Hit the off button

Every parent sighs when his or her child is given a toy that involves action and response.

You know, the type that promotes good eye-hand-ear co-ordination: squeeze dolly's tummy and it wails, press the red button and a bell rings, push the yellow lever and a siren screeches.

Such toys are, of course, great learning exercises.

The sighs stem from the parents' acquired knowledge that the child will quickly learn how to create the noise but will fail to learn when to stop.

The ding from the red button may provide a thrill for a gurgling baby but after 10 rings it drives mummy mad.

The design of these toys is flawed simply because they fail to teach children when to prevent or stop something.