PLAYTIME

Looking for suggestions for stocking a preschool toy box? Use this sturdy board book as a guide.

Common toys are organized in broad categories: cars and trucks, blocks, trains, and farm and wild animals. More whimsical categories include a dollhouse, water-play toys, things that fly, and space toys. Only “Dressing Up” includes photos of children: an Asian child playing doctor and a blond, white child proudly flexing superhero muscles. (Both have short hair.) Other dress-up costumes include a tutu, crown, pirate hat and eye patch, and clown shoes. The other spreads are gender-neutral; none of the toys are identified as being for boys or girls. Labels help expand vocabulary. For example, on the “Picnic time” page there are two teddy bears, one “sitting,” one “standing.” Several spreads invite active participation. The names of six different types of balls run across the top of that spread with colorful ribbons connecting each word to the corresponding ball. Pages devoted to art and garden tools, musical instruments, and even modeling clay may prompt caregivers to entrust their charges with these activities.

Toddlers won’t sit still for all 16 spreads but they will come back again and again to name the objects they play with every day.