Of course, it was also a time when most parents and guardians did not ask their kids what they wanted. They usually went by your gender. Obviously if you were a boy, you got the toy cars, trucks, video games, and other things that were capable of making noise and the girls got the quiet or talking dolls, doll houses, and tea sets. And there was nothing wrong with that. Most parents who bought their kids the gender related toys just wanted their girls to remain on the feminine path and the boys on the masculine one. Technology and the times have managed to change all that. Thank goodness!

For some girls like and have liked the high tech, noisy toys too. And it is refreshing to note that gone are the days when the greatest misconception about girls used to be that all of them wanted to play dress up, did not care too much about sports, and should be quietly tucked away in some corner of the playroom, toying around with their dolls.

What type of toys should you make? To help answer this, you might start by considering your likely customers. What do they want and what do they need? Many parents try to select toys that are not only fun but educational as well. There are many types of toys you can make that fit both of these criteria. You will also want to take into consideration the fact you need to be able to make these quickly and easily if you want to make a profit. You might also consider making puzzle type toys where uniquely shaped pieces fit into matching openings cut into a wooden board. You could paint these with stencils and non-toxic paint or just leave them plain. You are only limited by your imagination. All of the toys mentioned so far can be made with a band saw, various sanders and hand tools. You will want to experiment with different woods to find what you like best, and do not forget you will need to sand every piece smooth since tender little hands will use them.

One of the secrets to successfully marketing your toys will be how you intend to package them. The easiest way will probably be to prepare a small 8 ½” by 5 ½” card on your printer that you can insert in your shrink-wrapped package. You will want to include on the card the fact the item is made in the U.S. from quality, safe, non-toxic materials. Instead of focusing on the features, all marketing should show the buyer what benefits they will enjoy from owning your product. List all the benefits you can think of and rate them from most important to least. Take the most important and use these to plan your sales pitch. Some places you should try to sell your products are toy stores, bookstores, department stores, gift shops, local specialty stores, and even online at E-Bay or your own website. You should also include a card your buyers can return to receive word of other products you offer or will offer in the future.