Holiday Toys

1 minute read

Looking for holiday toys? The best toys require no batteries and no electrical cords—only a child's imagination.

Toys for Girls: To Barbie or Not to Barbie? That is the Question.

My daughter wanted a Barbie and I always swore I would never bring that wasp-waisted blond bimbo into my home (okay, there was some jealousy on my part--being a chunky brunette mom didn't help). Finally, after five years of battles, I broke down and got my daughter a Barbie. And, low and behold, she did the unexpected--ignored the clothes after four weeks. She did two things: (1) she cut off all of Barbie's hair and she used her to play out fairy tales and original plays with other dolls and (2) she designed her own Barbie clothes with cloth and paper towels and toilet paper and put on fashion shows.

As an adult she still uses her awesome creativity in her own interpretation of religious ritual (she's a rabbi) and all her clothes outfits are highly original and beautiful. My fears about Barbie were more about me--my daughter used Barbie to strengthen her interests and needs and creativity.

Toys for Boys: So what about those Superheroes and Weapons?

Young boys often want ways to feel stronger. Their hunger for superheroes and weapons is out of a need to feel power. As adults we need to distinguish between power and violence. All boys love superheroes and wish they could be superheroes to keep themselves and their family safe in a scary world with dragons and bad guys. Toy weapons and accessories such as foam swords, space guns that don't look realistic, batman masks, and superhero capes can help a young boy feel more powerful and safer in the world.