Good news on the toy front.National toy expert Marianne Szymanski who runs Toy Tips proclaims:

“There is no hot toy this year!”

“Because of all the recalls, safety is of utmost concern to parents. Instead of running store to store looking for one particular toy, shoppers are picking up box after box frantically reading labels to make sure they are making the right purchases…” “Taking the time to research toys rather than just buy what’s on ‘hot’ lists is the smart choice for any child.”

That seems to be what the child development experts have been saying all along. It took the recall scare to get the word out. Ms. Szymanski goes on then to list smart toy buying tips for parents.

1. Read the package and age guidelines. Make sure the age matches a child’s skill level. Not all children develop at the same rate and this is a safety concern.

2. If made in China and the shopper is hesitant, keep in mind any toy made anywhere (not just China) at anytime can be recalled for any reason.

3. Do not buy magnetic toys for older children that can potentially get in the hands of younger siblings. This can be dangerous for your household.

4. For little ones who put things in their mouth, because of all the concern about lead paint, etc. focus on toys that allow them to use gross motor skills and focus on movement rather than toys with pieces they can hold and mouth.

5. Go with your gut. Labels can be misleading. For those with stickers and emblems that boast best toy, toy of the year or any award, research what that award means first and make your best judgment call.

I couldn’t have said it better myself…thanks Marianne.