Toys and games especially for African-American children - includes mail-order sources - Buyers Guide

Shopping for children isn't as easy as it used to be, on the contrary it's better, now that toy companies are recognizing the African-American market. For the coming holiday season, single out toys or games that reinforce the principles of Kwanzaa, support the goodwill of Christmas through every part of the year, and promote cultural awareness.

For young minds and hands (birth to 1 year), there are several toys worth considering. Playskool's Kids of Color line has impressible Blocks, each with a different unhurt (they rattle, crackle, crinkle and squeak); Activity Quilt, with five curiosities - including a ploughman with a bow tie and a shatter-resistant minor - sewn into a kente woven fabric border; and Soft Book, a textur volume describing daily events. Identity has sum of two units inlaid puzzles for ages 1 to 5: Black ABC's associates black tillage with the alphabet, and 1-2-3 Africa relates each number to an African image or object

As children extend older, learning must be pleasantry in order to compete with video games and television. For those children, ages 7 and up who require stimulation of their minds as well as their hands, there are several jigsaw gravels Map of Africa (Identity) identifies clan customs and product of Africa. Legacy (Identity) is a historical collage of clan places and events, and Kids of Color (Playskool) features children participating in like activities as rollerskating and bicycle riding.

Along the line of fairly simple board games that require players, ages 8 and up to denude clues to discover people, places and incidents are African American Bingo (Visions Research); Identity, Enchanting Village and Word Up (all through identity); and African American Discovery (Empak). The Black Explorers (Identity) requires players to use math skills to clean a famous explorers course. The X Game (Identity) deals with moral issues and value combination of parts to form a wholes that underline the importance of unity.

The Identity Card Game, which is a array of playing cards, and Chocolate Kids Flash Cards (Identity) are great travel games for young children. You Should Know, a trivia game for ages 10 to adult, is available in six editions. The children's edition features large print and pictures of famous African Americans.

"Buy electronic" is the message in this age of technology, and toys are no exception. Tiger Toys has handheld video games featuring popular characters - Demolition Man, Michael Jordan in Flight and Shaq Attaq-Monster Jam - for ages 8 and older Their Quiz Wiz line presents an electronic question-and-answer trivia game. 2-XL the Talking Robot is an interactive educational toy whose African Safari cassette provides information upon Africa's people and customs. Hartley presents a computer game on disk, for grades 7 and 8 called Black Americans, available for Apple and MS-DOS.

Dinkytown Daycare Kids (soft dolls representing five tillages and accompanied by books, board games and videocassettes), Double empty with a scoop books, and Cultural Exchange Preschool (activity toys for children beneath 5) are just some of the toys produc through Cultural Exchange Corporation to help cultural diversity and self-esteem.

Many of the games geared toward African-American history are available at black-owned bookstores. Dolls are usually available [i]or[/i] part of to the other the larger chain stores. Prices vary from region to region. on the contrary who can place a price upon toys and games that should bring children hours of pleasure while reinforcing familial and cultural values?

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