The sports toy chest that was very popular in the 70s was shaped like a football. It had a small oval shaped cutout that lifted out as a lid. Although it was not a very big chest, it certainly held a lot of toys. Little cars, books, small stuffed animals…it seemed no matter how much was in the box, there was more room for something else.



Many toy chests are wooden instead of the plastic one shaped like a football. A standard rectangular wooden chest with sports figures or sports activities painted on the side is common. The lid should have a locking mechanism that allows it to open, but not close unless forced. This is to protect the children's fingers. A toy box without this safety feature is very dangerous. The lid to a wooden chest can be very heavy, relative to a toddler's size - and can really pinch their little fingers. The opening hardware itself should be a type that does not slide on metal runners. Metal runners are sometimes sharp on the edge and a small child putting his or her fingers on the runner might get a nasty cut.



A sports toy chest can be purchased with a particular professional, in some cases, a college team's logo on the box. Baseball logos are probably the most popular. Since baseball is touted as the great American pastime, most kids play t-ball or little league. Because of the familiarity with the sport, baseball team logos are among the most popular. Baseball team logos are followed closely by football team logos on toy chests. Though toddlers do not have much input on the toy chest that is purchased, the parents will choose a logo that is familiar or favorite to them. Sometimes this helps to fashion a child's team loyalty. The more a parent talks about a particular team, the more a child is apt to identify with them and adapt loyalty to the same team.

Some toy chests are made of wicker. This is a nice accent to many play rooms. These chests are generally left open because the lids to these chests can be quite heavy. The lid is usually not attached - but free from the chest itself, adding to the chance that a child could knock the lid off onto themselves. When selecting a toy chest of any kind, the parent must look at it from the vantage point of the child. Bearing in mind the weight, the size of the toys to be placed inside, the risk of a child falling in or a lid coming down unexpectedly on little hands - all of these factors need to be addressed - preferably before buying the toy chest.

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