Jesus

"Moon Shoes" developed by Big Time Toys Inc. are mini trampolines that strap on to your shoes, giving you the feeling that you are on a trampoline where ever you go. Moon Shoes are sold at Wal-Mart for $29.88 and the age range is 7 years and older. Seems like a good idea, but I think that 7 is a bit young for this kind of toy.

Since the age range is 7+, the stage of cognitive development would be Concrete Operational, meaning that logic is starting to be appropriately used. The child, at this age, should be able to discern that jumping off the roof with the shoes on will not send them to the moon. The problem I have with the toy is that I do not think that safety is really in mind. The picture has a boy sprung up in the air without a care in the world. On the box it has no warnings or safety advice. I understand that good parents would force their kids to wear safety gear, but I believe that the kid on the front of the box would influence children to want to be just like that. When I was 7, I never wanted to wear a helmet riding my bike, and to see the box with the kid having fun without "dumb" safety stuff would make me want to ditch the gear after I left home.

I do not believe language development is really influenced here, unless the child has picked up on daddy's "naughty" words so they can be put to use when the child falls and scraps and arm or leg.

Physical development is essential to this toy, the box states that "Moon Shoes aid in the development of balance and coordination" which is needed to keep from falling. Physical development of jumping and balance skills is the purpose of this toy, so it is easy to make parallels in that sense.

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