[stocksinsmocks]

I feel like this list says a lot more about what the author wants her kids to be interested in than a real survey of the whole toy market. There are a few stuffed animals that get tons of love, and the magnet blocks were a hit for a couple months but then they got old. This is going to trigger a deluge of unsolicited admonition, but the television and the Nintendo switch have by far the highest entertainment value per dollar spent.

[droopyEyelids]

Parents who are analyzing the problem like you would do well going straight to the iPad with unlimited access to YouTube.

You can get an old iPad cheap and your kid will spend every waking second on it till they're old enough to drive. Or even longer!

[joannabregan]

I'm the author, and my husband immediately had the same feedback: iPad should be at the top of the list. I responded that iPad wasn't a toy, and he strongly disagreed.

[stakhanov]

I agree. I'm not sure about "toy", but something that gives the child zero agency definitely falls hort of the definition of "play".

[therealdrag0]

Aren’t there genetic games on the iPad?

[araes]

From research on a comment in another area, the European Union at least says "no" on the toy claim. Things in the EU "not considered as toys". [Directive 2009/48/EC, Annex 1] 14. "Electronic equipment, such as personal computers and game consoles, used to access interactive software"

[Directive 2009/48/EC, Annex 1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32...

Only exception is stuff that's kind of a "specially designed personal computer" meant to "have a play value on their own".

Weirdly, even specially designed console like a Switch, Playstation, or XBox are not really legally a "toy" in the EU.

[droopyEyelids]

Imo, there would be no value in writing something where an iPad would satisfy the requirements, and I appreciated the list, and we're thinking about the large magnatile things now.

Do you have an easel whiteboard paper roll thing? I think it fits this list.

[joannabregan]

I tried the easel and whiteboard paper roll when my kids were younger and it was not a great experience. But I think those things change with time. Cool to hear it fits the list for you.

[Sammi]

Dolls, cars, and balls weren't even mentioned...

[qwertfisch]

My brother bought a hand-held console. You can have thousands of games (NES, SNES, Gameboy, even Amiga and ScummVM), and there is just no need for a replay value. It can be new every day. It's not for young kids, but starting with age 6 or 7, I would day it lasts several years. Using the same metric it scores at least 12 or 13.

[vorpalhex]

My 3 year old has a handheld retro console. He plays a lot of excitebike and sometimes spyro.

Never had an issue with it. He's nice to it, recharges it as needed and the sd card has held up.