Tools for parents

Quick answers for the toy aisle and the games table: whether a toy suits your child's age, which game fits everyone playing, and how to start a game of Catan. Each tool says where its figures come from, and nothing you type leaves your browser.

General information, not medical or legal advice. Federal toy rules set the floor a toy sold in the US must meet; age ratings, players and times are the publishers' own and can change between editions, so check the box before you buy.