As a parent, or grandparent, you choose toys and learning materials for your child based on many different factors. Most of us choose products by what we see on the outside. Is it attractive, kid-friendly, fun and sturdy in appearance? Today, more and more parents are recognizing that what goes on inside the toy is just as important.
Perhaps the first criterion for deciding what to purchase is watching your children. What do they enjoy doing? Are they artistic, or studious, or avid readers, or excited by the newest electronic gadget? Do they spend hours in the backyard with their friends playing Battle Zone Warriors, or Samantha Smith Private Eye? Is music always a part of their daily activities? Perhaps they enjoy building or designing things with odds and ends? Observation is the first place to start the decision making process.
The next step might be observing how well the products they do play with actually hold up to kid-play. Children are inquisitive beings and they don’t look at a toy like an adult might. To them the baby doll stroller might double as a ride-on; the plastic tote that holds the builder set becomes a helmet. Preschoolers and school-age children often think, “What happens if I do this?” Your child may be quiet and reserved and play gently with their toys. On the other hand, you may have a mini-MacGyver on your hands who longs to know what’s inside everything and won’t stop until he or she has completely dissected each toy. These are important observations that help determine which product you will purchase.
No matter what the temperament of your child, you want a product that is versatile, durable and safe. The products you choose must pass all appropriate safety regulations – that goes without saying. Toys that encourage a child’s imagination, engage their curiosity, and expand their experiences should top the list of criteria, as well.
Today, many parents are adding Social and Environmental Responsibility to that criteria list. Parents want to know that their purchase is having a positive impact on the people and places the product is made. Is it made in a factory that treats its workers with respect and pays them a decent wage? Are they honest about the age of their workers? Does the factory dispose of its wastes or chemicals in an environmentally sustainable way? Is the package using excessive paper, or unnecessary plastic inserts whose long-term half-life is dramatically increasing our landfills? How is the product re-used past its original design?
More and more companies are recognizing the global importance of producing products in factories that practice good social and environmental responsibility. A company who is committed to strong sustainable polices contributes to the well being of the customer, the world they live in, and the world their children will live in tomorrow.
When you make your next toy purchase, look for evidence that the manufacturer provides a durable, safe and good quality product on the outside, and that they care about how that product impacts our global environment, as well.
