How to Buy Toys

What is a toy?

Traditionally, toys are thought of as trivial playthings for young children, such as simple wooden trains, rag dolls, plastic baseball mitts, etc. But as technology pervades more of our lives, the toys children play with become increasingly sophisticated. Toy computers teach toddlers basic math skills, dolls can have a conversation with your child, and older kids have toys that were once considered the cutting edge of technology. Toys aren't what they used to be, and trying to buy the right toy at the right place can be just as confusing.

Toy Buying Tips - What to Buy

We all know what we played with as children, but what to kids like to play with today?

• Consider the child's age - Toddlers will enjoy a talking stuffed animal, but will an eight year old? Younger children (and their parents) will enjoy educational toys that teach counting, the alphabet, colors, etc. Older children, especially boys, will love TV video games that plug directly into the television and play dozens of family-safe games.

• Toy suggestions from parents - Even if you have a child or two, there’s nothing better than good old-fashioned brainstorming when it comes to buying toys. Not only can friends and family members share ideas for how to buy toys, they can direct you to stores that they’ve used successfully. I had never heard of great stores like KB Toys and Toys R Us, until a family member explained that she had found some excellent buys at both places.

• Toy research - If you have no idea what kind of toy you want to buy, there are a number of websites with good suggestions. Toy buying advice for infants, toddlers and K-5 kids can give you a good start. But don't forget the child's own interests!

Toy Buying Tips - Where to Buy

Online or in the store, there are many ways you can buy new or used toys.

• New versus used toys - Some toys can safely be bought used from yard sales or off the internet. Things like a track and play center can be purchased at a discount, cleaned and used just as well as if it were brand new. However, some toys, especially ones made of cloth or other delicate materials, are best purchased new.

• Used toys from eBay - One of the most useful web sites for toys is eBay’s Toy Finder page. This will help you decide on a proper toy at a bargain price. Keep in mind, many of the sellers at eBay are wholesale distributors, so sometimes you can find a toy at a huge discount that has never been used.

How to buy toys – a word of warning

Beware of toys being advertised through e-mail, direct mail or telephone solicitation. Most of the time, these are subscriptions that include magazines or books, and they are pumped up with promises of additional items like stuffed animals or other toys. Most of the time, these turn out to be lousy products at a premium price. As a general rule, if you can’t see the toy, don’t buy it.