eBeanstalk: "What are the hazards of purchasing…"

Here is another post from eBeanstalk.com:

Before I address your question regarding ‘hazards’ in terms of buying toys above a recommended age, I believe it’s better to think in terms of getting toys suited for your child’s abilities RATHER than getting toys suited for their chronological age.

No one knows your child better than you, so in the end, if you pruchase a toy that is “too old” for your child, it will likely not hold their attention and they will gravitate to other toys they have that are developmentally on par with their skills. And don’t fret, just pack the toy up and keep it in the closet because they’ll be ready for it soon enough!

If you are not the child’s parent (and without sounding too self-serving), that’s exactly why we set-up ebeanstalk the way we did…as one of the child-experts, we not only picked our favorite learning toys, but matched them to how a child develops. In many instances, we actually take a toy for a certain age-group and move it to an older age group, because we believe the toy is better suited for an older child.

Hazards: In the literal interpretation of ‘toy hazards’ – the hazards are there for a reason – and we 100% abide by the age-guidelines. You wouldn’t give a marble to a baby because of a choking hazard (that’s why you see so many toys for ‘3 and up’) and you wouldn’t put a 2 year old on a balance-board that’s built for an adult (where the child could fall off and hurt themselves). But if I understand your question, in terms of giving a ‘toy for a 6 year old’ to a TYPICAL 5-year-old…there is no real hazard, other than potentially causing some frustration for the child or the child will simply not be interested in the toy.