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St. Johns County preschool kids test, approve toys

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — The next toy on your Christmas list may have been approved by a local preschooler.

The Goddard School in St. Johns County is letting children approve their favorite toys as part of its annual toy test.

It's the 12th year of the Goddard School preschooler-approved toy test.

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Toy makers put out toys that they're releasing for the new year, and the school lets the kids play with them and give feedback.

Teachers say the toys help promote learning.

"We have sensory toys, toys that promote exploration, toys that promote STEAM learning, science, technology as well as engineering or math, those type of skills," said Tammy Torres, director of Goddard School in St. Johns County.

The Goddard School is testing 18 different toys.

On Thursday, 4-year-old Jayce and Sophia played with the Orangutan Kids Game.

It's a  little game involving an orangutan hanging from a vine, and at any moment, fruits and animals will go flying if he's carrying too much.

Teachers say the kids give feedback on what they like and what they don't like and that information will go back to the toy companies in time for the holidays.

The Goddard School tells Action News Jax it makes sure all the toys are safe for the kids.

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"We divvy the toys out to the appropriate age groups and it's really important to look at those things for safety because they can have small pieces that can choke on them or come off," Torres said.

Teachers say playing with the toys helps in children's development and growth.

"The language that they use, you know when they're playing, their developing language skills, so how the 3-year-olds play with it versus the 5-year-olds, it's really interesting and a lot of fun," Torres said.

The Goddard School tells us it'll get the results back in November from all the select Goddard School locations across the nation on which toy was the test favorite for the season.