The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-24
nx MRS. L.. H. RANUS

Most children have too many toys consequently they are not stirred 10
 make toys for themselves, and their pow
 ers of invention are retarded. There are
 two classes of toys. useful and useless. Those are useful which answer the needs of child life A ball is most usetu' toy. because it is about tho first child can play with All mothers know now a
 pa be, as soon as it is old enough to use its hands. loves d soft. bright-colored ball. From infancy practically through the whole of life the ball plays an active part. Tennis, golf baseball, football. all sports of later life, center around ball. Next comes the building stage. With blocks. A 10 cent box of dominoes IS ex- ccllent material for building and Tor making tables, chairs, beds and soldiers in a row.
 Then comes the initiative stage of toys. Every child. boy or girl, wants to do as fatLer or mother does. 10 cent sweep CT and 10 cent broom are always joy to childs heart and enable the little one to actually help mother.
 THE DOLLS PART
 The doll also plays an important part 1 in children's lives, for 1t answers the instinct for nurture which is inborn in children. (IOOu SeINlCtdbi uoitos hVt IVY many at once, are most useful. Children also need sets of dishes with which to Ilearn to set table and to pretend to cook. and which they can also learn to wash and dry again initiating mother. lmi- tating father, children can play With toys of construction, such as sets or
 stone blocks and trains, automobiles and other things that go.
 Toys are useless which are easily broken. such as expensive mechanical toys. These are generally more interest," | ing to grown-ups than to children. Huge hobby horses, large dolls and too many toys are useless also Every little girl Iores fer Il big doll--which is right and good--but for babies of 2 years or young ar such toys are not only useless. but lead 10 the bored child, which of all things is the most pltiable-a child to whom nothing is new. nothing interest ling.
 Through play with toys should be taught the care of toys. A child ysho IS taught to pick up his toys and put them away in their proper places becomes neat and orderly, Often children are care l less with their toys and. unless careful ness is instilled in them. they become wantonly destructive and have no respect 1 for the property of others. If little boy has stuffed dog that barks and  he is found Investigating the reason for the barking. he is not destructive so much az curious. and it must be remembered that through investigation the great dis coyeries of the world have been made A child with mechanical mind will of ten take his toys apart ito see how they are made" But curiosity is strong fin all children: therefore, before punishine child for destroying toy, be sure that he has been guilty of something more than pure thoughtlessness.
 CONTENT AND HAPPY Happy and contented-these are the two words which describe the condition of children in the kindergarten and should describe the condition in the home. too You can accomplish so much more through love than you can through force. The busy mother in the home can
 have just as happy children us the kin