Parents beware:  Buying your child the “must have” toy of this holiday season might result in excited yelps initially, but the thrill may be gone long before the first change of batteries.

Lyn Rodriguez Neisius

Lyn Rodriguez Neisius

Choose toys that are safe, developmentally appropriate and engaging enough to keep your child interested over a longer period of time, suggests Lyn Rodriguez Neisius of UT Dallas’ Center for Children and Families.

Select toys that are flexible and can be used for multiple purposes. For example, children can use blocks for building, but also for sorting and as props in imaginative play.

She recommends avoiding electronic toys for children younger than 4 years old because they limit exploration and communication with playmates.

As director of the UT Dallas School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences’ Juega Conmigo, or Play With Me, program, Neisius offers the following toy shopping list:

  • Dress up items: Hats, beads, cowboy boots and raincoats can be used by children in pretend play.
  • Riding toys: Tricycles, wagons and, eventually, skates and scooters will help children develop motor skills.
  • Toys that allow the children to make believe they are adults: Kids may enjoy “cooking” with a toy food set or conducting “exams” with a doctor’s kit.
  • Age-appropriate board games: Playing games teaches children to take turns and gives them opportunity to communicate with others.
  • Art supplies: Crayons, paints and paper will let your child show his or her creative side.