Keeping Toys Simple

Here's some good news for cash-strapped parents this holiday season – you really don’t need to break the bank on toys for your kids. In fact, the less you spend, the better off they may be.

I know, you want to be a good parent. You want to offer them all they need to get by in school and life, so you’re doing all you can to start them off right - Baby Einstein tapes, little toy computers with bells and whistles to learn shapes and colors. But our guest says the multi-billion dollar toy industry has us hoodwinked into thinking those gadgets will help a child’s development.

Roberta Golinkoff is head of the Infant Language Project at the University of Delaware. She’s co-author of A Mandate for Playful Learning in Preschool and Einstein Never Used Flash Cards, and says that if you really want to increase your childrens’ potential, less is more.

(Photo by Patrick Q)