WORTHINGTON -- Traditional and retro wooden toys, books and puzzles are the hot gift items for children this year, reported local sales associates.
"I've got a lot of nostalgia toys," said Linda Kuhle, store manager at Sterling Drug in Worthington.
Especially popular at Sterling are Dr. Duck, a duck pull toy wearing a top hat and carrying an old-fashioned doctor's bag that children can tug along behind them, and Snoop 'n Sniff, a similar wooden dog-shaped pull toy. Both toys are made by Fisher Price and were originally sold in the 1930s.
Puzzles, books and educational games are also popular gifts for parents as well as grandparents.
"Books are a great gift for all ages," said Tae Nordby, manager of Main Street Kids, Worthington. "We sell many types of books.... Board books are great for kids, even infants. They'll grow into them."
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Tea sets and miniature kitchen utensils and appliances have been popular, and can be purchased separately from -- and used to accessorize larger sets -- Nordby said.
"We have a lot of really cool baby shoes that are really soft and keep feet warm in the winter," Nordby added. "That's something often overlooked for a baby gift."
Little girls love receiving dolls, tutus, wands, jewelry and tiaras, she said, but giftgivers with a more practical bent could buy children a sturdy pair of snow boots instead.
My Pillow Pets are another practical gift. The soft plushie stuffed animals, are made in the shape of pigs, bees, penguins, ladybugs, pandas, horses, polar bears, sheep, cows, monkeys and dolphins, but can also function as soft pillows for car trips or beds. Large versions and small versions of the toy are available at Lit'l Wizards in Worthington.
Sports-lovers have plenty of purchasing options at Center Sports, Worthington, from Minnesota Vikings clothing, stuffed footballs, caps and banners to Minnesota Twins gear and disc golf equipment. T-shirts and basketballs, volleyballs and footballs are all popular, along with the novelty items, said Mark Schwarz, salesperson at Center Sports.
"Learning tools are a big one," said Midge Efner, a salesperson at Lit'l Wizards. "Grandparents love to buy educational toys for their grandchildren."
Many educational card and board games are available and can help children learn to tell time, tie their shoes and add and subtract. Art supplies, from paintbrushes and easels to chalk, colored pencils and glitter paint, encourage children to be creative and use their imaginations.
Puzzles are another top seller this year, from the five-piece kind made of huge blocks of wood for small children, to the 1,000-piece puzzles for older children and adults, which can cover whole dining room tables and take hours of work by multiple people to complete.
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"Wooden puzzles go well for younger kids," Efner said.
Parents have also been buying many activity books at Sterling Drug, featuring instructions and including materials to make friendship bracelets, knit or crochet items, draw superheroes, learn about battery science and make solar cars.
Traditional wooden toys -- including replicas of food, appliances, trains, tools and animals -- are popular gifts for small children. Parents should be sure to sanitize and rinse all toys before giving them to children to play with, because toddlers especially tend to put toys into their mouths.
Even the old sock monkey stuffed animals have come back, although the new sock monkeys are just as likely to be bright orange and pink as they are to be the traditional gray and white.
