Toy Tips & Parenting Hints Magazine: No Hot Toy This Year, Parents Forced to Think for Themselves

MILWAUKEE, Dec. 17  /PRNewswire/ -- National toy expert Marianne Szymanski has always encouraged parents to make smart toy choices rather than purchase trendy "hot toys" for their children. Through her highly respected magazine Toy Tips and Parenting Hints Magazine and popular website toytips.com, Szymanski encourages parents to select toys based on their individual child's appropriate age, interests and developmental needs.

This holiday season, her message is more relevant than ever. "There is no hot toy this year!" exclaims Szymanski. "Because of all the recalls, safety is of utmost concern to parents. Instead of running store to store looking for one particular toy, shoppers are picking up box after box frantically reading labels to make sure they are making the right purchases. Taking the time to research toys rather than just buy what's on 'hot' lists is the smart choice for any child."

There are plenty of toys that are fun and safe but taking the time to really choose the best ones for each child is what the "hot toy" frenzy has replaced. And, this is GREAT news. More children will actually be receiving toys they like, that are developmentally appropriate and parents may even want to play with them. "These are the main reasons we buy toys," said Szymanski. "In years past, getting the 'hot toy' was about keeping up with the Jones' and the success of the hunt. It's nice to know we are getting back to reality and buying our children products that we think are best for them."

The Holiday issue of Toy Tips and Parenting Hints Magazine lists independent research from the Toy Tips Research Institute and a full report on The Truth About Toys Made in China with photos of recalled toys and information for every toy shopper.

Marianne offers the following 5 toy tips parents need to know before they buy:

  1. Read the package and age guidelines. Make sure the age matches a
     child's skill level. Not all children develop at the same rate and this
     is a safety concern.
  2. If made in China and the shopper is hesitant, keep in mind any toy made
     anywhere (not just China) at anytime can be recalled for any reason.
  3. Do not buy magnetic toys for older children that can potentially get in
     the hands of younger siblings. This can be dangerous for your
     household.
  4. For little ones who put things in their mouth, because of all the
     concern about lead paint, etc. focus on toys that allow them to use
     gross motor skills and focus on movement rather than toys with pieces
     they can hold and mouth.
  5. Go with your gut. Labels can be misleading. For those with stickers
     and emblems that boast best toy, toy of the year or any award, research
     what that award means first and make your best judgment call.





Sign up for Toy Tips free daily toy report cards and to receive toy recall alerts immediately by email, see http://www.toytips.com/.

Marianne Szymanski is a nationally recognized consumer advocate for family products. She is founder and president of Toy Tips, Inc., celebrating seventeen years of independent research on smart consumer choices. The Toy Tips Research Institute conducts independent on-going academic and scientific research on products from the toy and juvenile product industries. An author, entrepreneur, speaker, lecturer and media personality, Marianne has led her organization's unbiased tests of over 37,000 products from more than 1200 manufacturers.

Toy Tips does not charge for product submissions nor accepts payment in return for reviews. Toy Tips and Parenting Hints Magazine is available on newsstands nationwide and on http://www.amazon.com/.

   Contact: Marianne M. Szymanski
            414-421-9668
            414-421-9778 fax
            marianne@toytips.com


Toy Tips, Inc.