Comments on: Diary of a Toy Tester

By: spencer1984

spencer1984 — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 18:08:43 +0000

I thought this post was very interesting: building sets definitely seem to be one of the “forgotten” toys in today’s market. But as you said, the pride and satisfaction that come with completing a project like this is tremendous (not to mention the patience, dexterity, and instruction-following skills learned during the build).

In addition to Lego and K’nex sets, though, don’t forget about good old model kits. They’re fun for both kids and adults, and are a great way to spend some time together. With the predecorated and snap-together kits available on the market today, you don’t even need to worry about messy paint & glue…of course, more complex paint & glue kits are available for those who want to try expanding their skills.

By: toyportfolio

toyportfolio — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 22:39:57 +0000

Almost too many to list. I would say at least 50% of the products that come into for review are a disappointment. It doesn’t feel right to single any one out at this point. One parent reviewer hit on the head — she called the toys another “bottom of the toy chest” type of product. One of the most upsetting categories for me are toys that are over the top for young babies and toddlers. A great toy for this age group in the “make something happen” category doesn’t need to be exrtremely noisy or have too many things happen at once. If your baby or toddler hits a button, one thing should happen…not ten. When we test many of the toys in this activity category–so much happens that our baby testers either crawl away or cry….it’s just too much stimulation.

By: davidwein

davidwein — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 22:15:15 +0000

Thanks for always making great recommendations. We know there is so much bad product being marketed to us every year. What are some of the worst offenders that did not “deliver” on their marketing promises?