Toy Tips: A Parent's Essential Guide to Smart Toy Choices [Paperback]

Marianne M. Szymanski (Author), Ellen Neuborne (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 5, 2004

This entertaining and informative book--written by Marianne Szymanski, child development and toy expert, and Ellen Neuborne, an award-winning business journalist--is an essential and authoritative guide to toys and play. Based on thirteen years of independent consumer-focused research, Toy Tips offers invaluable advice and practical information about selecting appropriate toys and answers questions such as Why do kids play with toys? What is the true role of toys? Which toys are good and which aren’t? How do toys figure into normal, healthy child development?

“Invaluable and specific guidance about how the right toys can help your kids learn, develop, build skills, and have some fun.” --Michele Borba, consultant, educator, and author, Parents Do Make a Difference, Building Moral Intelligence, and No More Misbehavin'

“No one is better equipped than Marianne Szymanski to help you make smart choices when purchasing toys for your kids or for the kids in your life.”--Spencer Christian, former host of Szymanski’s guest segments on ABC’s Good Morning America, and author, Is There a Dinosaur in Your Backyard? and many other children’s books

“Szymanski’s years of experience and passion for serving children make her a leading voice in the developmental benefits of toys and play.”--From the Foreward by Marvin W. Berkowitz

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Many parents don’t take a close look at their children’s toys until they hear about a recall of a particular item on the news. Szymanski, founder and president of the research group Toy Tips, presents an unbiased guide to help parents sort out the morass of toys on the market before they even purchase them. She advises readers to approach magazine articles and news stories with a judicious eye, and suggests they become experts themselves (by reading her book, naturally), because many award stickers on toys are "nothing more than thinly disguised public relations campaigns designed to herd parents toward particular products." Szymanski (along with coauthor Neuborne, a business journalist) covers the various types of toys available (activity toys, board games, puzzles, etc.) and evaluates their suitability for infants through preteens. The breadth of information she offers is overwhelming, but conscientious parents won’t find a more comprehensive and impartial approach to intelligently purchasing toys for their children.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

“Invaluable and specific guidance about how the right toys can help your kids learn, develop, build skills, and have some fun.”
--Michele Borba, consultant, educator, and author, Parents Do Make a Difference, Building Moral Intelligence and No More Misbehavin'

“No one is better equipped than Marianne Szymanski to help you make smart choices when purchasing toys for your kids or for the kids in your life.”
--Spencer Christian, former host of Szymanski’s guest segments on ABC’s Good Morning America, and author, Is There a Dinosaur in Your Backyard? and many other children’s books

“Szymanski’s years of experience and passion for serving children make her a leading voice in the developmental benefits of toys and play.”
--From the Foreward by Marvin W. Berkowitz

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (August 5, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787974366
• ISBN-13: 978-0787974367
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,513,761 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #36 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Home & Garden > Crafts & Hobbies > Toymaking
  • #51 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Parenting & Families > Family Activities

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BEST CHOICE FOR PLAY RESEARCH, April 2, 2005

By 

Meagan McMann "Meagan McMann" (Knoxville, TN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Toy Tips: A Parent's Essential Guide to Smart Toy Choices (Paperback)

As the mom of Lili and Eva, I am most interested in developmental research on toys and the value of play. I bought this book as a "bundle" with another similar title and I have to say that I could hardly put it down.
My favorite chapter is about Smart Shopping and it made shopping on the internet for toys much more understandable. I would suggest this book for any parent who wants to learn about the values that toys play in a child's life. Also, the font of the book is easy to read and the toy quiz is fun to take.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars FULL OF TIPS, May 22, 2005

By 

Grandpa Adam (Mequon, Wisconsin) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Toy Tips: A Parent's Essential Guide to Smart Toy Choices (Paperback)

I saw this author on television in Milwaukee. She mentioned her book and curious, I went to the bookstore but it was sold out. I went to three bookstores, actually! I finally got a copy and read it page by page. This book is so well-written and filled with tips on buying toys and funny little stories she call "Tales from the Toy Tips lab." As a grandparent, I was intrigued by how much information is packed in this book and how much I learned. I have 7 grandchildren ages 6 months-11 and my wife and I buy a lot of toys-however, now we will shop with a careful eye. I think that most grandparents would appreciate the up-to-date information so they buy the best toys possible. I ordered copies for each of my 4 kids so they can learn as much as I have.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Toy Tips is a must have!, December 9, 2004

By 

Kelly Nygren "New Englander" (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Toy Tips: A Parent's Essential Guide to Smart Toy Choices (Paperback)

This book is full of excellant information! It also serves as a great reminder that toys play a huge role in a child's development and we should not underestimate their power to stimulate young minds both positively and negatively. Toy Tips is a must have especially for parents, grandparents and teachers.