NEW Feature by Sue Gascoyne of Play-Z Ltd
It’s all Childs Play Christmas Under Wraps
In our house, play doesn’t wait until Christmas Day. It starts with selecting the tiny treats that appear in the children’s Christmas calendars. Nothing expensive, a chocolate coin, pencil, sticker or tiny note is all that’s needed to bring magic to the morning. When wrapping presents for Christmas Day, I can’t resist disguising some, like wrapping a toy car in the shape of a dog’s bone! It may be a cliché but for me it’s true that giving is better than receiving – unless of course it’s some lovingly made treasure. My favourite part of the day has to be the Christmas stocking, with each carefully wrapped treasure handpicked specially for the awe and joy it will bring. So magical is this, that I remember feeling gutted one year that my daughter had woken early and, not wanting to disturb us, had opened her stocking alone!
When it comes to the long awaited present opening on Christmas morning we’ve all heard parents comment on children playing more with the proverbial cardboard box than the whizzy present inside, but how often do we stop to consider why this might be? Boxes are great because of their limitless possibilities, which means they can become whatever a child wants them to be from a plane to a boat, a house to a cave and so much more. The key is the freedom for children’s play to evolve, unlike some popular toys which actually stifl e play. I guess it helps that we’re not precious about cardboard boxes and thus for children there truly is an open agenda, but how can we take what’s
54
good about the box to ensure that the toy within meets these same expectations? Well the Slow Toy Movement, launched in 2012, does just that. Infuriated by the questionable cerebral quality of some popular toys - a toy dog that poos notably springs to mind, Thierry Bourret was compelled to launch the Slow Toy Movement. The result was a clutch of award winning toys exuding quality, fun, play value and lasting appeal. This is where I should confess a vested interest, not just as a consumer but because a handmade toy that I designed actually made it onto the winners list!
With ‘pester power’ mounting it would be great to have a crystal ball to predict what children will still be playing with on Boxing Day and thereafter! Thankfully quality stamps like the Slow Toy Movement and Good Toy Guide are great additions to the plethora of advice out there. With the help of Mumsnet, Playfest and the like, parents need no longer navigate alone the potentially expensive road of spotting your ‘lemon’ from your ‘love it’ present. So before you face the crowds to buy the next must-have toy, take a minute to remember your childhood favourite and what made it so special to you? One thing is for sure, price is no guarantee of quality play and appeal. You only have to watch a young child fi xated with pots and spoons on the kitchen fl oor to see this fi rsthand.
www.playtoz.co.uk To advertise in thewire t. 07720 429 613 e.
the.wire@btinternet.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100