Return to the classics: what makes an evergreen toy

 

Not sure how all those new interactive toys work? Or if your child will play with them? When in doubt, return to the Classics.

 

Some toys have a longer life span than others. This is both linked to the quality of the toy ie if they are durable and can survive intensive play, and also because they continue to offer a good play experience for generations of children.

 

The Classic or Evergreen toys are a safe bet for moms in doubt and stressed out gift givers, as they continue to be a popular toy.

 

But what is it that makes a toy a Classic? The short answer: it’s a toy that you can rely on – as a child as well as a parent.

 

Always fun to play with

Children don’t distinguish between Classics and new fads. They just go for the toys that are fun to play with.

 

The Classical toys highlight themselves by offering a fun, long-lasting experience. It’s a toy that can be played with in many different ways and encourages the child’s imagination, involvement, and interaction. This is why construction toys, dolls, cars, crayons to mention a few have been popular through generations. They provide a familiar, yet new, play experience for the child every time.

 

Child-powered toys

Although ‘interactive’ today means ‘battery-powered’, the classical toy’s key power source is the child, as it sparks & promotes imaginative play and provides meaningful play for hours.

 

A simple torture test for parents is to check how long a toy will keep your child occupied in solitude play. If your child seeks help or walks away within the first 15 minutes, it’s likely that the toy will not stand the test of time.

 

How to find the toy classic

As parents we all want to give our children the best. Although new toy concepts have lots of interesting possibilities, the Classic toys still have a lot to offer. So when in doubt in front of the toy section, it’s a good idea to look for toys that have remained popular and valued since they were first introduced. Toys that you may even remember from your own childhood.

 

The benefit of returning to the toy classics that you yourself enjoyed as a kid is that you and your child will share something special together. You can create family memories while playing and having fun.

 

This article was written by LEGO® for Kidspot NZ. LEGO^® DUPLO^® bricks were first introduced in 1969 and still offer many ways to play. From simple stacking to building and being creative. From imagination and role play to problem-solving and playing with numbers and letters. See more at DUPLO.LEGO.com