How to Buy Beatrix Potter Merchandise

Try to figure out which characters are your child's favorites - Potter merchandise has been licensed in a mind-boggling range, and choosing one character (or a few) is a good way to focus.

Investigate the array of products available - it's guaranteed to surprise you. Beatrix Potter (1866-1943) was not only the author of "The Tale of Peter Rabbit," but also a landscape and natural history artist, diarist, farmer and conservationist.

Decide what kind of merchandise you're looking for.

Encourage your child's interest in Beatrix Potter's world. You may want to surround him with images - wallpaper, bedding, switch plates and dinnerware.

Encourage reading and character identification with a few stuffed animals and, perhaps, some rubber stamps. With these, your child can make up his own stories.

Use videos to make books come alive (and give you a break from reading) and books on tape to help an older child learn to read.

Take a look at more fragile products such as Royal Doulton figurines if you're buying for an adult.