2 of 2

Write now Article Tools

Avoid the "press one button and then sit there comatose while the toy itself has all the fun singing a song and dancing a jig" brigade of toys - these toys are a boring, mind numbing waste of money that provide no real entertainment or development to your baby.

The idea of toys is that your baby will have something to play with and interact with, not just sit there and watch.

So before you spend mega-bucks on a toy with flashing lights and several symphonies worth of tunes, consider what your baby is going to get to do while playing with it - and then maybe go for the much cheaper, old fashioned xylophone which will let your baby create his or her own music.

Out of all her flashing, expensive, gadgety toys , my 21 month old daughter's current favourites are a doll, a tractor and trailer from her farm set (brrrmmmmm, brrmmmm, brrmmmm) and a $2 plastic drum - not one flashing light or tune providing button on any of them, and I am very proud of her for it.

Learn more about this author, Branwen Smith.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Baby toys to steer clear of?
We want to hear your view. Write now!