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Toys Can Provide Constructive Play BY HELEN C. CAMP Extension Home Economist TOYS FOR CHRISTMAS “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy* is more than just an old folk saying. Educa tors and psycholigist have done a great deal of research re cently on the relationship be tween a child’s play and his learning. They have found that the time a child spends at play is not aimless or wasted but an important part of his deve lopment into mature adulthood. Between infancy and age 12, it is the child’s play period that does the most to bring out his natural interest in the world around him. Properly chosen toys encourage the child to ima gine, create, and, most of all, to have fun! Some toys involve physical play. Push-and-pull toys, rockers and wagons help develop muscle coordination. Indoor gym equipment is es pecially good for apartment dwellers and for rainy-day play when youngsters become easily bored. Some play activities give a child the opportunity to ex press his ideas. Wooden blocks, construction toys, drawing and painting materials and science toys all help develop manipula tive ability as well as stimu late observation skiUs and en courage the expression of ideas. Dolls, costumes, trucks, planes, plastic soldiers and trains are typical of play ma terials that foster imagination and encourage a child to play “lets pretend*. Toys achildcan use, to imitate and dramatize adult activities help him under stand the world around him bet ter. Toys are effective in help ing children to become socially aware by bringing them in con tact with other children of their age. With even the simplest board game (like checkers), they acquire a basic under standing of fair play and sports manship. Outdoor team sports provide healthy competition and help them learn the value of cooperation with others to a- chieve common goals. Toys need not be numerous or costly to provide construc tive play. Simple toys made at home from ordinary household items often yield hours of fun and learning. Colorful puppets can be made with old socks and nylon stockings decorated with yarn, buttons, or other trim. Discarded hats, handbags and high-heeled shoes can be put to good use in a child’s “Dress-up* wardrobe. With such a wide range of toys a- vailable how should an adult go about selecting a good, safe en joyable toy for a child. The AGE of the child is a particularly important factor. Most manu facturers indicate the age group for which a certain toy is best suited. A toy that is too ad vanced for a child is often a- bused or ignored. The same holds true for a toy that is too simple and doesn’t provide enough challenge. Toys SAFETY ties in closely with the age factor. Reputable toy manufacturers have agreed to adhere to standards estab lished by the United States of America Standards Institute to minimize hazards to children. Parts, finishes and other ma terials that go into a toy that meet these standards have been inspected and should not be harmful IF USED PROPERLY. A toy that goes along well with a child’s interest wiU, in all probability, be a safe one. The parent should, however, check for SMALL PARTS that could be easily swallowed, SHARP EDGES, FAULTY WI RING, or anything else that could be potentially hazardous. Finally, the most important factor to consider the INDIVI DUAL child and all of his per sonal characteristics. Probably the only useless toy is the one a child is no longer interested in. Even that old hairless doll with both arms and a leg missing, which may be one little girl’s most prized possession, has an important role in her learning experience. It stimulates a sense of value and responsibility for some thing that is hers. This sense of value may be the most im portant aspect of a child’s play things. child’s ability to use. 4. Select a durable toy. 5. Select a toy that a child can use in many different ways. 6. Select a toy the child will enjoy! In selecting a toy for special child on your list: that 1. Be sure it is a safe toy. 2. Select a toy that will in terest the child. 3. Be sure it is within the SKIERS’ SPECIAL 2 quarts boiling water 12 teabags (or *4-cup loose tea) 1 teaspoon cracked fennel seeds 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon whole cloves Grated rind of 2 lemons 1 cup sugar 1*4 teaspoons rum extract Pour boiling water over tea, fennel, ginger, cloves and lemon rind. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Strain into hot teapot, chafing dish or serving container. Add sugar and stir until dis solved. Stir in rum extract. Makes 10 servings. TREATING ROADBANKS — Fred Hellams and his crew of the South Carolina Highway Department are shown treating roadbanks with a mixture of unhulled sericea seed, turfiber mulch and fertilizer—all in one operation. Agricultural lime was applied first by hand. This roadside erosion control work completes the treatment of all sediment-producing areas in the Duncan Creek Water shed.— (Photo by J. R. O’Dell, Soil Conservation Service) NUTS AKE 4 NEEDS' l*D INOUiH MBOIUM J LLNUTS VTV?. . . * . 53* PUtl VfGfTABU 3-P°u n d Con 93* XED NUTS . . lb TOWN MAU FRUIT CAKES . . .VV.". . . $ 3 3 * AZIL NUTS . Pound Phg MOUOAY FRUIT CAKES ... . 4, . 0 i ... 99* CKTAIL PEANUTS ’Ll 0 ' 73* r\ai MOMTI SEEDLESS RAISINS 't 0 : 39* It S IMTIO XED NUTS . . 6 1 T-Oa Con r>f i MONTI GOLDEN RAISINS . l^ /V. 43* R 1ST MAS NOUGATS 1 l-O. 49* TUBBY It INOWHAKl coconut 'tvr; 49* 1CETTES Ib-Oi PVg Hatprtoiity CAKE MIXES ... IVi ?'.... 29* to* ‘mu ICK CANDY.. 5 POUND ..69* PEfNCHS POULTRY SEASONING 33* mo CBMHT KAYO* OBMTICKS 10 Oi B»> PUNCH'S RURRiD SAGE ‘r.... BREASTED CLOSED FRIDAY CHRISTMAS DAY Open Again Sat. as A Usual TOONTARD ALL... Each Employee at Community Cash wishes you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and happy and prosperous New Year DIAMOND ALUMINUM FOIL HEAVY AM DUTY MM ROLL FROZEN arrso GtATED USDA INSPECTED HENS GRADE A DOTT FOtGET THE STUFFING MIX" WINTH GARDf N USDA INSPECTED CAROLINA BEEF STEAKS • ROUND • T-BONE • SIRLOIN 99c SWIFT's PRIMIUM GRADt A BUTTERBALL TURKEYS 10 to 14 POUNDS 53 C IB. COCONUT .. 3~*1 00 MDUYI COOL WHIP... 2 - 99' UROifYI WHO.I STRAWBERRIES c49'^ BIRDSfYE • VAN I HA • CHOCOLATE • BUTTERSCOTCH • LIGHT CHOCOLATE COOLN'CREAMY-39'I >o^l CANDIEDYAMS2S49' BIRDSEYE BRUSSEL SHOUTS OR CAULIFLOWER 2^49 BIRDSEYE CORN ON COB K 49' GUI* STREAM Rand DShrimp,^*! 99 “V VIVA PAPER NAPKINS rniiuT m w # BIRDSEYE BROCCOLI SPEARS OR VALUABLE COUPON I'JUlM/UlilJ JXxmmTQttnB FREE -100 EXTRA TOP VALUE STAMPS FRESH JUICY FLORIDA With the purchase of $10.00 er mera order COMMUNITY CASH STORES LIMIT: 1 COUPON PER CUSTOMER Void offer DEC. 30, 1970) WM CUP and REDEEM TODAY Washington State APPLES Box $7.99 Rome Beauty APPLES, 4-Lb. Bag 49c BANANAS lb. 10c White GRAPEFRUn 5-Lb. Bag 55c >OINSETTIAS $2.49 DEAR SALLY BY SALLY SHAW DEAR SALLY: I live in a respectable neighborhood and would like to keep it that way. However, ever since a certain young couple moved Into a house across the street there has been a TV repair-service truck parking in their driveway at least two or three times a week when the man of the house is away at work. This service man is in the house at least an hour on each visit. It’s very suspicious. No TV set needs this much service so often and so regularly! What do you advise my doing about this? GOOD NEIGHBOR. DEAR NEIGHBOR: I advise you to begin minding your own business. Has it ever occurred to you that this man just might be a cousin, a brother, an uncle, or just a good friend of the couple? In any event, I fail to see how the young woman is doing you or your “respectable neighborhood*any harm. DEAR SALLY: My husband’s sisters are forever coming out with unasked for advice, and more often than not my hus band sides with them. Their pet complaint where I am con cerned is my hairstyle. I have worn my hair as it is for many years, and always considered it becoming--but they claim that because of the shape of my face it’s all wrong for me. Maybe they’re right, and maybe not But how can I decide this? KANSAS. DEAR KANSAS: Easy. Visit a first-class hair stylist for some professional advice and services. DEAR SALLY: I’m a young man of 22, and am only five feet three inches tall. Almost every girl I meet or date is either as tall as I am or one or two Inches taller...and no male friend of mine is nearly as short as I am. I’m often the target of jokes, but always enjoy them and laugh along with the others. Some people, though, act as thought my height (or rather, lack of it) is a big problem. What do you say about this? STUMPY. DEAR STUMPY: A person has a problem only when he himself acknowledges the exist ence of one. You haveprovedby your ability to laugh at other people’s gibes that you are really a “big man.’ DEAR SALLY: I’m a bride of only four months, and today received a big jolt I was ar ranging to take one of my hus band’s suits to the dry-clean ers when I found a small photo of one of his former steady girls in the inside coat pocket. I’m really heart-broken about this! I don’t know whether to keep this to myself, or ask him about it. Please advise me! SHATTERED. DEAR SHATTERED: By all means, you should clean the air by mentioning to your husband what you found. There just might be a simple and reasonable ex planation for the presence of the picture in his pocket. I hope there is. NOTE TO RINGING EARS: Self-preservation is nature’s first law. Next time you see your gabby neighbor approach ing your house, meet her at the door and tell her kindly, but firmly, “I’m sorry, but I’m just too busy to talk.’ After a few such rebuffs, she should certainly get the message and decide to take her gossip else where. DEAR SALLY: I’m a girl of 23 and soon to be married to a fine young man. There’s one big problem that is bother ing me. I’m In debt up to my ears. Although I work as a secretary and Intend to couttme working for awhile after my marriage, I have Itved beyond my income, bought too many things on credit, and the sum- total of my debts is almost staggering. My finance is com fortably fixed financially, and I’m wondering if I should tell him of my money problems now or wait until after we’re married. DOLLAR DOL- DUMS. DEAR DOLLAR: Tell him now, by all means! If you were to spring this bit of news on him suddendly after the wedding it could get things off to a wobbly start. Tell him that you consider these debts your sole responsibility and that, beginn ing now and continuing after your marriage, you’re going to cut the debts down systemati cally and faithfully with a part of your Income. And be sure you do just that! DEAR SALLY: How do you answer extremely nosy and Ill- bred people who ask questions about things that are none of their business? As for in stance, one of my women friends who is always curious about the prices I pay for things. WONDERING. DEAR WONDERING: You can be devious by replying, “Twice as much as it’s worth,* or, *I’ve forgotten.* Or you can be blunt with, “If you’ll forgive my not answering that question, Til forgive you ask ing it.’ Consult John L. Mimnaugh An old proverb: “If there is right in the soul, There will be beau ty in the person; If there is beauty in the person; There will be har mouy in the home; If there is harmony in the home, There will be order in the nation; If there is order ir the nation. There will be peace In the world.’’ MERRY CHRISTMAS BAILEY AGENCY Dial Day 833-0681 — Night and Sunday 833-03X3 M. S. Bailey & Son, Banker*, Building