The Des Moines Register from Des Moines, Iowa • Page 46

Snniim) Women's Section Society and Clubs DES MOINES, IOWA, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1954. SECTION'SIX Iowa Parents Find Shopping for Toys Is No Child's Play wi 1, rv4j in Mr i 77 1 tMMm TMm.toM.mm0mwmmwm" Jf wcaui ci mm "Sn TWO thousand manufacturers last March began to produce the millions of toys nearly 50 million youngsters will awaken Christmas morning to find under the Christmas tree. Along with consistent favorites trains, dolls, guns, sleds these children will unwrap such trend-setting newcomers as electronic radio stations, robots, inter-communication sets and do-it-yourself hobby kits. Children may receive more toys this Christmas. According to Des Moines toy store clerks, parents seem to be spending more money than they did last year.

They also have more children. The current crop of youngsters between the ages of 5 and 10 is the largest in history. Add to this the fact that nowadays finding the right toy for the right child has become a weighty psychological problem and the fact that parents are shopping a little later than they did last year and you get some mighty serious expressions in toy store aisles. And of course, volunteered a clerk, parting with hard-earned cash is never easy. Staff Photos by Jack Brinton.

6 to 60. "Make that 3 to 60," said a clerk. "At least, men with 3-year-old sons are buying them." Additions to train sets this year include railroad cranes and section gang cars with drivers that reverse positions when the cars do. ERNEST ASHDOWN. 4051 ELEVENTH PLACE, POINTS out intricacies of miniature railroading to son, Jerry, 7, in a Des Moines toy store.

Mrs. Ed Foster and son, Edward, 6, of Iowa Falls, left, also are fascinated. Trains are still tops with boys from viiS tZih, Li MR. AND MRS. LLOYD LANE AND daughter, Karen Kay, 9, of Maxwell, inspect dolls shown by Mrs.

Marian Miller, clerk. Some of the newest dolls have knees that bend, noses that sniffle. MR. AND MRS. O.

B. SMYTH, 2621 THIRTY-SIXTH CHECK OFF ANOTHER GIFT from king-siied list. Sales Clerk Mrs. George Evans holds purchases. Most persons know what their own children want for Christmas but when buying for relatives they often ask help from a clerk.

"First we ask the child's age, then what he's got and what his interests are," said a toy store owner. "We try to suit the toy to the child. We don't want electrical toys going to 4-year-olds." Ns- rv i 11 1 0 BHFPl- ja M' i VI II i W4. i I -i '-X "5 i A (i lnaKo. WIhmiI mi Mm iiii ii iiiiii FRANCIS PFRIMMER OF GRIMES EXAMINES farm machinery toy.

Such toys are always good in farming areas such as Iowa, said a clerk. MR. AND MRS. S. W.

LANDIS, 1311 OAK PARK INVESTIGATE WORK-b'jnch toys. Items that can be pusheo and pulled and hammered are favorites with the preschool set. Toys also should be safe, durable end easy to clean. ROBERT IRWIN OF NEWTON TRIES OUT AC-cordion. Cornets and glockenspiels are popular this year.

Parent-appeal is top sales factor, said clerk. I. -f- r-'-lTrVdiWiln- ii" -i -r-ri-i--'-r-i.