[blparent] Safety first

Tue Dec 14 14:24:13 UTC 2010

Austin is getting a talking cash register called the Zillions Talking Cash
Register.  It is supposed to scan actual bar codes that you put on objects,
you can make announcements through its microphone, it's a talking
calculator, and more.  I hope it is really as cool as it looks.  I've done a
bit of playing with it in the box and it seems to be living up to its
description.  It is also only $30 which to me seems like a great deal for
what it does.  It comes with play money as well.  Austin is very into
playing restaurant with his play kitchen and food, but he has always wanted
a cash register so people can pay their bills.  I think this gift will also
encourage him to play other games such as store which will be fun.  
Austin is also very into Mr. Potato Head because of the Toy Story movies.
My husband found a huge lot of Mr. Potato Heads and pieces on Ebay so Austin
will be getting that for Christmas.  He'll also be getting a US puzzle map
that says the state and capital of the state when each piece is inserted.
My husband travels a lot for work, and Austin is always asking where daddy
is, so I've been wanting to get him a US puzzle for a long time so he can
learn about all of the states, where they are, and then we can have a
tradition of looking at where daddy is when he's on the road compared to
where we are in MD.
Some print and Braille books, the Toy Story movies, and a few other little
things will round out his Christmas.  Oh, he's also getting Lincoln Logs
from his Nanna; he usually likes to build things, so I hope he likes the
Lincoln Logs as much as I did when I was a kid.    
	Austin had a birthday yesterday and he got a bed tent that looks
like a tree house, a Mrs. Potato Head (since the big lot did not include one
and he's been wanting one so badly) and some other things from friends and
family.  He got a Motor Works set from Discovery Toys from his grandma.
It's a set with a car, a motorcycle, and an airplane that can be taken apart
and put back together with a real battery operated drill and a manual screw
driver which come with the set.  He's had tons of fun with it all ready.
	Oriana is getting a Jack In The Box, a Fisher Price Record Player
that actually plays special records like a music box...  I had one when I
was little and loved it, so when I saw it I had to pick it up for her.  I
couldn't believe they still make and sell it.  Oriana is also getting the
Baby Grooves set from Discovery Toys.  It is a set of different instruments
made especially for babies and toddlers and has a CD to play along with.  I
know at first she'll just bang the instruments around, but I thought this
would be a fun toy for her to grow into.  She's also getting some books, a
block that makes different animal sounds and sings different animal songs
when it's pressed, and a new teether.
	Both kids are getting a Treasurery of Christmas Stories book.  We're
planning to give it to them on Christmas Eve, and we're hoping it will
become a tradition for us to read from it every Christmas Eve, and every
year around Christmas.  The stories it contains look wonderful.
	All in all, I'm pretty pleased with our gift buying this year.  I
feel like we're doing a pretty good job of balancing the toys with more
technology, the movies,  and the old stand bys and books.  This can
certainly be challenging when it seems as if so many toys Austin talks about
are those with batteries and all kinds of bells and whistles.  Not that
there's anything wrong with those, but I always try not to lose sight of the
toys that are really kid powered.  And, we haven't been reading together as
much as I'd like, so getting both kids books was a huge priority for us this
year.
	Sorry for the novel!
Melissa
-----Original Message-----
From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Jo Elizabeth Pinto
Sent: Sunday, December 12, 2010 2:50 AM
To: NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List
Subject: Re: [blparent] Safety first

Hi.  My sepson Stephen highly recommends a game for toddlers called Silly 
Six Pins.  He says it used to be his favorite.  I looked it up on Amazon, 
and basically it's a bowling game, but the pins talk as they topple or as 
they are missed.  Their funny speeches and laughter keep the players 
interested.  I'm thinking of getting the game for Sarah.  It seems to cost 
about $20 on various sites.  She herself has fallen in love with a big 
talking garbage truck, but I hope her affections change quickly because I'm 
not anxious to have that truck in my house and listen to it all day!

Jo Elizabeth

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Anjelina" <anjelinac26 at gmail.com>
Sent: Sunday, December 12, 2010 12:35 AM
To: "NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [blparent] Safety first

> Thanks V for these great reminders.
> What types of toys are other parents looking for this year?
>
> Anjelina
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Veronica Smith" <madison_tewe at spinn.net>
> To: "'NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List'" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Saturday, December 11, 2010 10:17 PM
> Subject: [blparent] Safety first
>
>
>>6 tips for buying safe toys   . Tis the season when millions of parents
>> swarm toy stores, looking for the latest game or gizmo to give to the 
>> little
>> ones they love. Entertaining and educational often top a parent's wish 
>> list,
>> but safe should be No. 1. About 230,000 toy-related injuries are treated 
>> in
>> hospital emergency rooms every year, according to the Consumer Products
>> Safety Commission (CPSC). Here are some shopping tips:               Pay
>> attention to the age on the box. There's a reason Barbie accessories, 
>> some
>> Lego sets and  Hungry, Hungry Hippos  are not recommended for children 
>> under
>> 3. They contain small parts that kids like to stick in their mouths.  ( 
>> Gab
>> always stuck everything in her mouth)  Heck, she still does.!
>> Watch out for toys with button-size batteries and small magnets as well.
>>
>> Test out noisemakers. Some musical instruments, toy sirens or squeaky
>> playthings emit 90 decibels of sound ? that's as loud as a lawn mower. 
>> Hold
>> it close to your ear (as many kids do), and it's more like 120 dB, enough

>> to
>> hurt your hearing. Listen to the toy in the store; if it's too loud for 
>> you,
>> find something quieter. (LWhen Gab was a baby, I bought a Leapfrog and he
>> seemed quiet enough until we got him home.  The store was so noisey that
>> this silly frog sounded quiet.  You can ask to listen to toys outdoors.
>> Make sure and ask personnel to accompany you right out the door or at 
>> least
>> as close to it as possible)
>>
>> Pass on "weapons. Toy guns, slingshots or anything that flies or shoots 
>> can
>> lead to serious eye injuries, even blindness. Skip these types of toys 
>> for
>> younger kids; for older ones, make sure arrows or darts, for example, 
>> have
>> soft cork tips, rubber suction cups or other protective points.  (There 
>> is
>> nothing worse than anyone getting poked in the eye.)
>>
>> Measure strings and straps. Cords longer than 7 inches can be a
>> strangulation hazard. (One time a friend of mine's little boy got his 
>> jacket
>> string stuck on the monkey bars and he was stuck there for a bit.  It was
>> scarey as the parents worked furiously to untangle him.)  It made me a
>> believer.)
>>
>> Scooters, skateboards and other riding toys are associated with more
>> injuries than any other toy category. Proper-fitting helmets and pads are

>> a
>> must. Skip hand me downs. Though recent federal safety rules impose 
>> stricter
>> regulations on lead content in toys, collectibles and older 
>> hand-me-downs,
>> as well as some imported toys, can put kids at risk for lead exposure. 
>> Check
>> for recalls. The CPSC keeps an updated list of toy recalls; visit 
>> cpsc.gov.
>> .
>>
>>
>> Related Articles     The best new toys of the season   .
>>
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>>
>> The NFB-NEWSLINER Team.
>>
>>
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