Dream Toys 2011 – Which One Will You Buy?

So the Toy Retailer’s Association have come up with their list of Dream Toys for 2011. Sorry, but as anyone who lives with kids knows, we don’t need a list of toys because our children pester us daily with their toy wants and needs. In my house today’s must-have toy is a stretchy monster thing with an eye that pops out when you overstretch his arms. Yesterday it was some kind of blue Frankenstein Barbie and the day before a hideous pink dolls house for mice! How do I handle my child’s pester power? Easy I say yes to everything knowing my daughter: (1) Has the attention span of a gnat (2) That we will never venture into a toy shop together and (3) By tomorrow she will want something completely different. Which is just one reason why I hate these Christmas toy lists. All they are basically doing is telling parents that if you don’t buy one of these ‘essential’ toys for your child – she will be the ONLY child to not have one and therefore you will have failed as a parent. Okay that’s a bit extreme but you get my drift. What’s more looking at the list there is some really expensive stuff on it including a robotic toy called Fijit Friends (see pic) that costs £55.00 and Lego that costs £90!!! Dream toys are the right term there as far as I’m concerned. Thankfully I don’t feel the pressure to keep up with these lists because in a house that’s already a graveyard for hardly-played-with toys that my child really, really wanted, I’m keen not to add to our toy mountain. So when buying a toy I use a cost-per-use ratio and ask myself:

• How much will X play with this?
• Does she have anything else like this?
• How many times has she mentioned this toy?
• Will I be able to stand the sight of this lying about (my most important question and the reason why I will never buy the hideous pink dolls house for mice)?

So what are your thoughts on dream toy lists and handling pester power? Let me know.