European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 12, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse Consumer watch the tops in to land by Mary Neth consumer editor Eddy Ruppin rambo Barbie american kids overseas Are putting the same toys on their Christmas lists As their contemporaries Back Home. They May be an Ocean away Wilh no u s to ads to till mum in but parents and cafes of people they know what s hot. Attic lop Sellers Here Are As always Iho tops in the Stales confirms Lelio Ruhl. Head of the Christmas Loy full cd Al Thoin main a. Germany. In Hie Taiesy u s Survoy Hasbro s . Joe was number Ono other big setters were Mallei s Barbie and toddy fun pin by worlds of wonder. Also in demand in her store says Ruhl arc rambo. I humanoids my child similar to last year s cabbage Patch dolls and Teddy bears the u s Market has become bullish on bears especially the lovable cuddly ones. Retailers say Hoy just maybe if frail est item of he season. They Are not on he u s top pop Loy lists because they arc being used As a promotion and altered1 to High spending customers Al special prices it s bears thai sorg cans wives Susan heaps and Sandra Hil me chocking out this afternoon at Rhein main while the older kids Are in school they and their Younga ones have been Hilling Loyland on the average of intr cd in nug a week or the past two months. Heaps who has her three year old daughter Ashley in Low. Notes that with the Dollar Down it Usi does not pay logo Sandra Hill is accompanied by sons 2achary, 4, and Micah. 3 Zachary has his heart set on a Jet Gobolos Micah is a big Bird fan. Anything involving big Bird is for him books both mothers say prices Are up from last year every year they go up a bit. On some items it s around a 10% hike " says heaps. A number of this year s Loys carry High Price lags to begin with for example the Barbie dream House a doll House Many id lie Girts dream of having runs Over $100. The animated boar Teddy Ruppin. Whose Mouth moves when he Speaks costs $64. The game laser tag is 140 Colleen Wilcox says her 6-year-old would Tove a talking doll but thai Al $60 there is no Way it will be under the tree All in All says Ruhl doll sales at this store have been rather slow his year. She laughs. Maybe it is simply there Are More Tittle boys that Little boys Are big lans of the grotesque monster i humanoids with super grip claws and glowing red cafes has them but does t Stock the whole Fine of Loyland grotesque that s hit the american Market this year. According to some Industry insiders the trend is a backlash to the Sweet wholesome end educational toys thai enlightened parents have been pressing on their offspring in recent years. Most of the parents wandering to land aisles overseas Are just As pleased thai All the bullish horror toys Aren t available. To the Stales there is Slob ulus. A bouncing head with on Eye dangling from its socket. There Are pet rats As Well As Skunk Man and Stinker who. As their names imply Emit unappetizing doors and there Are garbage pail kids. The latter a grim take Oil on cabbage Patch Page 18 the stars and stripes is photo by l err i Lvii or. Cuddly Teddy bean Ami anything but loveable monsters am sharing toy Flora Christmas she to. Dolls have been banned from Many schools. Will Nilsson Loy buyer for the european Field Oslica says cafes Dittoe the Banning action. It was t left thai they projected the Type of image to Nilsson thinks laser tag which he Calls the hottest toy in America will grow in popularity. The game is the same you pay to play at amusement Parks in the Stales he says now you can take it considering that we Musl buy our Christmas Stock Back in the Spring i think we did t miss much. In fact when it comes to the laser tag we be been better Able to meet the demand than some stores in the besides the season s in toys cafes has a Good selection at Mavorite standbys. The skateboard Tor example still Sells Well. Stall sgt. Jessie Martinez says that is what his 7 year old has been asking Lor and will probably receive ram Santa his two younger children 3 and 14 months Are at what Martinez believes is the greatest of All Agea for Christmas. There s no whining or demanding. There s no need to break the family budget. They just Are amazed by anything he says. Just Happy about education is child s play associated press Hild s play can be More than just fun and games a christmastime it can be educational As Well. Variety is important for holding the attention of children according to child development specialists and parents should avoid pressuring preschool lots when playing games with them. Christmas shoppers should select toys thai have variety and will stimulate he imagination of children according to or. Janice Gibson chairman of the department of psychology and education at the University of Pittsburgh. Playing with figures which have human characteristics can help children construct new fantasies end understand their own unique feelings and ideas the psychologist suggests. Children Are More easily Al to identify with such characters and creatively work out conflicts through imaginative variety in toys and games is important because children Are constantly changing says Gibson who is a consultant Loun toys Ltd. As their world expands children s lays need to hold enough variety in terms of color shape and size so Aslo remain attractive and As children develop she says their Loy preference changes. A toddler needs toys which stimulate imitative play but during the Middle school years. Children enjoy team play and begin to be concerned Friday december 12,1986 with or. Elizabeth Kutzby an associate professor of education at the University of Michigan cautions that preschoolers should not be pushed too hard in game Competition. If you re playing a game with a child and All of a sudden it s not a game you re competing with the child or you re mad Al the child or the child s mad at you that s a sign you re putting too much pressure on and it s time to Gat out. In general the message old like to give parents is let kids be kids and Don t pressure them " with 4-year-old daughter of her own the educator and researcher has an Opportunity to practice what she preaches. In addition she serves As a consultant to International games inc., marketers of games for growing which features sesame Street characters for preschoolers. According to Gibson the University of Pittsburgh educator Active Loys also should be considered for the Christmas list. Remember that in addition to intellectual and emotional development children need to develop and strengthen their bodies As Well she adds. Whether ii be the development of Small muscle in the hands and lingers or improving and perfecting Eye hand coordination Many toys Are Active in nature and allow the child to Foster his or her manual the psychologist says ail children like Cuddy dolls and a doll that Feela Good to hold is important to the child s development
