Before I became a parent, I was skeptical of toys. Did kids really need so many trucks and dolls and electronic thingamajigs? Shouldn’t a cardboard box be enough to entertain them and engage their imaginations? Now that I have a child, I see that the answer is…well, just look at our son’s playroom. It’s overflowing. True, sometimes he would much rather play with just about any household object—a magazine, a box of pasta—than the dozens of toys we’ve bought him. But there are a handful of very special toys that have become his favorites. And not only does he get a kick out of them, and occasionally learn a few things, but they’ve saved my husband and I on many a long car ride and rainy afternoon. (Today, at 14 months, his favorite toy is this musical farm animal truck that simultaneously thrills him and freaks him out.) In the spirit of celebrating truly imaginative toys, here are three great websites where you can buy them:
Think Geek. Founded by a group of techies, this site sells gear that appeals to everyone from computer programmers to engineers–and their progeny. It has a huge section called Geek Kids devoted just to toys. They definitely sell things you can’t easily find elsewhere, like this LED pacifier with blinking lights.
Learning Resources. Specializing in educationally-minded toys and resources–many teachers shop here for their classrooms–this company offers stuff you can feel good about buying. Simply shop by grade to find the right toys for your child. I like the look of these yummy counting cookies.
FAO Schwarz. We all know of this world-famous toy store, but I’ve actually never been in it since my son was born. I think he would go overly spastic if we went inside. But I do shop there online. I have my eye on these rainbow sound blocks that can be used for building towers, making music, or simply gazing through in order to see the world in various colors. Groovy!
Tip: Though you can’t buy toys here, Inhabitots, an eco-friendly parenting site, has a section called Play in which they feature green playthings and activities. They do a lot of research into their toy recommendations and come up with unique picks for all ages.
