Toys are indispensable part of childhood. No child cannot not have a toy. Children across the world have toys in different forms.

While I believe toys can shape or misshape a child’s development, I don’t really advocate toys that we buy in stores. A toy is what a child makes it. It is her imagination at work that gives meaning and function to a toy and not the other way around. Because of this, a toy can be anything and not just the branded ones.

I try not to be brand conscious when it comes to toys. (They are all made in China, anyway). A toy is only interesting to a child if it is new or not played for a long time. Otherwise, a toy just becomes invisible in her eyes. It would just be a part of the toy bin. For bigger toys, they would just be part of your living room space.

Children’s attention span is really very short. That’s why a toy is only good for a few seconds. My daughter does not know the difference between real toys and empty bottles or anything that Mommy uses. A pen, a calculator, or a telephone triggers her attention when Mommy is using it. On the other hand, her toys are just there for the taking. Because we, adults don’t bother with them, she would not either.

That is why I try to direct her attention with her toys. I hold a toy and show her how it works. And then, she would play with it (even for ten seconds). So I realize it is actually the play that comes with the toy that my daughter is interested in. Yes, the “play” element where you as a parent interact with your child and give her quality time.

We have a high production of toys and because of a big selection, price is not an issue. The issue is making time with your child to play with the toys. Now, that’s something without a price tag.