Hi everyone! Today I want to ask you something that is troubling me. If your kid wants a toy that you can't buy, do you buy a copy one? A brand that offers something similar, but not the real thing? Do you know any store that has these kind of things?
It really depends on the toy. We tried to buy the off brand of transformers from Big Lots and Doller Genral, but we found that they fell apart quickly. They were not made as well. We did buy a lot of cars that were not Hotwheels because they were served the same purpose. Buying an off brand toy is a learning experience. Sometimes you can find one that is made just as well, and sometimes you find something that falls apart easily. We found that with things like Transformers, Power Rangers, and Pokemon, it was easier to buy the actual name brand. We have bought off brand dolls for my niece with no problems.
Your generic dollar store should have a lot of toys like these. You should try taking your kid there and see if he wants anything there. Though as with what Brittney said, knockoffs generally tend to knock off in quality as well. I know a kid who has a collection of toys both imitation and brand name and I noticed he mostly plays with the knockoffs. I guess it's a matter of preference with what your kid wants to play with. Unrelated note: My aunt told me a story about myself when I was a kid. She told me that they had taken me to Toys R' Us for the first time and I was told I could get any toy I wanted in the store and they told me I only wanted a single HotWheel and when asked if I wanted anything else, I had supposedly told them that that was the only thing I wanted. I don't even remember it. Sorry for this, the story just felt relevant xD
I don't have kids but I do have cousins (younger ones). They don't ask me for any particular toys but I do get them something for their birthdays, even though it's not something branded. Generics work and last just as good as original ones as long as they have good quality.
Can your kids do some extra chores around the house and save up some money to buy it their self? That is what I did when my kids wanted something. They needed to save up their money and could buy it with their allowance money. I have bought a couple generic toys before that would break pretty quickly. Maybe you can check out rummage sales or thrift stores such as Good Will or St. Vincent de Paul.
It would depend on what you are buying. Certain toys wont last long if bought generically like lets say battery operated toys or those that require rebuilding and breaking down like train sets but if its something simple like toy cars, lego pieces, puzzles etc I think they would be just fine.
How about a book instead? There are usually some cheap paperback books about toys like Transformers and Barbie that allow you to encourage reading instead of the toys. Just a thought...
I agree that it depends on the toy. There are several off brands of lego and duplo products that are just as long lasting. But we have had our share of cheap toys that weren't even worth the little that they cost. Another issue to me is the "why" behind getting the brand name. Is it because it really is a better product? Often that is the case. But sometimes it is just that a certain brand is "popular".
It depends on what it is. If it is something such as a baby doll, then yes I will buy a cheaper version of the baby doll. Now there are things that my daughters love like Squinkies, if you buy a cheaper version of those, they break into pieces real quickly. Five Below usually has great deals on copy cat items.
Kids rarely notice the difference. They just want to play with a toy and if it's similar enough, they won't care. There are obviously some toys which are substantially different in quality across the brands. This is where you have to adjudge each toy based on actually seeing it and then deciding, if it's worth buying the unknown brand.
It really depends on the toy. If I can find the same type toy at a cheaper price then I will get it. If it a unique toy I will try to save up for it for Christmas or a birthday.
I always look for original toys on Etsy. I like buying from there because you get to help out crafters and their stuff is so unique. I wish I had some unique hand crafted toys. They just feel extra special.
We used to buy from a dollar store near us, but I just find the quality of the toys very disappointing. We like buying the original ones as I can send a report if something is not up to my expectation. And there was a scare before of toys having lead on them, these were mostly the fake ones, I got scared of buying them because my son liked chewing on his toys. Better be safe than sorry. If my son likes a toy and I don't have the budget for it, I just convince him to get a different one.
Toys are playing essential role for child development. I prefer to buy a branded company toys. It made with a standard quality and that's also approval buy the government department. crayola, k’nex, little tikes and artterro are popular toys product on the market. These all of toys are safe for children as well as the earth.
I don't have a kid yet, but maybe if ever I'll have one then if I can afford it by saving up for it, then that's what I would probably do, as long as the item is not really that expensive and I can't just purchase it at that moment. But if the item is something that's really out of my price range, then I'll just probably suggest another toy.
