Toy Wishes magazine has released a list of the twelve hottest toys for this year's holiday season. Apparently, according to the marketing folks, tech toys are where it's at - and they don't come cheap! Here's a sampling from the list:
- The Barbie Girls interactive MP3 unit: $59.99 for the device, $9.99 each for the Fashion pack and the Deco pack
- Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock game: $99.99
- Smart Cycle from Fisher Price: $99.99.
That last one blows me away, ladies. It is an exercise bicycle that powers games on your TELEVISION. Now I'm not the biggest gym buff, and I admit it. But when we as a society have gotten to the point where we will buy our preschoolers (yes, this is SERIOUSLY for preschoolers, working around concepts such as letter and number recognition!!!) - there is something very, very wrong.
For $99.99 you can buy a child a REAL bike and take them outside for a ride. Heck, blow another $150 and you can get an adult bike and ride together.
There comes a point where we, as women - buying for ourselves or others - really need to stop and look at what is on the market. Is it really educational if it doesn't require any interaction from a loving, LIVE caregiver or teacher? Is it really encouraging movement and exercise if it is plugged into the TV? People question homeschoolers daily about "socialization", and then very promptly come home from work, pull out their iPhones and surf while their kids are checking email, playing video games, or IMing. At what cost to our children, to our society, do these toys arrive from "Santa"? Seems to me it's a lot more than money being wasted.
Great list! I wonder how many of them will be recalled. (There's the cynic in me coming out...)
Posted by: Laura | October 10, 2007 7:57 PM | Permalink to Comment