1SmartNoodle.com's view on what makes a good educational toy

The toy is safe and durable
This measure comprises age appropriateness, quality of materials and quality of construction. A toy designed for older children may pose a choking or other safety hazard if given to a child who is not old enough to play safely with that toy. Choosing an age appropriate toy significantly reduces safety hazards particularly choking hazards. If you are unsure of the age appropriateness of your toy selection seeking advice and suggestions from an experienced toy retailer and following manufacturer's suggested age guidelines can significantly reduce safety hazards Quality of materials used and quality of construction directly impact the likelihood of breakage and the dislodgement of small parts that can be a choking hazard or pose a threat of other injuries. At 1SmartNoodle.com we believe that price is not the best measure of quality and pay close attention to current toy recall notices and recall notice histories to decide on which manufacturers and brands are a better choice.

The toy is engaging and fun to play with
This bang for your buck measure is self explanatory but applying it requires your immutable knowledge of the child you are buying for. Again, if you are not sure how to weigh this measure against you knowledge of what peaks you child's interest then a chat with a professional toy retailer should help to shed light on which learning toy, educational game or activity might be the right choice for you.

The toy is age and developmentally appropriate
Like the previous measure, knowledge of the child you are buying for is valuable but not essential. If you know the child, you can choose an educational toy that focuses in on a skill or skill set that you are seeking to enhance. However, if your purchase is for a child you are not completely familiar with you can still rely on the child's age to assist you in applying this measure and zooming in on the perfect choice. Note that age and developmental appropriateness will directly impact on the fun to play with factor.

The toy adds variety
Purchase toys that encourage a new skill or skill set. For example lacing cards and puzzles for fine motor development, play food used in dramatic play and family games for game night to enhance social skills, ride on toys for gross motor development, an easel to promote creativity or age appropriate games to enhance cognitive skills.

The toy is versatile
This bang for your buck measure is best described by the stacking ring example. A staking ring toy with each ring a different color and size offers the versatility of not only developing fine motor skills as the rings are placed on their base, but also offers opportunity to teach color recognition, size discrimination and counting skills.