Parent’s knowledge and cultural perceptions on suitable children’s toys. A Primary Care survey in Metropolitan Santiago

Abstract

Objective: Specify parent’s knowledge and perceptions on the most suitable children’s toys. 

Methods: A quantitative and qualitative survey with open and close questions applied to 80 parents of children from 6 to 24 months old, between March 2002 and March 2003 at two Primary Care Centers.

Results: 55% of all children were females and the mean age was 13,3 months (SD 5,7), median 13 months. Young mothers were the most interviewed people (97,5%), with a mean age of 26,6 years-old, mainly housewives (75%) belonging to a low social-economical status, adequate educational level and with a stable couple. 78,8% had not receive any information regarding toy’s selection, even using house objects as toys (58,8%), despite their broad use and importance. 35% of kids watched television and 37,5% played with other persons. Toys were parents or family gifts or otherwise inherited. 70,5% declared that family interactions were crucial on children entertainment and 6,2% attributed no importance to toys as stimulating agents. Security was the most desired toy’s characteristic by parents and 93,8% considered that these objects were important for child development. 65% paid attention to package warnings, mainly searching for security issues, but only 46,2% admitted to follow them. 15% answered “yes” when buying toys chosen by their children, regardless inadequacy for age, cost and precautions. 

Conclusions: It is necessary to create an educative awareness on this aspect among the pediatric health team, particularly at Primary Care attention.