Found Playthings: Your baby will enjoy playing with a variety of household objects, but make sure they’re safe. You might try cardboard boxes, piece of paper, cloth, measuring spoons and cups, plastic containers and lids, an unbreakable mirror, gloves or mittens and so on. Make sure to watch your child while he plays with the objects.

Store-Bought Playthings: Most store-bought toys list the appropriate ages on the packages. Choose toys that fit your baby’s development level. Occasionally your baby may enjoy playing with something that’s designed for older children, just make sure it’s safe for the baby to play and watch him while he is playing.

Open-Ended Plaything: Some toys can be played with in lots different ways. Babies continue to open-ended toys as they grow and develop. For example, a plastic cup and saucer can be banged, and then used for a tea part, then can be turned into a spaceship. Toys that aren’t open-ended tend to lose their attraction quickly.

Challenging Playthings: Give your baby toys that would challenge him to learn new skills. You don’t want the toys to be so difficult that your baby becomes frustrated, but you don’t want them to be so easy that he becomes bored. For example, younger babies are content on chewing on nesting toys such as cups, rings, and blocks. As babies grow older nesting toys offer different challenges such as sorting them together.

Home-made Playthings: If you’re creative and have the time, you can make your own baby toys out of the simple household objects. For example, you can use worn-out socks to make puppets. Just make sure the toys you will make are safe, durable, and appropriate for your baby’s developmental level.

Toys For Tots: Playthings for Your Baby is a post from: LA Toy Store's Blog

The Effect of Lead Poisoning

Children are especially vulnerable to lead poisoning because their central nervous systems are not yet fully developed. Lead can enter easily enter in their body because lead ions are similar in charge and size as those of iron, zinc and calcium ions. When these ions are replaced by lead in certain enzymes, activities like growth and behavior regulation are affected. Calcium plays a very important function in the body, aside for the proper development of bones, calcium serves as vehicles used by the brain to send signals throughout the body. If this function is interrupted, this can cause major neurological defects, including central nervous system disorders like wrist drop, learning disabilities, and speech and language defects.

Too much lead can also interrupt the normal function of vital organs such as kidney, brain and bones. It can cause excessive production of some proteins whose role is to bind specifically to other molecules. This causes harm to bones and teeth production, learning disabilities and reduced mental capacity, even renal failure.

How Are Children Exposed to Lead Poisoning?

Routes of exposure to lead include contaminated air, water, soil, food, and consumer products. One of the largest threats to children is lead paint that exists in many homes and toxic toys. Children may also be exposed to lead contained in children’s products. While accessible lead in consumer products has been banned, discoveries of both accessible lead and lead paint in or on children’s toys and clothing have prompted millions of unit recalls.

According to Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 250,000 U.S. children aged 1-5 years have blood lead levels greater than 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood, the level at which CDC recommends public health actions be initiated. Lead poisoning can affect nearly every system in the body.

Prevention From Toxic Toys

When buying toys for your children look for toy certification, it is usually on the label. The toy should have a little note about the manufacturing country. It will also say “tested by” a government or another agency. Make sure this exists on the label or box of the toy. It will verify that it has been tested for harmful effects of dangerous chemicals.

Research the toy before purchasing it. Healthy Stuff is a database listing over 1,000 toys. The site tests and grades toys, and reports on the chemical amounts for each one. There’s nothing more important the being aware and educated. The best thing you can do to avoid lead poisoning is by preventing it.

Understanding Lead Poisoning in Toxic Toys is a post from: LA Toy Store's Blog

Safe Toys this Holiday Season

We buy toys to our children to not only to entertain and bring fun, but also to help them in their development. Toys provide an amazing source of learning and entertainment for kids of all ages. Toys have wonderful ways in fostering creativity and stimulating intellectual developments. But with the many recent recalls of toys, even from those of big toy manufacturers who had been in a market for ages, it is important to choose toys that are age appropriate and safe for your kids.

This holiday season, it is expected to have the influx of toys. As parents, we should be aware of the danger these toys could bring to our children. We have to be aware and selective when it comes to giving toys to our kids. Dangerous designs, toys containing illegal levels of lead, toys that are inappropriate for the age of the child and toys that have strong magnets that can be deadly if swallowed are examples of toys that should be avoided.

Let me give some quick tip on how to select safe toys for your toys this holiday season.

1. Choose toys that are suitable for the child’s age and/or skill level. If you are not sure, ask a salesperson for suggestions of age appropriate toys.

2. It pays to read the labels. Take time to read the labels of the toy you are buying. Check for age appropriateness and safety recommendations. Do not presume that a bright child can safely handle a toy created for a much older child.

3. When buy a riding toy such as a skateboard, bicycle, or roller blades make sure to purchase protective gear as well. Protective gear should include helmet, elbow pads and knee pads. Be sure that the protective gear fits the child perfectly before allowing the child to ride the toy.

4. For young kids who seem to put everything in their mouths, choose large toys to avoid choking hazards.

5. Look for durable and well made toys. Avoid toys made of brittle plastic that can break and leave hazardous points or edges.

6. If possible avoid buying toys with projectiles such as rockets or darts. Improper use can cause serious eye injury.

7. Avoid buying toys with magnets for children under age of 6. Magnets are hazardous, when swallowed it can cause serious internal injuries and may require surgery to remove.

8. Buy toys that meet the safety standards set forth in CSMC’s ASTM F963. The ASTM-F963 is a standard that covers the requirements and contains test methods for toys intended to use by children under 14 years old.

9. Research the companies you are buying from to determine their safety history and their reputation for addressing and eliminating problems and concerns.

With these tips you can buy toys for your children this Christmas season and be assured of their safety and quality. Bear in mind that the safety of our children is a mutual cooperation between the toy manufacturer and consumers. As for Latoystore.com we do all we can to ensure that your children can reap all the benefits a quality toy have to offer without being in harmful.

How to Select Safe Holiday Toys is a post from: LA Toy Store's Blog

Christmas Toys to Give

Its Christmas season, the holiday spirit is on the air! Christmas is a time for family and fun, love and affection, getting and receiving gifts! This is the time of the year when you want your kids to be happy and cheerful, and what more fun to kids than receiving toys for Christmas?

For kids, Christmas is synonym to gifts and toys. For these little people, Christmas is not “Christmas” if they don’t receive gifts. Christmas is the ideal occasion to give your little ones toys and games, chocolates and candies and all other things that are sure to bring a smile to their lips. When you see the looks of joy on your children’s faces as they open up the perfect gift your heart will melt and everything is worth it.

Trying to find Christmas toys for kids can be difficult and frustrating. The shops are so full of various things, how will you make the right choice? Here are some fool proof ways to find cheap Christmas toys for kids.

Tip #1: Prepare a Christmas budget. List down all the things you need to buy for Christmas and write down exactly how much you have to spend for Christmas gifts. Most importantly, stick to your budget.

Tip #2: Avoid debt. Decide not to go into debt for Christmas toys. If you cannot afford the latest craze toy in the market find something else that could both be fun and educational for your kids.

Tip #3: Do some Christmas gift planning. Create a list of what exactly you are buying for each child, tween, teen, spouse, friends, family, and coworkers. Consider giving one personalized gift and one shared substantial gift for children to share, rather buying fifty small ones.

Tip #4: Christmas toys for kids. Purchase inexpensive toys online. Check Latoystore and other online stores discount section. Take time to visit and check online web store often. There are toys can be purchased for five to twenty dollars online, sometimes there are additional savings available.

These are great for stocking stuffers.

Tip #5: Make your Christmas gifts for your kids personal. Think about gifts that kids will often. Examples are bikes, scooters, soccer ball and goal, interactive toys, or educational toys. Tweens and teens may trendy clothes and gadgets.

Tips In Finding Cheap Christmas Toys For Kids is a post from: LA Toy Store's Blog

Children with learning disabilities are as smart as or smarter than their peers.  Learning disability is not an indication of a level of intelligence.   Learning disability is not curable, there’s no medicine for it. It is a lifelong issue. But with the proper intervention and support children with LD can succeed in school and go on to successful, often distinguished careers later in life.  Take Albert Einstein for example, Einstein could not read until he was 9 but he formulates the Relativity Theory.  Walt Disney, Vice President Nelson Rockefeller, Whoopi Goldberg, General George Patton and many other successful individuals have learning disabilities but it does not affect their ultimate success.

Parents can help children with learning disabilities achieve such success by encouraging their strengths, knowing their weaknesses, understanding the educational system, working with professionals and learning about strategies for dealing with specific difficulties.

Gary Fisher and Rhoda Cummings, professors from University of Nevada-Reno identify the seven key areas in which children might learn differently.  These seven key areas are talking and listening, reading, writing, math, organizing skills, social skills, and motor skills.

Here are some suggested toys for children with LD that would help in them in learning skills associated with each of these areas:

Talking and Listening LD

Kids with Talking and Listening LD know what they want to say but they have problems on how to convey their thoughts.  They may also have problem in understanding the meaning of the words other people say to them, and they sometimes interchange the meaning of one word for another.

Toys that enhance critical thinking and the ability to make predictions, understand cause and effect, and draw conclusions are good for children with talking and listening LD.  While playing such games, parents can encourage children to think aloud to guide their reasoning.  These can help children organize their thoughts and to articulate them more coherently and to understand better what others are saying to them.

Reading LD

Reading LD is commonly known as Dyslexia.  Kids with Reading difficulties can be overwhelmed by being exposed to too much written words at a time.  Usually, they skip sentences when reading because they see words are moving around the pages.  They may also have problems in reading the alphabet or to sound out words.

Educational toys like Alphabet Puzzle or the See & Spell toys can help overcome this learning difficulty.  Look also for toys that could make spelling and reading into a fun experience.  Make sure to focus on one word at a time and break the words down into letters to keep children from being confused by rows of jumbled letters.  While using such products, encourage children to talk about what they are reading to check comprehension.

Math LD

Math LD is also known as dyscalculia.  Children with Math LD or dyscalculia have problem with what numbers and numerical symbols mean. They also have difficulty memorizing and understanding math facts. On the most basic level, they struggle with the patterns that govern math concepts.

Toys that emphasize patterns like shape puzzles, and blocks can give a child the experience and confidence with patterns needed to succeed in math. For example, toys likes Number Puzzle can give a child practice with shapes and logic patterns. Remember, adult participation in a family setting using educational games is important in the learning process.

Writing LD

Writing LD is also called dysgraphia.  Kids with Writing LD struggle with many of the same problems as children with Talking and Listening LD. They have great ideas in their heads, but have trouble expressing themselves in writing with neat handwriting and good grammar and spelling.

The most advisable toy for children with writing LD is a fun chalkboard or dry-erase board.  This could take some pressure off by making it more fun and entertaining.  The children can also erase or restart their sentences or words over and over until they got it right.

Organizing Skills LD

They cannot keep track of their things, they often loss or misplace something.  Most of the children with Organizing Skills LD cannot keep their desk or room in order.  Puzzles or other toys with pieces that can only go one way can subtly teach such children habits of organization. Giving them fun organizer that keep track of their responsibilities and be rewarded for good habits and behaviors can encourage good habits.

Social Skills LD

Children with Social Skills LD have are not comfortable in interacting with other people. They tend to misunderstand facial clues and gestures and they make expressions and gestures that do not convey what they actually feel.

Role-playing toys is great to help children practice appropriate social behaviors in a safe environment from which the stress of real-life effects has been removed. Cook and Tea Set, dollhouses play sets and figurines, and dress-up clothes and props can all be vehicles for imaginative play that practices effective social interaction.

Motor Skills LD

Children with Motor Skills LD struggle with both gross motor skills and fine motor skills.  They have problem in balancing, jumping, lacing strings through holes, holding a pencil correctly or even running.

Vehicle toys like Push and Pull cars can develop gross motor skills.  Toys like lacing beads, building blocks or art sets can develop fine motor skills.

Toys For Children With Learning Disability is a post from: LA Toy Store's Blog

The greatest learning time for children occurs in the toddler years. Mental and physical developments are accomplished through play. Basically, a toddler’s “job” is to play and toys are the tools of his trade. Whatever toys are presented to the child, he will utilize them in his own fun and educational way.

For toddlers all toys are educational, because for a 2 year old, everything is educational. It doesn’t matter if toy you give for toddler are labeled educational or not as long as it address all the development skills for his age. Toys for toddlers should be geared to increase fine and gross motor skills, stimulate logic, creativity and imagination and above all else, promote fun.

Gift ideas for the development of fine motor skills

Puzzles, lego (or duplo for toddlers), shape sorters, stringing beads and pegboards with large pegs are all appropriate gifts for toddlers. These are absolute classic toys, but all children need these kinds of toys that will aid in the development of their eye and hand coordination, spatial thinking and imagination Toy telephones, musical toys of any kind, pounding hammers and peg benches all can also assist with hand eye coordination and finger dexterity of a toddler.

Gift ideas for the development gross motor skills

For the development of gross motor skills, the toys designed for physical activity for both indoor and outdoor play is your best choice. Push and pull toys, vehicle or riding toys, balls, climbing equipment, slides and beanbags are best for assisting the development of gross motor skills of a toddler.

Gift ideas to encourage creativity, imagination and logic

Any toys that require fitting things into another like shape sorters, simple puzzles and cups that fit inside each are good in stimulating logical thinking and problem solving skills of a toddler. While art supplies of all kinds such as non-toxic, washable paints, crayons and markers, clay and chalkboards with chalk are all good choices for encouraging the creativity and imagination of a child. Stickers, construction paper, cut-outs with child sized scissors are also in this category, but require adult supervision during playtime.

Blocks of all varieties, wood letters and numbers and touch and feel books will help with reading readiness and also foster imagination. When blocks are accompanied by figurines, the child can create his own world and play in it for hours.

Holiday Gift Ideas For Toddlers is a post from: LA Toy Store's Blog

Bead Sequencing Toy

In this baby genius era, parents believed that with proper foundations of physical, emotional, and cognitive development, parents can hone children’s great potential. One of the best methods in improving the potential of a child is to introduce them toys that can be both fun and educational.

Choosing the right toys for your kids can be overwhelming, there literally thousands of different toys from thousands of manufacturers vying for your hard-earn dollars. Most of them are all claiming to be fun and educational. According to experts there is no such thing as “right” or “wrong” toy. Any type of toy can actually stimulate learning. Choosing the “right” kind of toy for your child actually depends on what side of your child’s development you want to focus on.

Physical development

From birth to preschool is the most exciting time in a child’s life. It is the stage where the child learns what his body can do. This is the period of beginning exploration and discovery. At this stage some toys are better than the others in helping your child become more confident in his new found mobility and freedom.

Push and pull toys are ideal for the development of your child’s gross motor skills. Soft balls that make popping sound or toys that have a cause and effect when they are being played, like when a child pulls a rolling duckie, the wings will flap and make sound some sound, is good for the development of your child’s gross motor skills.

On the other hand, the fine motor skills are something that starts to be developed at a later stage of toddlerhood. However, there are toys that can help the young toddlers to get a good start in developing their fine motor skills. The traditional building blocks or stacking boxes which are simple to play are good in honing the fine motor skills. Extremely chunky peg puzzles are good too, as long as mom and dad are willing to help and do not expect their child to “get it” right away.

Cognitive Development

Recognizing shapes, colors, basic counting, and simple problem solving are essential in young child’s growth process. Always remember that each child learn at his own pace, there are times when they excel in one or more areas, but are a bit slower in others. Typically everything catches up to one another in time and there is no need to panic if your toddler is not learning everything all at once.

Child’s mental development varies greatly and as a parent it is your job to make sure that your child is in the right track in developing his cognitive skills. It is very helpful to provide your toddler with educational toys from an early age. It will give him distinctive edge when he enters pre-school or kindergarten later on.

Beads Sequencing Rack which can only be stacked largest to smallest or by colors are one of the earliest toys to help teach a child logic and proper sequence. It will also develop his confidence when he gets the sequence right. If you play with your child and help him to learn his colors from the rings you add yet another dimension to the toy.

Fun And Learning: Choosing The Right Toys For Your Kids is a post from: LA Toy Store's Blog

In the U.K., the statistics shows that an average of 40,000 accidents each year is caused by unsafe toys. In 2005, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s National Electronic Injury Surveillance System reported that 20 children under 15 years old died in incidents associated with unsafe toys, and an estimated 202,300 children under 15 were treated in U.S. hospital emergency room for injuries and incidents involving toys.

There are ways to choose toys that are safe but are still fun and at the same time educational for kids to play. Here are age-by-age guide to toy safety:

For 0 to 12 Months
Safe toys for babies in the first 12 months are toys made of soft washable materials. It should not have small parts that can be removed, and should not be paint-coated.

Recommended Toys: Baby items play set that allows them to practice their grasping reflexes and feel the different textures. Toys that make soft jingling sounds fascinate infants as do colorful and boldly patterned toys. Mini gyms and play mats are also recommended as the babies begin to explore.

For 1 to 3 Years
Safe toys for this age group are big blocks, plastic or soft balls, pounding toys, and shape sorters. Pounding toys must not be made of hard plastic or wood to avoid injuries. Check for toys that are durable enough to be pulled, twisted and pounded without easily breaking or having parts come off loose.

Recommended Toys: Big and colorful blocks, large lego set, tool set, and soft balls are good for kids at this age. Push and pull toys are also recommended provided they do not have long cords or string to avoid the risk of strangulation.

For 3 to 6 Years
Toys for this age should have dull edges and points. Avoid toys are made of brittle plastic that might easily break into small pieces or leave pointy edges. For art materials such as crayons and paint sets look for one marked with “ASTM D-4236.” This means the product has been reviewed by a toxicologist; it certified that material is non-toxic. Avoid also toys with magnets at this age. For battery operated toys, make sure that the battery is enclosed properly.

Recommended Toys: Building blocks, arts and craft kits, sports equipment and toys that encourage role play are good for kids at this age. Bicycle and junior scooters are also recommended for active.

Playing It Safe: The Age-By-Age Guide To Toy Safety is a post from: LA Toy Store's Blog

Building Blocks

According to research, the first three (3) years of life is the most critical to the intellectual and emotional development of a child. During these first three years, 75% of brain growth is completed. However, the result of this development is not observable, in most cases, until your child reaches the third or fourth grade. This means, that what you do in the early stage of your child’s life will greatly affect when he or she enters school.

Kids from 0 to 36 months learn primarily from exploring, playing and hands-on activities. At this stage, infants and toddlers are not quite ready for more complex form of learning. Parents can spend a lot of money on fancy electronic toys and battery-powered gadgets but nothing’s more effective in developing your child’s brain other than one of the simplest, oldest and lowest cost toys available, the building blocks.

According child psychologists, playing blocks can engage the child in creative play. It can do as much and possibly more than any other toy in encouraging the child’s growth and development. Creative play helps a child develop intellectually, emotionally, socially, and physically – all skills that will benefit a child later in life.

For babies, colorful blocks can stimulate the child’s sensory skills. The bright colors encourage infants to grasp the blocks and multiple colors help the child to learn to distinguish between two objects. As they get older, they will also be developing their motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Later on, they will begin attempting to stack and balance blocks, which will further encourage both their fine motor skills and gross motor skills. Carrying the blocks can also develop the child’s small muscles, improving their physical development. Overall the children will be learning about sizes, shapes, colors, numbers, patterns, length, and weight, all supporting their cognitive development and the same time they are developing their physical skills.

The social and emotional skills of a child can also be developed by encouraging them to share their toys. They will learn how to negotiate and exchange ideas with their peers. They will be expanding their knowledge and learning to respect viewpoints other than their own. And when adults show genuine interest, children are often eager to tell others about their creation. With this, they will develop their language skills as help them find accurate words to describe their imagination, and might even develop writing skills by creating signs for their “buildings.”

Those benefits mentioned above, are just few benefits you child can get from a simple building block toys. A simple and inexpensive building block set can offer an infinite number of uses in your child’s playtime.

Develop Your Child’s Brain With Building Block Toys is a post from: LA Toy Store's Blog

Blocks: 100 pcs colorful blocks

According to study conducted for autism, there are at least one in one hundred people are diagnosed with ADHD. Children with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or ADHD are special. They don’t behave and act like normal kids. Commonly kids with ADHD have in difficulty focusing for long periods and being easily distracted. Children with ADHD have special needs and may have special toys for their play needs as well.

Child psychologists and psychiatrists dealing with ADHD gives high value to the importance of toys and play in therapy for children with ADHD. According to experts, the right types of play allow children to express themselves in ways they can’t in normal manner. Play within the right context and with the proper supervision can help in improving the child’s focusing abilities and help him or her to learn the basics of getting along more cooperatively with other children. Medical attention for appropriate diagnosis and consideration of medication are definitely the primary of treatment of ADHD. However, the proper management of child’s environment and activities can help a lot to keep the symptomatic behavior under control.

Parent of children with ADHD are encourage in buying toys that could help children to focus, gain self-confidence and learn to mingle and interact properly with other kids. The following suggestions from mental help.net may be helpful:

• Building Blocks: Children with ADHD often have trouble completing lengthy tasks because they become frustrated and discouraged. Building blocks are hands-on toys that are simple to use and have only a few pieces so children can create a single structure in a relatively short period of time, which may help build their confidence.
• Chapter Books: Books with short chapters help your child focus and stay attentive. Read aloud one or more chapters each night or have your child read to you.
• Dress Up: All children, but especially kids with ADHD, can benefit from dramatic play and artistic expression, which allow them to be creative and express feelings in a fun and non-judgmental environment. So give them a box of costumes, puppets or a playhouse. Watching a play is a great way for family members to connect with a child and provide lasting memories. It is important to also keep in mind that people with ADHD are often intelligent, friendly, creative, and determined. These strengths should be encouraged from an early age.
• Easel and Paint Set or Play-Doh: Art supplies such as paint and clay give children with ADHD an opportunity to express themselves in a nonverbal way. Art supplies also help children gain self-confidence since there is no right or wrong way to use them.
• Floor Puzzle: Giving children something simple to do, such as a floor puzzle, helps build confidence. Choose a recognizable pattern or shape that won’t intimidate them. Ideas include the solar system and the alphabet.
• Swimming, Skating, Martial Arts or Music Lessons: Physical activity is encouraged for children who have ADHD. Sign them up for lessons in a structured sport or hobby, which can provide a valuable outlet for all their energy.

Toys for Children with ADHD is a post from: LA Toy Store's Blog