“The educational department of AIJU has been publishing this guide since 1991 with the aim of providing detailed and useful information on quality games and toys to consumers, emphasising criteria such as recreational and educational value, suitability for age and children’s specific needs. The aim is to guide and orientate the consumer, providing specialised articles and information of interest and a list of recommended toys. For each recommended toy, it offers broad information for the user of its characteristics and potential. For each product, there are 14 types of data: toy name, manufacturer or distributor, recommended age, characteristics, approximate size, suitability for people with disability (visual, auditory and motor), price guide, type of game, educational psychology aspects, suitability in the school or hospital setting and suitability for use by the family. This investigation is an ongoing project (since 1991) and another aim is to offer to companies of children’s products technical guidance for improving the quality and suitability for the user of the products they manufacture. The toys are evaluated based on the following criteria: game value, duration, reactions of children and/or parents, versatility, design, packaging, learning potential, quality and presentation of instructions, suitability for motor, visual and auditory disabilities, suitability for hospital settings and educational potential. The Guide to Games and Toys is disseminated in two formats: printed and over the Internet. The aim of the guide on the Internet is to serve as a platform for learning about consumer opinions on the games and so to be able to convey these to the manufacturers.”

Start date: Jan-10
Funding: IMPIVA
Contact: Maite Romero