Dr. Toy’s Vacation
Playtime Pointers
By Stevanne Auerbach, Ph.D. (Dr. Toy)
Here are some guidelines
from Dr. Toy for wholesome vacation playtime to help you
to make the time even more interesting and fun for your children.
The product assortment included below gives you a number
of good suggestions available from many excellent companies
that are examples of recent Dr. Toy’s
Award winners. See Dr. Toy’s Guide (www.drtoy.com) for
more details:
*Scramble Squares Puzzles. Age 3 and up. $7.95
These 9-piece puzzles offer challenge, learning and fun for all ages. Over
100 different themes including: Hot Air Balloons, Insects, Sea Shells, Space
Shuttle, and Vintage Airplanes. b. dazzle www.b-dazzle.com 800-809-4242
*Blokus. Age 6 and up. $ 29.95
This popular strategy game, composed of a game board with 400 squares and 84
colorful game pieces, helps develop critical thinking skills.
*Travel Blokus. Age 5 and up. $19.99
The travel version of this popular strategy game has a more compact design.
Only one color game piece per player. Challenging for both beginners and experts
alike. Educational Insights www.educationalinsights.com 800-995-4436
*Smart Splash™. Age 2-5. $14.95
Makes water play fun and educational! Perfect for pool and bathtub—three
different water toys teach numbers, counting, shapes, size and colors.
*Pretend & Play Trace & Learn™ Cake. Age 3-5. $24.95
Learn while you celebrate with this fun cake that teaches letter recognition,
beginning words and print awareness.
*Reading Roadway USA™ Reading Comprehension. Age 8-12. $19.95
Travel around the USA discovering fascinating facts while building reading
comprehension skills. Board game for 2-4 players. Learning Resources www.learningresources.com
800-222-3909
*Block Buddies® Musical Farm. Ages 1-5. $19.99
This musical Farm entertains and teaches with engaging, interactive musical
fun.
*Block Buddies®. L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Ages
1-5. $29.99
This set offers enhanced building experience where children learn by acting
out their favorite scenes from this classic and all-time favorite storyline.
*Mega Bloks® Lil’ Copter™.
Preschool builders are sure to enjoy this brightly colored helicopter with
real working propeller.
*Mega Bloks® Building Imaginations™. Ages 1-5. $7.99-14.99
Your child develops social interaction skills through group building play and
stimulates senses through playing with a variety of colored and textured blocks.
24-, 80-, and 100-piece sets. www.megabloks.com 800-465-6342
*Bratz Sportz. 6 yrs and up. $9.99
Inspire physical activity and involvement in sports with
this series of four Bratz Sportz dolls ready to play their favorites—soccer,
cheerleading, bowling or golf. MGA Entertainment, www.mgae.com , 800-222-4685
*Original Colorforms® Play Set. Ages 3 and up. $29.99
This wonderful addition to your child’s classic toy collection is a reproduction
of the original product includes 350 brightly colored pieces in an elegant
spiral bound book.
*Colorforms® Fun Pockets™. Ages 3-8. $5.99
Now your child can carry Colorforms everywhere. Each tot-sized tote features
two play boards, a Fun Pockets reusable pouch, and lots of Colorforms pieces.
*Brain Quest® and Brain Quest® Geography Games. Ages 6 and up. $22.99
Brain Quest games ask different questions of different age groups to level
the playing field when kids of varied grade levels play together. For two or
more players.
*Toy Creator™ Real Toy Maker™. Ages 6 and up. $12.99
Using new FlipFaze™ technology that allows materials to change shape
and color using warm tap water, kids will be amazed at the magical transformations
they can create.
*Spinner Books™ for Kids. Ages 7-12. $7.99
Pick up a great book and take it for a spin! Spinner Books are fun to read,
play, share, and take on the go. University Games, www.areugame.com, 800-471-0641
*V.Smile TV Learning System. Ages 3-7. $59.99
Combines educational content, loveable characters and a video game platform.
Teaches essential day-to-day skills and language, math, vocabulary and problem
solving.
*Write & Learn Smartboard™. Ages 4 and up. $29.99
This interactive writing and drawing board helps teach letters and numbers
and inspire creativity through counting, drawing and music activities. VTech
Electronics www.vtechkids.com 800-521-2010
*Tangle, Jr. Ages 3 and up. $1.99
For children (and adults) to play with on trips in the car, on a plane or anytime.
It slips through your fingers and knots up in your hand. Stimulates your brain
as it helps increase finger dexterity. Tangle Toys www.tangletoys.com. 888-829-3808.#
Stevanne Auerbach, PhD author of Smart Play/Smart Toys How to Raise
a Child with a High P. Q.( Play Quotient) and Dr. Toy’s Guide (www.drtoy.com)
has been evaluating toys for 25 years.
