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Finding Elmo
Fill the Toy Box on a Budget By Alexandria Powell
(Windsor Peak Press, 2004). "A set of blocks can be just as much fun as something with all the lights and buzzers and sounds. Reading and singing to your child is a more effective way of expanding their vocabulary than any high-tech, 'educational' toy."
Sometimes the best toys aren't really toys at all. Ann McDonald finds that cardboard boxes are key to having creative fun with her 3-year-old. "We have turned them into toy dog houses, ATM machines, forts, etc.," says the Mission Viejo, Calif., mom. "We also do a lot of water play some plastic cups, a rubber duck, soap and a sink filled with water can keep my daughter happy for nearly an hour."
And don't forget about clearance sales! Danger notes that the best time of year to buy toys is in January, when retailers are cleaning out their unsold holiday inventory. "It isn't unusual to find popular toys at 50 percent or even 75 percent off," says Danger. She recommends that parents try to anticipate what they might want to buy their toddlers for birthdays and holidays for the next year and stock up.
If you're willing to do some searching, and perhaps a little scrubbing, used toys can be a great bargain, especially on outdoor toys such as slides and ride-on toys. Shop garage sales and consignment stores.