Dr. Toy’s Programs FAQs

• What is the basis for the selections made?
• What makes a quality product?
• What value is this product list to Directors? Teachers? Parents?
• What are the prices of the products? Does high price mean high quality?
• Why do young children need toys? books? video and audio cassettes? Software? or CD ROMs?
• Can a child do better in school later on if given these products when they are in preschool?
• How do professionals or parents find or buy these products?
• Is there an ideal age to be exposed to educational technology?
• What should parents and professionals watch for when they are selecting toys and other products for young children?
• Where can I find Dr. Toy’s book and more of Dr. Toy’s articles and information?
• Dr. Toy’s Playful Thoughts about the importance of toys and play
• About Dr. Toy

1. What is the basis for the selections made?

In making the selections Dr. Toy looks for quality in the design and production of the product, safety, its applicability to different ages of childhood, appropriateness of product for education, cultural and social sensitivity, play value, diversity of use, price, and just plain fun. Reviewing products requires objectivity to see the product in the hands of young children and visualizing their using the product within the context of the classroom, and, of course, in the home. Dr. Toy has a doctorate in Child Development, and Child Psychology, was a classroom teacher, and she observed over 50,000 children at play during the three years of operation of the Toy Museum and in her studies of childcare centers across the country. Dr. Toy knows what to look for when she evaluates a product. She is interested in large and small companies, older, established companies, and new ones with only one product. She evaluates all products based on product value, price, and reliability. She wants to assist teachers with the enormous job they are doing on behalf of children and, of course, help parents who are greatly influenced by what they see their children playing with in school.

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2. What makes a quality product?

A quality product is designed with the child in mind. It should be easy to use, be completely safe, and interesting. Products should fit the child’s development, mentally, physically, socially, and emotionally. Of course, it must be something the child can have fun with. The product should be made to last and not break from reasonable use in active play. The company should be dependable and stand behind its product. It should have tested it with children to verify age appropriateness and to be assured of its usefulness for young children when it is packaged with descriptive information, age guidelines, and suggestions for use. In summary, our criteria include: safety, age–appropriateness, design, durability, lasting play value, cultural and ethnic diversity, good transition from home to school, educational value, learning skills, creativity, improvement in the understanding of the community and the world, good value for price, and, naturally, fun.

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3. What value is this Best Product list to Directors of Preschools/Childcare or Nursery Schools? Teachers? Parents?
This list is valuable to anyone concerned about young children and interested in their education and growth. For Directors of Childcare, Preschool, or Nursery School Programs, it helps them to plan purchases for the year ahead focusing on products that are valuable to preschool children to enhance their success in their educational process. For teachers, it helps them to consider products that will assist them in their role as teachers. Childcare centers, preschools and schools should serve as models for families. Our lists are designed to help parents make good selections for their children. Parents will use the list to assist them to understand the types of products the child benefits from in school and at home. Also, they learn to be more selective in their purchases. They can add to products their child uses in the classroom. This is a suggested shopping list for consideration by any adult who lives or works with children. Dr Toy’s goal is to create a valuable and much needed bridge between home, school, and the marketplace.

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4. What are the prices of the products? Does high price mean high quality?
Prices range from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars. Schools sometimes have a small budget for new products, but would benefit greatly from donations. Schools make their selections based on what is good for children and what they can afford to purchase.  This is true for parents as well. I look for products that offer great value along with reasonable price. Often people buy things without realizing their money may be wasted or not being used wisely. What I want to do is to help consumers find the best products for their money; the products that provide real dollar value and expand actual play value. Looking and comparing is a good idea as well as considering the needs of the recipient. Having too many toys can interfere with play as this situation can overwhelm the child. It’s also a good idea to recycle toys so they are fresh and always check that they are in good condition.

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5. Why do young children need toys? books? video and audio cassettes? software? or the new CD ROMs?
Children learn through play during their formative years. They need a good variety of stimulation. They need to be occupied with products that support them developmentally. By using the right product children will have the best chance of learning and growing to their fullest potential. Products stimulate the child’s mind, fingers, and whole body. It is hard to imagine a good classroom for young children without the wonderful basics that stimulate the child’s imagination, creativity, and learning process. Each product offers a distinct aspect of development. Toys offer a chance to act out roles, learn to make or construct something, take turns, figure something out, expand imagination, and much more. In this regard, we include art supplies and materials, construction toys, and play sets. Books of course are most important. Books help children discover the world around them; opening doors that would otherwise be closed. Books aid children mentally and expand imagination. Books are one of the most basic tools for learning. Add a puppet when you read to a child and you have expanded value for communication, language, learning and fun.
The wise teacher and parent will offer many wonderful books to the child reading to them regularly so they appreciate the value of the printed word and the pleasure of colorful illustrations. Dr. Toy looks for books that are informative and open new ideas to the child. Video and audio cassettes bring words and pictures to life, encourage understanding and providing new visions, information and entertainment. Children benefit from stories, songs, and adventures. The programs help the child use their imagination and learn additional skills. Software, CDs, and DVDs are the newest technology opening experiences to young minds. This technology offers the opportunity to extend learning far beyond the classroom and home.
Children become the center of the learning universe and can more effectively follow learning along their own path. It is possible with the technology now available to finally individualize instruction as it was truly meant to be based on each child’s ability and interests and assist them to reach their own highest potential. That is not to say that play with non-technological toys should be ignored, but there should be a good balance provided along with plenty of physical activity and creative pursuits.

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6. Can a child do better in school later on if given these products when they are in preschool?
Yes! Most definitely! The child has great potential to learn at the earliest age. It is up to us to create the most responsive environment at home and at school to facilitate the learning process. We have many tools at our disposal to bring into the home an educational environment. A good variety of appropriate products offer the child unlimited possibilities especially when the skillful parent or teacher creates the right balance of product types and how they are used.

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7. How do professionals or parents find or buy these products?
Fortunately the Internet and media reduce the amount of time it takes for adults to learn of great new products for children’s learning. They provide a very important service. So do the manufacturers who have spent a lot of money, time, and energy to enhance childhood with concrete and useful products. Now, immediately after seeing something in a magazine, adults can contact the magazine or company on line and locate more information about a specific product. They can visit their local toy or teacher store, call customer service, or easily write and obtain more information. They can order products directly. Ordering products can be facilitated by the depth of offerings and the responsiveness of a knowledgeable on line toy store. Parents can find these products in some stores, but they can also order on line. Parents can help their child’s school by donating products that can be used in the classroom.

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8. Is there an ideal age to be exposed to educational technology?

Unlike most adults, children are not intimidated by technology. Some children learn best to read from typing words. Still others can learn quickly from hearing sentences. But almost every child can easily learn how to use the computer, and not just how to play educational games. They can gain information, understand how something works, be more creative, and have fun. Through the process of discovery children can enrich their mental and creative processes. It is an exciting time to be a child and have a world of learning opening up before your eyes. Adults need to disengage from their fear of technology and see it instead as an enormous tool for learning.
Technology offers a real opportunity to finally provide children with the realities of individualized instruction. This is a long time goal, sometimes a dream of educators, where children can move at their own rate with unlimited potential to learn. Many excellent new programs exist to enrich children’s learning styles. Specialty stores, teacher stores, children’s museum gift stores, and others offer an enormous range of diverse resources for classroom and home. Children can benefit from exposure to a full line of personal computers, tape recorders, and many other new products that assist in learning. There are many unique and exciting electronic products that offer information and learning and interactive excitement. Dr. Toy is enthusiastic about the major breakthrough in technology offering new learning for the whole family along with great potential for classroom instruction. Learning will be more fun and a lot more accessible both at home and in classrooms.

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9. What should parents and professionals watch for when they are selecting toys and other products for young children?

Some tips on selecting toys that Dr Toy offers to consumers are:

• Make a list of what the child may need. Let the child add items to a personal “Wish List.â€�
• Observe the child at play. See what kinds of things the child likes to play with.
• Make sure the product is appropriate. Read the box and any other instructions.
• Ask yourself, Is it fun? Will it be right for the child?
• Will it endure? Be practical?
• Can I afford the product? Does it have a variety of uses?
• You can find the complete list of “Dr. Toy’s Tips on Selecting Toysâ€� http://www.drtoy.com/tips_on_toys/index.html

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10.     Where can I find more of Dr. Toy’s articles and information?

Since 1985 Dr. Toy has provided timely and valuable information on developmentally appropriate and educational toys and children’s products to parents and professionals. She created the world’s first hands–on toy museum, The San Francisco International Toy Museum at The Cannery, where children could see historic collections and play with new toys. The museum was forced to close following the Loma Prieta earthquake (1989). Dr. Toy is the author of Dr. Toy’s Smart Play/Smart Toys to provide useful tools to parents to enhance their child’s “PQ� (Play Quotient). The book, published in the USA, China, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Israel, Korea, Spain, Taiwan, and Thailand, will soon be available in Egypt, Russia and Turkey. The book is available on line and in toy and book stores upon request. She has written for Family Circle, Parenting Magazine, Early Childhood News, Bottom Line Personal; on line sites (Club Mom, Pearson Family Education, KB Kids, The Toy Directory, The Bloom Report, The Looking Glass, Creative Child Magazine, iParenting, and many others); parent newspapers (Arizona, Houston, Atlanta, Southcoast and others); syndicated column in newspapers (King Syndicated Features – five years of weekly columns, other articles have appeared in The NY Times, Education Update, and others); and magazines (Old Schoolhouse, Games Quarterly, Knucklebones, Playthings, Woman’s Day, Hinduism Today,  and others).Interviews with and about Dr. Toy have appeared in many newspapers, magazines, radio and TV across the country, and in Canada, Germany, Japan, Spain and around the world. Her other books, “The Toy Chest� covers the history of toys in America and interviews with dozens of persons in all aspects of the toy industry plus a guide to play and toys (available on line) and Toys for a Lifetime—reviews the best Classic Toys (available on line). Her latest revision of the original book Choosing Childcare is the practical guide for parents seeking childcare services. (available on line and in bookstores).

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11.     Dr. Toy’s Playful Thoughts about the importance of toys and play

All children, Dr. Toy believes, deserve plenty of time for play and to have plenty of playthings for more learning and fun.  All toys reviewed for the Awards Programs are donated to the US Marines Toys for Tots Program to provide more joy to more children. Please contribute toys to the toy collections in your community so that every child receives a toy to play with. Consider organizing a “Toy Library� and in other ways give more playfulness to all children.

The report of winning toys for “Dr. Toy’s Best Product Award Programs� are now available to parents, teachers and others on Dr. Toy’s Guide at www.drtoy.com. The information is designed to assist children to play and learn at home, in school or anytime. “Dr. Toy’s Best Product Awards� were developed by noted child development authority, Stevanne Auerbach, Ph.D. (a.k.a. Dr. Toy), as a service to consumers who desire to purchase safe, affordable, educationally-oriented, and stimulating toys and play products for children for vacation time at home or on the road.

“As a childhood specialist for 40 years,� says Dr. Toy. “I have seen the continuous, essential need for more year-round resources for consumers to identify and choose the most appropriate products for all children.� Dr. Toy reports that in the years the innovative on-line magazine, Dr. Toy’s Guide, has been available, “thousands of visitors daily from around the world have accessed its information.�  It was the first web site to evaluate toys and children’s products.  The reports are released, according to Dr. Toy, to “encourage parents and teachers to focus on the value of play throughout the year and how essential play is to the overall learning process.�

She adds, “The Dr. Toy’s Best Award Products� include a balanced selection from large and small, new and established, companies across the U.S.A., Canada, and overseas will provide children with exciting new learning tools that will help them not only do better in school, but also will provide more constructive activities while traveling or at vacation destinations.� The award winning products include innovative toys, books, CDs, crafts, DVDs, games, puzzles, and many other play products for children of all ages and interests.

Dr. Toy believes “parents need help to get a head start locating new, diversified products that children will enjoy as they increase learning skills and expand creativity.�  The products range from low to high tech for “hours of constructive, educational, and stimulating fun.�

“Children learn best through play,� says Dr. Auerbach, “and these Best Products encourage children to maximize their potential and make the most of Smart Play. By making a renewed focus on play as a special time for the whole family and for choosing appropriate products for children, parents help to improve their children’s learning. socialization and development. This is a perfect time for parents to ‘take stock’ and do an inventory of what their children are playing with, what is not used, and what they optimally need next in their development.�

Dr. Toy’s Best Award Products are carefully chosen, using extensive criteria she has developed over many years, from among hundreds she has reviewed at toy fairs, in catalogs, and through many other sources. The criteria she uses includes: safety, age-appropriateness, design, durability, lasting play value, cultural and ethnic diversity, good transition from home to school, educational value, learning skills, creativity, improvement in the understanding of the community and the world, good value for price, and, naturally, fun. These are products suitable for babies to older children, include products from handcrafted to hi-tech, and range in price on the average from $8 to $50.

The winning products are affordable, well designed, and reflect the wide range of children’s interests. Complete information about these and other products are included in the full report. Dr. Toy’s report includes company customer service numbers, web site addresses, age range, price, and a full description of each product. The award-winning, on-line magazine, Dr. Toy’s Guide, features full color photos of each product, links to companies to learn more, interviews with and articles by Dr. Toy, plus hundreds of other Best Products for all reasons and seasons. At this time over 4000 products are included in the “Dr. Toy’s Guide� with direct links to companies and toy stores on line, plus toy history, parent resources, and much more.

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12. More About Dr Toy

Dr. Toy has been at the forefront of bringing to the public the newest, safest, most educational and best resources. Dr. Toy has provided the first review of many products that rose to prominence and popularity. She maintains a balance in evaluations with products from small and large companies. Dr. Toy is pleased to see that many original companies from 30 years ago are still operating and providing high quality and safe products.

She wishes all children equal access to a good variety of quality products regardless of where they live or their family’s economic level. Dr. Auerbach, a long-time resident of San Francisco, originally from New York City, lived in Washington, DC, while working for the Department of Education where she approved the first proposal for “Sesame Street� and established the first day care center for children of federal employees.

In San Francisco, she established the San Francisco International Toy Museum, the world’s first “hands-on� toy museum visited by over 50,000 children. She is the author of 15 books and hundreds of articles on toys and play, and is the only Ph.D. in Child Development evaluating toys and children’s products with extensive training, background, and over 37 years of experience evaluating, writing and speaking about toys and children’s products.

Dr. Auerbach is trained in child development, education, child psychology and special education. She is an educator, consultant, parent, and playful grandparent. Her book, Dr. Toy’s Smart Play/Smart Toys: How To Raise a Child with a High P. Q. (Play Quotient) may be obtained through www.barnesandnoble.com and www.amazon.com and at many fine toy and bookstores.

Additional Points:

• Dr. Toy’s Guide links many related useful sites and resources for parents, teachers, children, children with special needs, and toy enthusiasts.
• Dr. Toy’s Smart Play/Smart Toys: How To Raise a Child with a High PQ (Play Quotient) is a unique guide that provides tools to parents to help them enhance their child’s “PQâ€� (Play Quotient) -- a concept Dr. Toy originated. The book published in China, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Israel, Korea, Spain, Thailand, and will soon be available in Egypt, Croatia, Russia, Turkey, and in other countries.
• Articles about Dr. Toy have appeared in newspapers and magazines across the country, in Canada, and around the world.