What Are the Top Toddler Toys

Parents and grandparents have always been mindful about toy safety, but never more than this year. The series of toy safety recalls from major manufacturers is making the toy aisle a scary place to shop.

Before going to the store, take a look at the Consumer Product Safety Commission's latest toy recalls at http://www.cpsu.gov/. Click on "Recalls and Product Safety News" and then scroll down to click on "Toys."

Next, you'll see a list by date of the toy recalls and names of the toy manufacturers. It seems that even the trusted names in toy production are on the "naughty" list this year. Lead paint is the big offender on recalled toys such as Curious George Plush Dolls (Marvel), Laugh and Learn Kitchen Toys (Fischer Price), Disney ^TM Winner the Pooh Play Sets (JC Penny), Wooden Toys (KB Toys) and Toy Cars from Dollar General.

The lead paint problem seems to surface from the expensive toys as well as the cheap toys. Since toddlers often put toys in their mouths, lead paint is a major concern with all we know about the horrific health risks to children from ingesting lead paint.

Just to make certain that you are up to date on toy recalls, the Consumer Product Safety Commission offers an RSS feed sent directly to you. Responding to shopper's fears about lead paint are several brands of lead paint test kits.

While this seems like a great idea, the results aren't impressive. The Consumer Product Safety Commission tested four of the lead paint test kits and found them to be unreliable. What's worse is that most of them gave a "false negative," which means the home test kit said a toy was safe from lead when it wasn't.

Here's another unseen danger: If the top coat of paint isn't lead, it can mask the danger of lead paint on the surface beneath it. Once a toddler starts chewing on a toy, the top easily wears away and the lead paint in the lower layer is exposed.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has found an X-Ray Fluorescence technology that is highly accurate in identifying lead paint although it, too, can be fooled by a top coat of non-lead paint. Plus, it's not the kind of device that shows up outside of research labs, so it's no real help for average concerned parents.

To be safe, this is the year to shop carefully. Read every label. Look closely at boutique toy stores that offer handmade toys and dolls. The classic American toy labels are manufactured in China, which is the major source of lead paint problems.

You can also look online for "china free toy" sites that claim to have only toys made in America with American safety standards. This year more than ever, shopping for toys is a "buyer beware" year. The top toddler toys that are safe from the recall list are found here.

Play is important in a toddler's development. Through play, toddlers practice useful skills and mimic adult actions. As little hands try to become more coordinated, they need the types of toys that are going to be fun not frustrating.

Toddler years are also a wonderful time for learning. So many skills and movements are acquired in these early childhood times. Educational toys are designed to make play time a learning opportunity without taking away the pure delight of play.

In choosing an educational toy, think about how it will bring both fun and learning to an eager toddler. Not all toys provide both fun and learning. The toy shelves are filled with noisy gadgets and sparkly things that are just toys and have only one or two uses in play.

Another advantage of a real educational toy is that it provides several options for creative play. That's why the sturdy, wooden building set designed for toddler hands will last longer and be the go-to toy far more than the latest, TV-hyped toy.

An educational toy is designed with attention to the motor skills, cognitive development and social skills of a toddler. Taking these factors into consideration, educational toys are produced to be comfortable and easy to handle with toddler level abilities. That's why you see so many of these types of toys in better quality pre-schools.

Speaking of preschool, that isn't the most important place to prepare a child for school. The real preparation begins in toddler years, whether in daycare or at home. For example, the shape sorters, blocks and puzzles give the toddler practice in dealing with different items and identifying which are similar and which are different.

Toddlers are beginning to use language, initially with "telegraphic speech" which is a few words. "Me go" and "Want juice" are early toddler efforts at sentences. It's almost like they start out speaking "instant message."

Toys that speak to them are both fascinating and reinforcing. A toy telephone that give answers or says each number then asks the toddler to repeat the number are fantastic for of fun and learning.

It's also easier than ever to find talking toys that can be set to speak in English or Spanish. Other language options may be ordered from online sites. Toddlers soak up so much knowledge in these early years that picking up numbers or simple words in a second language is frankly easier for them than for many adults.

Play centers with dials to spin, levers to push, knobs to turn, horns to beep and bells to ring offer endless hours of creative play. In order to engage each item, the toddler uses digital dexterity and association of function with item.

Your toddler will surprise you at how quickly he learns which button the horn and which dial turns on the sound. In simple ways, your toddler is sharpening mental abilities and eye-hand coordination just by playing with educational toys. Click here to view a list of top education toys for sale this Christmas!

A toddler's world is all about what can be touched and handled. This is more than curiosity. It's part of the toddler's developmental stage to be interested in everything in the surrounding world and want to touch it all.

This also leads to the occasional broken dishes when a table cloth is pulled down or burned fingers when reaching for the stove. But most of the toddler's adventures are positive learning experiences.

Parents and grandparents can increase those positive learning experiences by providing toys designed to develop motor skills and promote creative play. Toddlers need toys that are sturdy enough to stand up to their active play.

Their little hands don't always grasp well, so toys are frequently dropped. Because their eye-hand coordination is still developing, toddlers also need toys that are age-appropriate. Choosing a toy marked 3 years and older for an 18 month old toddler is a major mistake.

When the toy does not fit the toddler's coordination level, it becomes a source of frustration, not fun. So parents and grandparents need to leave their bragging rights at the door of the toy store.

No matter how bright you think your toddler is, don't think that little hands are going to leap over basic age related developmental skills. Colorful, multi-use toys are the hands-on (no pun intended) favorite of toddlers.

Toys that offer endless options for creative play not only get the most use but generally provide the greatest learning potential. Colors, shapes and sounds are fascinating to toddlers.

That's why they grab at anything that seems bright, shiny and unusual. Many of the newer toys for toddlers capitalize on this interest by providing bold colors with various textures on the same toy.

For example, a stuffed butterfly that is easy for small hands to hold and dressed in bright colors with wings that are fuzzy on one side and slightly rough on the other side are a source of wonder to a toddler.

Pounding on peg boards, pushing sounds buttons and dropping wooden shapes in the right sorter location may seen like more noise but it's actually the sound of learning. A toddler begins by handling these items, then over time with adult interaction, discovers that the round shape can disappear inside the round hole but not in the square hole.

With practice, the accuracy improves. This is wonderful for eye-hand coordination and discerning shape differences. A variety of toy makers are offering color and paint boards that are colorful without leaving a mess on anything.

A toddler can pick up a larger size crayon and scribble away with a burst of creativity. If a little hand runs off the board and onto the carpet, it's no problem - because the color only shows up on the specially treated board.

Since toddlers enjoy this preparation for coloring and drawing, they can play without parental hovering because there's no damage potential in these colors. While many toys are safer for toddlers to use, there is still that toddler habit of putting things in the mouth.

So keep a close watch. Better still, get down on the floor and show your toddler ways to interact with the toys.

What toys will be under the tree for toddlers of the rich and famous crowd? Or even from parents who just want to splurge? You can bet those gifts will be trendy, fun and fabulous. Here are some possibilities:

Prince Lionheart's Wheely Bug is a ride on toy that looks remarkable like a large yellow and black stripe bug, with a handle and wheels. There's also a ladybug or cow version of this ride-on, kid-powered toy.

It's sturdy, guaranteed non-toxic and made without PVC. What's so amazing is the simplicity of this toy, almost like something from the mid-century and will probably last thru several generations to come. Prices range from $59-$69. No lead scares here, it's made in Australia.

Cuddly animals with no cartoon or licensed connection can become anything your child wants them to be. Moncalin, a French company, offers old fashioned cats, pigs and stars in cuddly soft fabrics and luscious sherbet colors. Celeb moms Gwyneth Paltrow, Angie Harmon and Carnie Wilson favor these pricey ($65) soft toys.

If you feel guilty spending that much for something that lack trade mark mouse ears, consider the Monclain donates 10% of internet sales to Stitches From the Heart, a nonprofit group that provides clothing and blankets to premature babies at hospitals around the United States.

Give your toddler a pony without the ongoing stable expenses. Hasbro's Fur Real Pony is three feet tall, with realistic movements and sounds. Interacting with this toy pony by offering a carrot or grooming its hair gets the same life-life snorts and whinnies as a real live pony. Batteries are required and Fur Real Pony has accessoriess so you spend even more than the $250 price tag.

Less high tech is the Wild Zebra Rocking Horse from FAO Schwarz, well known for exotic and expensive toys. This elegantly wood crafted and realistically painted rocking horse is child-powered.

No bells, whistles, or whinnies. Balancing is tricky for young toddlers so ages three and up will find it easier to ride. No batteries just a price tag of $9,000 - plus delivery. However, it's sturdy enough to become a heirloom toy.

Clear a space in the garage for a kid size H2 Hummer. This Little Tykes ride on car is recommended for ages 3 and over. It's battery powered for little drivers. Included is a working FM radio but fortunately no cell phone to add to driving while distracted problems.

This little Hummer comes with chrome grill, pretend seat belts (why not real ones?) and two forward speeds plus reverse. For around $300, your child can drive proudly around the neighborhood in a black or yellow H2 Hummer.

Toys that delight and toys that last usually cost more than the current year's hyped special. How much more you are willing to pay depends on budget and how much "wow" factor you want on Christmas day. Click here to view the high ticket toddler toys for 2007!