AS CHILDREN GROW

and develop, their imagination and creativity expand.  It is awe-inspiring how a child can take a plaything they received at age 1 or 2 and incorporate it into a new way of play.  For example, the little Tolo cow they got on their first birthday, the one that was held, chewed on and slept with, at age 4 now becomes a pasture pal for the Melissa and Doug foldable barn. The battery operated car that buzzed around the floor or was manually pushed later becomes a race car.  For these reasons, and many others, when considering what to buy, whether it be for a baby shower or birthday, or just because, keep in mind how long you will have the toy and if the child can grow with it; in other words, consider a toy that a child can either "grow" into or that they can grow with.

Some good examples of these sorts of play items could include Legos, board and card games, puzzles, and Tolo products, of which many are made for ages 1 to 5, such as the Tolo cow I mentioned above.  Art supplies also fall into this category, such as fingerpaints, markers, crayons, chalk, and watercolor paints, all of which can continue to be a source of fun and creativity well into the preteen years.  We do carry many of  the above mentioned items that are for toddler to teen.

Of course, don't forget the books!  Many of the early childhood books will be read and read and read for years to come, and sometimes they can even be passed on to a younger sibling or other family member or friend.  And these much beloved books will also be in the child's memory as they grow up.  We have so many parents and grandparents who stop by looking for their beloved childhood book, the one they never forgot, the one that still makes them smile, the one that brings forth happy memories of their childhood, the one they loved so much that they wholeheartedly believe it should be part of the literary collection of that special little person. 

Happily, WTTS can provide the art supplies, the books, new and old classics (Remember Nancy Drew?  Well, she's back in vogue), the games, puzzles, trucks and blocks, toys they can mature with, share, and remember as adults, that they can in their later years pass on to the next generation.