 12/12/2008 4:02:38 AM PST by KosmicKitty (WARNING: Hormonally crazed woman ahead!!)
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To: neb52

LOL, when my son was small I’d always make my husband stop and load up any big box we saw because I knew it would provide hours of fun. A blanket over a table works well too, when a box isn’t available.

We had some folks over the other day and they had younger children. I keep toys around for times when we have guests who have small children. So I pulled out some wooden puzzles and a box of Lincoln Logs. Guess who ended up playing with the Lincoln Logs? The dad’s got down on the floor with their kids and started building cabins. Some toys never go out of “style.”


13 posted on 12/12/2008 4:04:21 AM PST by Dawn531
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To: CE2949BB

My favorite - a card table with an old sheet or blanket over it!!

A cottage, a castle, a camp out. Gosh, I haven’t thought about that in years!!. I many have to set one up for my granddaughter.


14 posted on 12/12/2008 4:08:38 AM PST by KosmicKitty (WARNING: Hormonally crazed woman ahead!!)
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To: panthermom
My youngest just turned 12 as well, he got a unicycle. He loves anything with wheels. It’s kept him quite busy, he is determined to ride it.

If he's the type of kid who likes challenges...and you have a couple trees in your lawn or in a park, buy him a slackline sometime.

My kid's in college, but when he was about that age we bought him a slackline and he and his college aged friends, will still string it up in the yard or at a park and play with it. I think it's the challenge of mastering it, plus it's a good "core" exercise in that it challenges your balance.

15 posted on 12/12/2008 4:10:52 AM PST by Dawn531
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To: Dawn531

My 3 boys are not inside kids, even when they were small they always preferred outdoors and sports. We have video games but they are not obsessed with them, I’ve never had to restrict use, the same thing with t.v..

Is a slackline the same as a zip line?


16 posted on 12/12/2008 4:23:04 AM PST by panthermom
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To: Dawn531

Are you kidding! I still buy Legos. Nothing better than building things.


17 posted on 12/12/2008 4:28:23 AM PST by neb52 (Go Frogs!)
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To: CE2949BB

One Christmas I bought a Nerf basketball goal that clips onto a door. A room full of presents, that was the only thing they opened and played it until the goal fell off. Replacement cost was $3.99.

I would tell my parents, nothing with batteries and anything they can play outside.


18 posted on 12/12/2008 4:29:06 AM PST by panthermom
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To: mathluv

“One just had his Sweet 16 - he wanted Guitar Hero World Tour.”

Guitar Hero?! So where did you go wrong with him?

I kid! I kid!


19 posted on 12/12/2008 4:30:56 AM PST by neb52 (Go Frogs!)
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To: neb52

My kids never got into Legos, I loved them.

What is it about legos that you can never really get them all picked up? Months can go by and you would still find a Lego in the weirdest places.


20 posted on 12/12/2008 4:31:41 AM PST by panthermom
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