Television advertisements are an important source of information about toys. Ads show children new products and help illustrate how those products perform. Some children, particularly younger ones, may have trouble discerning in an ad how a toy works outside its imaginary setting or whether toy parts are sold seperately. To prevent disappointments, you may want to help children better understand what they see in television ads. As with all products, toys advertised on TV are made to appear as appealing as possible.
Toy ads exaggerate a toy's performance.
A toy on TV may appear to make elaborate sounds or move by itself when, in fact, it cannot. You could discuss how special sound effects, production techniques, camera work, or editing can be used to enhance a toy's operation. Many ads show toys being used in make-believe settings in ways that are unrepresentative of how they work in real life. You may want to help children focus on the part of the ad showing the toy's real-life operation. Toys may require special skills or extensive practice.