I am sure I share the experience of many grandparents and parents who have encountered toys for their grandchildren or children with the ominous label, “Some assembly required.” The label didn’t seem ominous at the time but takes on its infuriating demeanor after it is removed from under the tree and the Holiday wrappings removed. For example, someone purchased a pink roadster for my granddaughter’s Disney Princess Doll to ride in. The first problem was getting it out of the hard plastic packaging, which I eventually had to cut open with shears. Then a lot of the pieces were tied to cardboard backing and these too had to be cut. And this was before I started putting the thing together. There were a lot of little pieces and I had to be careful to keep them out of the reach of Heather’s baby sister.

The number of toys with the label, “Some assembly required” has increased over the years, mainly for economic reasons. Unassembled toys take up less space and are cheaper to ship than are assembled toys. They also take up less space on the shelves of toy stores so that a greater variety of kid’s playthings can be displayed.

For most young children, like my granddaughter, putting together a toy is not what they are interested in. They want toys that they can play with right from the box. That is why Papa (me) gets asked to put the “to be assembled” toys together. But it is a pain and takes all the fun out of it for young children who are frustrated by having a toy they can’t play with right away. For young children, in my opinion, such toys are more trouble than they are worth.

The “to be assembled toys” have to be separated from quite a different variety of playthings, namely, the construction toy such as Lego. Construction toys are made for children to put together and have no pre-determined end result. Although construction toys like Lego once only suggested things children could make with the blocks, children are now given instructions as to make fairly complex machines. But in so doing, Lego has transformed the blocks from a creative individual toy to one which requires the child to recreate what someone else has already designed and put together. While reproducing what someone else has made has value it does take away the child’s initiative to build something of his or her own devising.

Construction toys have become big sellers in recent years, perhaps in an effort to counter children’s preoccupation with television and computer toys.

It should also be said that there are some toys which should be assembled in advance by parents or grandparents. I am thinking here of a tricycle, small bicycle or scooter which might require adult tools for the assembly. It is best to present these vehicles to children as finished products.

Certainly there are some children who like to read and to follow instructions. For these children some “to be assembled toys” can be stimulating and fun. But for most young children such toys are a tease because they can see them but not play with them. Given the preponderance of such toys, parents may have little choice. But if you do purchase such toys it might be best to reassemble them before wrapping. It will make your Christmas and your child or grandchild’s Christmas a much happier and merrier one.