Why Quality Toys Cost Less In The Long Run

Often when I peruse boards dedicated to certain toys I hear the refrain from parents as to how expensive some toys are compared to others.

It is true that toys like Lego, Playmobil and Calico Critters are more expensive than your average toy, but generally this is for a reason and it can prove to be an investment that will pay off over the years of joy your child will derive from them.

Our toy stores and supermarkets are flooded with cheap toys. Generally made in China they are flimsy both physically and ephemerally. Often based on a trend that is dominant in the media today, the demand for these toys will pass within months and so they are produced only to last as long as the peak in demand lasts, weeks or months.

They fulfill a short term gap for parents if a child has seen the advertisements on television or watched the latest movie or television series designed around the toy. And they are often cheap because they don't cost much to make.

Once the fad passes, and is replaced by another, these toys are relegated to the back of the cupboard, the garage sale pile or simply discarded on the waste pile of our Earth's ever increasing landfill.

By investing in quality toys that may cost a little more, as parents, or grandparents we can provide our children with toys that not only last for ears but invariably will keep them occupied for much longer than fad based toys.

Two examples I use when talking about quality toys are Lego and Playmobil. Both these brands have been around for over 50 years and they haven't changed their basic principle within that time frame. That's at least three generations of kids who have basically played with the same toys!

However, if you look in a toy store, generally both these brands are more expensive than other toy brands, so why are they still popular and why should parents consider buying them over cheaper, fad or trend based toys?

In short the answer is quality.

Both these toys feature quality in both design and construction. Both Lego and Playmobil started as small brands, creating great designs that were built to last. Over time Playmobil and Lego have refined their products but that basic premise has remained the same.

The toys not only last for years physically because they are made of high quality plastics, but they are designed to hold kids' interest by igniting their creativity and imagination. That is why you often hear stories of parents giving their own children Lego and Playmobil toys they used to play with as a child-they don't break easily and kids are naturally drawn to them because of their play-potential.

So while toys Playmobil and Lego may seem to cost more upfront than other toys their value over time is much greater, for our bank balance, our kids' creativity and the Earth.