Rock 'n Roll Ernie by Tyco. When toddlers are observed playing with it, they get bored and move on. When it comes to programmed toys, Ernie unfortunately is the tip of the iceberg. In a press release last week, the Alliance for Childhood, a national nonprofit devoted to healthy childhood, lists robotic dolls as the worst toys of the year. Maybe she'll play peekaboo with the curtain, or roll a ball around the floor, or roll around the floor herself.
Good toys can do all that and more.
She tells parents to stay away from toys that promise to teach toddlers the alphabet, numbers, colors, or animals. One of the more serious implications Auerbach sees is shortened attention span. You want to move on,'' she says. Then he stops. Rosenquest has a similar complaint about another traditional toy, the xylophone.