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Playroom Panic
Solutions for Toy Overload
By Shannon McKelden
Dr. Kessler recommends an assortment, including books, blocks and other manipulatives, paint, play dough and balls. "I am not a fan of electronic toys," she says. "Encourage children to use their imagination, and toys which facilitate this magic are the best choice." She adds that fantasy play, such as puppetry, is child-healthy, and she loves puzzles.
"Ideally, I go for quality toys," Nakhleh says. "The kind that are open-ended and look nice. Wooden building blocks, mosaic tiles [building blocks], wooden train sets, etc." Add-ons for these toys extend the enjoyment on other occasions, and she finds these toys grow with kids, encourage creativity, and if a few pieces are lost, that's OK. That's a bonus in her book. "Never buy toys that have tons of little parts where you actually need each little part to make the toy work," she says.
Dr. Panaccione also reminds parents to limit the amount of any one kind of toy available. "They do not need five baby dolls, [a] 72-box of crayons, 1,000 building blocks, etc.," she says.
Many moms employ this strategy. Sonia Fuller, an Atlanta mom of two boys, finds that rotating works well. "Once toys are opened for Christmas [or] birthdays, whatever toys get the least amount of attention right away get packed away in our toy closet and brought out one at a time a month or so down the road," she says. Fuller finds this helps the kids maintain their interest in their toys longer.
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