-    The toy should be both sanitary and washable—it’s amazing how quickly children’s toys can get dirty.
-    Toys should be well constructed. Cheap toys can come apart, exposing dangerous parts like wires, springs, or sharp edges.
-    Toys should not have no small parts that could come off and be swallowed or otherwise misused, and make sure the toy itself is large enough that it cannot be swallowed or put into the nose or ears.
-    Every part of the toy, including all paint and decorations should be non-toxic.
-    Look out for points that your child could fall on, or strings or cards that are long enough to choke.
-    Stuffed toys should not be filled with potentially dangerous materials like small pellets.
-    Toys made with cloth should carry the labels “flame resistant,” “flame retardant,” or “nonflammable.”

Of course, as your child gets older and you can trust him or her to play safely, less of these checks will be necessary. It’s also important to keep track of your children’s toys, and broken toys should be either repaired or disposed of so that they don’t pose a danger. You should also make sure that the toy is age appropriate for your child.

For more toy safety information, check out our post on the toy industry’s safety certification program.

The certification program would combine three main elements. First, all new toy designs would have to undergo a risk analysis to identify potential safety concerns as early as possible. Secondly, all toy manufacturers would have to undergo reviews of their factories to ensure good manufacturing practices. Lastly, samples of all toys would be taken to make sure that the toys meet industry and government standards for safety.

The program would apply to all toys sold in the United States, regardless of their place of manufacture. After being certified safe by the American national Standards Institute, the toys would be given a toy safety mark. This mark would assure that the product has undergone all the checks required by the certification program.

The program, however, will not be in place until Christmas 2008, and manufacturers are looking for ways to increase consumer confidence in the meantime, especially for this holiday season. Disney has begun testing samples of its toys, both those already on shelves and those scheduled for release. Toys R Us has begun spot checking the toys in its stores and is now increasing the number of these checks on every manufacturer.

Testing is not currently required for toys sold in the United States, though a mark of certification is mandatory in Europe. The Toy Industry Association believes that this program will allow parents to have confidence in the products they buy for their children.

– Transformers Movie Deluxe Figures—These action figures, based on the recent blockbuster hit, transform from Autobots and Decepticons into extreme cars and trucks. The most popular figure is Bumblebee, the star transformer of the movie, who transforms into a yellow 1974 Camaro.

– Rubik’s Revolution—This electronic update of the classic Rubik’s Cube features six games that can be played individually or in groups. The game features lights and sound, and allows the player to unlock new levels and games.

– Ripstik—The Ripstik is a totally new wheeled vehicle, that combines the carving motion of surfing or snowboarding with the wheels and deck of a skateboard. The deck is split in the middle and pivots, so that the rider can handle better and accelerate without pushing off the ground.

- Hannah Montana—Hannah Montana is a Disney character who is an ordinary schoolgirl by day and pop superstar by night. Her show and movie have been extremely popular, leading to the release of dolls and accessories, tooy guitars, lunch boxes, bags, and even her own version of UNO.

- Indiana Jones—This summer’s release of the latest Indiana Jones movie has spawned a whole new generation of toys. Most popular are Indiana Jones LEGO sets, ranging from the River Chase set to the Jungle Duel set. Hasbro’s Electronic Sound FX Whip is also popular.

– U Command Wall-e—Based on the animated movie, this 8” x 13.8” x 11” robot has realistic expressions, light-up eyes, and convincing sound effects. The programmable remote control can execute over 1000 action combinations, and the robot has real tread motion.

Click here for information on the most popular toys in the world.

Actually, many parents would be surprised to learn that some of the most popular toys today have been around since they were kids. From Tonka Trucks to Play-Doh, the toys that were popular then remain so today, topping holiday wish-lists and generating millions of dollars in revenue.

Barbie Still Rules

No toy demonstrates this than the ever-popular Barbie doll, which was rated girls’ #1 most asked for toy last holiday season. Yet these dolls have been around since 1959, when a woman named Ruth Handler decided her daughter would have more fun with three-dimensional dolls than the paper dolls she was used to. Within a year, Barbie dolls became the highest-selling fashion doll in history.

And Barbie has really grown up over the years. She’s changed jobs hundreds of times, going from simply being a fashion model to a soccer player, dentist, paleontologist, firefighter, presidential candidate, and even fighter pilot. Today, Barbie dolls are sold in 140 countries and about two dolls are sold every second. Barbie dolls are so pervasive in American culture that 90% of American girls have owned at least one.

After seeing the enormous success that Barbie dolls enjoyed, toy creator Stan Weston came up with an idea for a similar toy marketed to boys. In 1963, GI Joe was born—the world’s first and still most popular action figure. Quickly becoming extremely popular both in the United States and elsewhere, GI Joes expanded into comic books, an animated TV series, video games, and more.

And who could forget lovable crazes like Cabbage Patch Kids? They became the must have toy of the mid-80’s, and sales peaked in 1985 at $600 million. But that figure pales in comparison to the mind-boggling sales of Ty Warner’s Beanie Babies. In the 90’s these adorable little animals managed to become both the hottest toy in America and a valuable collectors items, with single dolls selling for tens of thousands of dollars. All of this helped build a toy empire worth over $6 billion.

And LEGO is Solid

But the reigning champion of toys is one that has lasted much longer, delighting both kids and parents for over half a century. The British Association of Toy Retailers determined a “Toy of the Century,” and the winner was…drum roll please…LEGOs! Since the famous interlocking blocks were first manufactured in 1949, over 20,000,000,000 have been made per year—that’s more than 600 per second!

In addition to classic themes like the Wild West, space, and the arctic, LEGO has offered specialty sets based on Star Wars, Batman, Spongebob, and much more. Even today, Indiana Jones LEGOs are being offered in coordination with the release of the new movie.

In addition to strict standards of manufacturing and design, LEGOs have done plenty to stay ahead of the curve. In 2001, LEGO released its Bionicle line, marketed to a slightly older crowd, and many LEGO sets now come with complex parts such as motors, gears, lights, sensors, and cameras. Most impressively, the new LEGO Mindstorms sets are designed to be integrated with a personal computer and carry out complex tasks—sets like these are often used in advanced robotics competitions.

So although many toys today may enjoy brief bouts of popularity, it takes a lot to stand up to toy behemoths such as these.

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Toy-TMA updates weekly every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning. Our head writer and editor, Chris Pranger, tends to ramble on about things as much as possible whenever he gets a chance to write something, but deep down it’s just because he likes the subject matter. He’s even prone to comment back on comments, usually in a nice way. He is aided by Gus Townsen, Brian Vaughn, and the occasional guest writer as well. If you’re interested in being one of those guest writers, send Chris an email at chris@toy-tma.com.

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