This article is about playthings. For other uses of the term, see Toy (disambiguation).
A toy is an object used in play. The teddy bear is a stuffed Toy Bear. It is an enduring traditional form of a Stuffed animal, often serving the purpose of comforting children Play is a Rite and a quality of mind in engaging with one's worldview. Toys are usually associated with children and pets, but it is not unusual for adult humans and some non-domesticated animals to play with toys. CHILD syndrome (or congenital hemidysplasia with ichthyosiform erythroderma and limb defects) is a genetic disorder A pet is an Animal kept for companionship and enjoyment or a househeld animal as opposed to Livestock, Laboratory animals Working animals For the 2008 British film by Noel Clarke see Adulthood (film. Domestication (from Latin domesticus) refers to the process whereby a Population of Animals Many items are manufactured to serve as toys, but items produced for other purposes can also be used as toys. A child may pick up a household item and 'fly' it around pretending that it is an airplane, or an animal might play with a pinecone by batting at it, biting it, chasing it, and throwing it up in the air. A cone (in formal botanical usage Strobilus, plural strobili is an organ on Plants in the division Pinophyta ( Conifers Some toys are produced primarily as collector's items and are not intended to be played with. For the record label see Collectables Records For the Ashanti album see Collectables by Ashanti A collectable
The origin of toys is prehistoric; dolls representing infants, animals, and soldiers, as well as representations of tools used by adults are readily found at archaeological sites. Stone Age Paleolithic See also Paleolithic, Recent African Origin, Early Homo sapiens, Early human migrations "Paleolithic" The origin of the word "toy" is unknown, but it is believed that it was first used in the 14th century. [1]
Toys and play in general are an important part of the process of learning about the world and growing up. The young use toys and play to discover their identity, help their bodies grow strong, learn cause and effect, explore relationships, and practice skills they will need as adults. Adults use toys and play to form and strengthen social bonds, teach, remember and reinforce lessons from their youth, discover their identity, exercise their minds and bodies, explore relationships, practice skills, and decorate their living spaces.
Toys are more than simple amusement, they and the ways that they are used profoundly influence many aspects of life.
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History
Most young mammals will play with whatever they can find, turning such things as pinecones, rocks, and food into toys. Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands A cone (in formal botanical usage Strobilus, plural strobili is an organ on Plants in the division Pinophyta ( Conifers In Geology, rock is a naturally occurring aggregate of Minerals and/or Mineraloids The Earth's outer solid layer the ‘ Lithosphere Food is any substance usually composed primarily of Carbohydrates Fats water and/or Proteins that can be eaten or drunk by an It simply makes sense then that toys have a history as old as human civilization itself. Toys and games have been unearthed from the sites of ancient civilizations. A game is a structured activity, usually undertaken for Enjoyment and sometimes also used as an Educational tool They have been written about in some of our oldest literature. Toys excavated from the Indus valley civilization (3000-1500 BCE) include small carts, whistles shaped like birds, and toy monkeys which could slide down a string. The Indus Valley Civilization (Mature period 2600&ndash1900 BCE abbreviated IVC, was an ancient Civilization that flourished in the Indus River basin "CARTS" redirects here For the transportation system see Capital Area Rural Transportation System, or Chautauqua CARTS. A simple whistle is a Woodwind instrument which produces Sound from a stream of forced air A monkey is any member of either the New World monkeys or Old World monkeys two of the three groupings of Simian Primates the third group being [2]
The earliest toys were made from materials found in nature, such as rocks, sticks, and clay. Thousands of years ago, Egyptian children played with dolls that had wigs and movable limbs which were made from stone, pottery, and wood. Ancient Egypt was an Ancient Civilization in eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now A doll is an object that represents a baby or other human being but includes likenesses of animals and imaginary creatures [3] In Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, children played with dolls made of wax or terra cotta, sticks, bows and arrows, and yo-yos. The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC Terra cotta ( Italian: "baked earth" is a Ceramic. Its uses include vessels water & waste water pipes and surface embellishment in Building construction A bow is a Weapon that projects arrows powered by the elasticity of the bow The yo-yo is a Toy consisting of two equally sized and weighted disks of Plastic, Wood, or Metal, connected with an Axle, with a When Greek children, especially girls, came of age it was customary for them to sacrifice the toys of their childhood to the gods. On the eve of their wedding, young girls around fourteen would offer their dolls in a temple as a rite of passage into adulthood. [4][5]
As technology changed and civilization progressed, toys also changed. Whereas ancient toys were made from materials found in nature like stone, wood, and grass modern toys are often made from plastic, cloth, and synthentic materials. In Geology, rock is a naturally occurring aggregate of Minerals and/or Mineraloids The Earth's outer solid layer the ‘ Lithosphere Wood is hard fibrous lignified structural tissue produced as secondary Xylem in the stems of Woody plants notably trees but also shrubs Grass is the common word that generally describes Monocotyledonous green Plants The family Gramineae ( Poaceae) are the "true grasses" and include Plastic is the general common term for a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic organic solid materials suitable for the manufacture of industrial products A textile is a flexible material comprised of a network of natural or artificial Fibres often referred to as thread or Yarn. Ancient toys were often made by the parents and family of the children who used them, or by the children themselves. Modern toys, in contrast, are often mass-produced and sold in stores. Mass production (also called flow production, repetitive flow production, series production, or serial production) is the production of
This change in the nature of toys is exemplified by the changes that have taken place in one of the oldest and most universal of human toys; dolls. The earliest and most primitive dolls were simple wooden carvings and bundles of grass. Egyptian dolls were sometimes jointed so that their limbs could move realistically. By the early 1800s there were dolls that could say "mama". Today there are dolls that can recognize and identify objects, the voice of their owner, and choose among hundreds of pre-programed phrases with which to respond. [6] The materials that toys are made from have changed, what toys can do has changed, but the fact that children play with toys has not changed
Child development
Toys, like play itself, serve multiple purposes in both humans and animals. They provide entertainment while fulfilling an educational role. Toys enhance cognitive behavior and stimulate creativity. Cognition is a concept used in different ways by different disciplines but is generally accepted to mean the process of awareness or thought Behavior or behaviour (see spelling differences) refers to the actions or Reactions of an object or Organism, usually Creativity is a mental process involving the generation of new Ideas or Concepts, or new associations of the creative mind between existing ideas or concepts They aid in the development of physical and mental skills which are necessary in later life.
One of the simplest toys, a set of simple wooden blocks is also one of the best toys for developing minds. Toy blocks (also building bricks, or simply blocks) are Wooden, Plastic or Foam pieces of various shapes ( square, Andrew Witkin, director of marketing for Mega Brands told Investor's Business Daily that, "They help develop hand-eye coordination, math and science skills and also let kids be creative. "[7] Other toys like Marbles, jackstones, and balls serve similar functions in child development, allowing children to use their minds and bodies to learn about spatial relationships, cause and effect, and a wide range of other skills as well as those mentioned by Mr. A marble is a small spherical toy usually made from Glass, Clay, or Agate. Jacks (sometimes called jackstones, fivestones or onesies) is a Playground game for children BALL ( Biochemical Algorithms Library) is a C++ library containing common algorithms used in Biochemistry and Bioinformatics. Witkin.
One example of the dramatic ways that toys can influence child development involves clay sculpting toys such as Play-Doh and Silly Putty and their home-made counterparts. Play-Doh (british Plasticine) is a Non-toxic modeling clay compound similar in texture to Bread Dough that has been sold as a children's toy Silly Putty (originally called Nutty Putty, and also marketing by other companies as Thinking Putty, Bouncing Putty) is the Crayola owned trademark Mary Ucci, Educational Director of the Child Study Center of Wellesley College, demonstrates how such toys positively impact the physical development, cognitive development, emotional development, and social development of children. [8]
Toys for infants often make use of distinctive sounds, bright colors, and unique textures. Through play with toys infants begin to recognize shapes and colors. Repetition reinforces memory. Play-Doh, Silly Putty and other hands-on materials allow the child to make toys of their own. Play-Doh (british Plasticine) is a Non-toxic modeling clay compound similar in texture to Bread Dough that has been sold as a children's toy Silly Putty (originally called Nutty Putty, and also marketing by other companies as Thinking Putty, Bouncing Putty) is the Crayola owned trademark
Educational toys for school age children of often contain a puzzle, problem-solving technique, or mathematical proposition. A puzzle is a Problem or Enigma that challenges Ingenuity. In a basic puzzle one is intended to piece together objects in a logical way in order to Often toys designed for older audiences, such as teenagers or adults demonstrate advanced concepts. Newton's cradle, a desk toy designed by Simon Prebble, demonstrates the conservation of momentum and energy. Newton's cradle or Newton's balls, named after Sir Isaac Newton, is a device that demonstrates Conservation of momentum and energy. Simon Prebble (born February 13, 1942) is an English actor and narrator Early life Born and raised in Croydon, England, Simon
Not all toys are appropriate for all ages of children. Some toys which are marketed for a specific age range can even harm the development of children in that range.
Gender
Certain toys, such as Barbie dolls and toy soldiers, are often perceived as being more acceptable for one gender than the other. Barbie is a best-selling fashion Doll launched in 1959 The doll is produced by Mattel Inc It has been noted by researchers that, "Children as young as 18 months display sex-stereotyped toy choices". [9]
Playing with toys stereotyped for the opposite gender sometimes results in negative consequences from parents or fellow children. In recent years, mainly in western countries, it has been looked down upon for males to play with toys that were originally stereotyped as being "for girls". The term Western world, the West or the Occident ( Latin: occidens -sunset -west as distinct from the Orient) can have multiple meanings However, it is generally not looked down upon for females to play with toys designed "for boys", an activity which has also become more common in recent years. [10]
Economics
With toys comprising such a large and important part of human existence, it makes sense that the toy industry would have a substantial economic impact. Sales of toys often increase around holidays where gift-giving is a tradition. giFT Internet File Transfer ( giFT) is a computer software daemon that allows several File sharing protocols to be used with a simple client having a Some of these holidays include Christmas, Easter, Saint Nicholas Day and Three Kings Day. Easter ( Greek: Πάσχα Pascha or Pasxa) is the most important religious feast in the Christian Liturgical year. Saint Nicholas (Άγιος Νικόλαος, Agios Nikolaos, "victory of the people" is the common name for Nicholas of Myra, a Christian Saint Epiphany ( Greek for "to manifest" or "to show" is a Christian Feast day which celebrates the "shining forth" or revelation of
In 2005, toy sales in the United States totaled about $22. 9 billion. [7] Money spent on children between the ages of 8 and twelve alone totals approximately $221 billion annually in the U. S. [11]
Toy makers change and adapt their toys to meet the changing demands of children thereby gaining a larger share of the substantial market. In recent years many toys have become more complicated with flashing lights and sounds in an effort to appeal to children raised around television and the internet. According to Mattel's president, Neil Friedman, "Innovation is key in the toy industry and to succeed one must create a 'wow' moment for kids by designing toys that have fun, innovative features and include new technologies and engaging content. Mattel Inc ( is the world's largest Toy importing company based on revenue "
In an effort to reduce costs, many mass-producers of toys locate their factories in areas where wages are lower. 75% of all toys sold in the U. S. , for example, are manufactured in China. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National [7] Issues and events such as power outages, supply of raw materials, supply of labor, and raising wages that impact areas where factories are located often have an enormous impact on the toy industry in importing countries.
Types
Construction sets
The Greek philosopher Plato wrote that the future architect should play at building houses as a child. Biography Early life Birth and family Plato was born in Athens Greece [12] A construction set is a collection of separate pieces that can be joined together to create models. A scale model is a representation or copy of an object that is larger or smaller than the actual size of the object. Popular models to make include cars, spaceships, and houses. A spacecraft is a Vehicle or machine designed for Spaceflight. House generally refers to a Shelter or Building that is a Dwelling or place for Habitation by Human beings. The things that are built are sometimes used as toys once completed, but generally speaking, the object is to build things of one's own design, and old models often are broken up and the pieces reused in new models.
The oldest and, perhaps most common construction toy is a set of simple wooden blocks, which are often painted in bright colors and given to babies and toddlers. Toy blocks (also building bricks, or simply blocks) are Wooden, Plastic or Foam pieces of various shapes ( square, Construction sets such as Lego bricks and Lincoln Logs are designed for slightly older children and have been quite popular in the last century. Lego, officially trademarked LEGO, is a line of construction Toys manufactured by the Lego Group, a privately Lincoln Logs are a Toy consisting of notched miniature logs about ¾ inches (1-2 cm) in Diameter. Construction sets appeal to children (and adults) who like to work with their hands, puzzle solvers, and imaginative sorts. The hands ( med / lat: manus pl manūs are the two intricate prehensile multi- Fingered body parts normally located at the end of each arm of a A puzzle is a Problem or Enigma that challenges Ingenuity. In a basic puzzle one is intended to piece together objects in a logical way in order to Imagination is the ability to form Mental images/sounds/feelings or the ability to Spontaneously Generate images/sounds/feelings within one's own Mind
Some other examples include Bayko, Konstruk-Tubes, K'NEX, Erector Sets, Tinkertoys, and Meccano. Bayko was an English Building model construction Toy invented by Charles Plimpton. The Konstruk-Tubes tubular building set was created in 2006 by Keith S K'NEX is a brand name of a Construction toy system invented by Joel Glickman designed and produced by K'NEX Industries Inc Erector Set is the trade name of a toy Construction set that was wildly popular in the United States during much of the 20th century The Tinkertoy Construction Set was created in 1914&mdashone year after the A Meccano is a model Construction kit comprising re-usable Metal strips plates angle Girders Wheels axles and
Dolls, animals, and miniatures
A doll is a model of a human (often a baby), a humanoid (like Bert and Ernie), or an animal. A doll is an object that represents a baby or other human being but includes likenesses of animals and imaginary creatures Human beings, humans or man (Origin 1590–1600 L homō man OL hemō the earthly one (see Humus The term " humanoid " refers to any being whose body structure resembles that of a Human. Bert and Ernie are two roommates on the long-running PBS Children's television show Sesame Street. Modern dolls are often made of cloth or plastic. A textile is a flexible material comprised of a network of natural or artificial Fibres often referred to as thread or Yarn. Plastic is the general common term for a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic organic solid materials suitable for the manufacture of industrial products Other materials that are, or have been, used in the manufacture of dolls include cornhusks, bone, stone, wood, porcelain (sometimes called china), bisque, celluloid, wax, and even apples. Husk (or hull) in botany is the outer shell or coating of a seed Bones are rigid organs that form part of the Endoskeleton of Vertebrates They function to move support and protect the various organs of the body produce In Geology, rock is a naturally occurring aggregate of Minerals and/or Mineraloids The Earth's outer solid layer the ‘ Lithosphere Wood is hard fibrous lignified structural tissue produced as secondary Xylem in the stems of Woody plants notably trees but also shrubs Porcelain is a Ceramic material made by heating raw materials generally including Clay in the form of Kaolin, in a Kiln to temperatures Bisque, also biscuit is a fired piece of unglazed Ceramic ware Celluloid is the name of a class of compounds created from Nitrocellulose and Camphor, plus dyes and other agents Wax has traditionally referred to a substance that is secreted by Bees ( Beeswax) and used by them in constructing their The apple is the pomaceous Fruit of the apple tree Species Malus domestica in the Rose family Rosaceae. Often people will make dolls out of whatever materials are available to them.
Sometimes intended as decorations, keepsakes, or collectibles for older children and adults, most dolls are intended as toys for children, usually girls, to play with. For the record label see Collectables Records For the Ashanti album see Collectables by Ashanti A collectable CHILD syndrome (or congenital hemidysplasia with ichthyosiform erythroderma and limb defects) is a genetic disorder A girl is any Female Human from birth through Childhood and Adolescence to attainment of Adulthood The term may also be used to mean Dolls have been found in Egyptian tombs which date to as early as 2000 BC. Ancient Egypt was an Ancient Civilization in eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now For the New York prison see The Tombs. A Tomb is a repository for the remains of the dead. The 21st century BC is a Century which lasted from the year 2100 BC to 2001 BC [3]
Dolls are usually miniatures, but baby dolls may be of true size and weight. A doll or stuffed animal of soft material is sometimes called a plush toy or plushie. A stuffed animal is Toy Animal sewn from Cloth, A stuffed animal is Toy Animal sewn from Cloth, A stuffed animal is Toy Animal sewn from Cloth, A popular toy of this type is the Teddy Bear. The teddy bear is a stuffed Toy Bear. It is an enduring traditional form of a Stuffed animal, often serving the purpose of comforting children
A distinction is often made between dolls and action figures, which are generally of plastic or semi-metallic construction and poseable to some extent, and often are merchandising from television shows or films which feature the characters. An action figure is a posable character Figurine, made of Plastic or other materials and often based upon a movie, Comic book, Video game Television ( TV) is a widely used Telecommunication medium for sending ( Broadcasting) and receiving moving Images, either monochromatic Modern action figures, such as Action Man, are often marketed towards boys, whereas dolls are often marketed towards girls. For the 2nd-generation Hasbro Action Man see Action Man 1993-2006.
Toy soldiers, perhaps a precursor to modern action figures, have been a popular toy for centuries. A toy soldier is a miniature Figurine that represents a Soldier. They allow children to act out battles, often with toy military equipment and a castle or fort. A castle is a defensive structure seen as one of the main symbols of the Middle Ages. Fortifications are Military Constructions and Buildings designed for defense in Warfare Humans have constructed defensive works for Miniature animal figures are also widespread, with children perhaps acting out farm activities with animals and equipment centered around a toy farm. A farm is an area of land including various structures devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food ( Produce, Grains, or Livestock
Vehicles
Children have played with miniature versions of vehicles since ancient times, with toy two-wheeled carts being depicted on ancient Greek vases. A pop-pop boat is a toy with a very simple Heat engine without moving parts powered by a candle or oil burner Thanks to its hardy nature pottery bulks large in the archaeological record of Ancient Greece, and because we have so much of it (some 100000 vases are recorded in the Corpus [12] Wind-up toys have also played a part in the advancement of toy vehicles. A wind-up toy is any toy that is powered by a spring that is tightened by turning it Modern equivalents include toy cars such as those produced by Matchbox or Hot Wheels, miniature aircraft, toy boats, and trains. A motor Vehicle is a Machine which incorporates a motor (sometimes known as an Engine) and which is used for Transportation Matchbox is a Die cast toy brand currently owned by Mattel, Inc MycarsJPG|thumb|right|250px|Some 2008 models the Audi R8, the Porsche Carrera GT, the Mitsubishi Eclipse, and the Dodge Challenger "Toy Train" redirects here For information on the Toy Train in Darjeeling click on Darjeeling Himalayan Railway toy train is a Examples of the latter range from wooden sets for younger children such as BRIO complicated realistic train models like those produced by Lionel and Hornby. BRIO is a wooden Toy company founded in Sweden. Founder Ivar Bengtsson was a basket maker who started to make toys in Osby, Scania Model railroading (US or Railway modelling (UK Australia and Canada is a Hobby in which Rail transport systems are modeled at a reduced scale Lionel Corporation was an American toy manufacturer and retailer that did business from 1900 to 1993 Hornby Railways is the leading brand of Model railway in the United Kingdom. Larger die-cast vehicles, 1:18 scale, have become popular toys; these vehicles are produced with a great attention to detail.
Puzzles
A puzzle is a problem or enigma that challenges ingenuity. A problem is an obstacle which makes it difficult to achieve a desired goal objective or purpose The term ingenuity or applied ideas is used in the analysis of Thomas Homer-Dixon, building on that of Paul Romer, to refer to what is usually called Solutions to puzzle may require recognizing patterns and creating a particular order. A pattern, from the French patron, is a theme of recurring events or objects sometimes referred to as elements of a set People with a high inductive reasoning aptitude may be better at solving these puzzles than others. Inductive reasoning is a measurable aptitude for how well a person can identify a pattern within a large amount of data Puzzles based on the process of inquiry and discovery to complete may be solved faster by those with good deduction skills. Inquiry or enquiry is any process that has the aim of augmenting Knowledge, resolving Doubt, or solving a Problem.
The history of puzzles goes back many thousands of years.
There are many different types of puzzles, for example a maze is a type of tour puzzle. A maze is a complex Tour puzzle in the form of a complex branching passage through which the solver must find a route In tour puzzles the player of the Puzzle makes a trip around a board (usually but not necessarily two-dimensional) using a token which represents Other categories include; construction puzzles, stick puzzles, tiling puzzles, transport puzzles, disentanglement puzzles, sliding puzzles, logic puzzles, picture puzzles, lock puzzles and mechanical puzzles. In a construction puzzle you have to build (assemble a technical contraption Stick puzzles use sets of 'polysticks' (essentially one-dimensional objects which have to be assembled into two- or three-dimensional configurations Tiling puzzles are Puzzles involving two-dimensional Packing problems in which a number of flat shapes have to be assembled into a larger given shape without overlaps Transport puzzles are logistical Puzzles which often represent real-life Transport problems A disentanglement puzzle is a type of Mechanical puzzle that involves disentangling one piece or set of pieces from another piece or set of pieces A sliding puzzle, sliding block puzzle, or sliding tile puzzle challenges a player to slide usually flat pieces along certain routes (usually on a board to establish A logic puzzle is a Puzzle deriving from the Mathematics field of Deduction. A sliding puzzle, sliding block puzzle, or sliding tile puzzle challenges a player to slide usually flat pieces along certain routes (usually on a board to establish A lock puzzle is a type of Mechanical puzzle. It consists of a lock with unusual or hidden mechanics A mechanical puzzle is a Puzzle presented as a set of mechanically interlinked pieces
History of mechanical puzzles
The oldest known mechanical puzzle comes from Greece and appeared in the 3rd century BC. A mechanical puzzle is a Puzzle presented as a set of mechanically interlinked pieces Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία The game consists of a square divided into 14 parts, and the aim was to create different shapes from these pieces. In Iran “puzzle-locks” were made as early as the 17th century AD. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. In 1742 Japan there is a mention of a game called “Sei Shona-gon Chie No-Ita” in a book. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Around the year 1800 the Tangram puzzle from China became popular, and 20 years later it had spread through Europe and America. Tangram ( is a Dissection puzzle. It consists of seven pieces called tans, which fit together to form a shape of some sort China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The company Richter from Rudolstadt began producing large amounts of Tangram-like puzzles of different shapes, the so-called “Anker-puzzles”. Rudolstadt is a Town in the German Bundesland of Thuringia, close to the Thuringian Forest to the southwest and to Jena
Puzzles were greatly fashionable towards the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. The first patents for puzzles were recorded at this time. In 1893 professor Hoffman wrote a book called “Puzzles Old and New”. It contained, amongst other things, more than 40 descriptions of puzzles with secret opening mechanisms. This book grew into a reference work for puzzle games and modern copies exist for those interested.
With the invention of materials easy to shape such as plastic, the range of puzzle possibilities grew. Rubik's Cube, arguably the most famous puzzle worldwide, would not be possible without modern polymers. The Rubik's Cube is a Mechanical puzzle invented in 1974 by Hungarian Sculptor and Professor of Architecture Ernő Rubik A polymer is a large Molecule ( Macromolecule) composed of repeating Structural units typically connected by Covalent Chemical bonds
Physical activity
A great many toys are part of active play. These include traditional toys such as hoops, tops, jump ropes and balls, as well as more modern toys like Frisbees, foot bags (also known as Hacky Sacks), astrojax, Myachi, and the yo-yo. Hoop Rolling, often called hoop and stick, is a child's game in which a large hoop made of wood metal or plastic is rolled along by means of a stick A top, or spinning top, is a Toy that can be spun on an axis balancing on a point A jump rope, skipping rope, or skip rope is the primary tool used in the Game of skipping played by Children and many Young adults BALL ( Biochemical Algorithms Library) is a C++ library containing common algorithms used in Biochemistry and Bioinformatics. A footbag is a small and round bag or ball used in sports which are also referred to as footbag Hacky Sack is the trademarked name of a type of Footbag. The name "hacky sack" came from the inventors of the footbag John Stalberger and Mike Marshall. Astrojax is a Toy consisting of three balls on a string One ball is fixed at each end of the string and the center ball is free to slide along the string between the two end Myachi, pronounced mee-ah-chee is a sand filled handsack about 3 x 1 The yo-yo is a Toy consisting of two equally sized and weighted disks of Plastic, Wood, or Metal, connected with an Axle, with a
Playing with these sorts of toys allows children to exercise, building strong bones and muscles and aiding in physical fitness. Physical fitness is used in two close meanings general fitness (a state of Health and well-being and specific fitness (a task-oriented definition based on the ability Throwing and catching balls and frisbees can improve hand-eye coordination. Jumping rope, (also known as skipping) and playing with foot bags can improve balance.
Collectibles
Some toys, such as Beanie Babies, attract large numbers of enthusiasts, eventually becoming collectibles. For the record label see Collectables Records For the Ashanti album see Collectables by Ashanti A collectable A Beanie Baby is a stuffed animal made by Ty Inc Ty was founded by Ty Warner who promoted the line in specialty stores and gift shops For the record label see Collectables Records For the Ashanti album see Collectables by Ashanti A collectable Other toys, such as Boyds Bears are marketed to adults as collectibles. Boyds Bears is a line of Collectible resin and stuffed teddy bears produced by The Boyds Collection LTD Some people spend large sums of money in an effort to acquire larger and more complete collections. The record for a single PEZ dispenser at auction, for example, is $1,100 U. PEZ is the brand name of an Austrian candy the pocket mechanical dispensers for such candy and an abbreviation of PEZ Candy Inc S. [13]
Promotional merchandise
Many successful films, television programs, books and sport teams have official merchandise, which often includes related toys. Television ( TV) is a widely used Telecommunication medium for sending ( Broadcasting) and receiving moving Images, either monochromatic A Book is a set or collection of written printed illustrated or blank sheets made of Paper, Parchment, or other material usually fastened together Sport is an Activity that is governed by a set of rules or Customs and often engaged in competitively In Marketing, a product is anything that can be offered to a Market that might satisfy a want or need Some notable examples are Star Wars (a science fiction film series) and Manchester United, an English football club. Star Wars is an epic Space opera franchise initially conceived by George Lucas during the 1970s and significantly expanded Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered
Promotional toys can fall into any of the other toy categories; for example they can be dolls or action figures based on the characters of movies or professional athletes, or they can be balls, yo-yos, and lunch boxes with logos on them. The lunch box, also referred to as a lunch pail or lunch kit. Sometimes they are given away for free as a form of advertising. Advertising is a form of Communication that typically attempts to persuade potential Customers to Purchase or to consume more of a particular Brand Many food manufacturers will run promotions where a toy will be included with the main product as a sort of bonus. Some people go to great lengths to collect these sorts of promotional toys.
Invention
Some new toys and new types of toys are created by accidental innovation. The term innovation means a new way of doing something It may refer to incremental radical and revolutionary changes in thinking products processes or organisations After trying to create a replacement for synthetic rubber, Earl Warrick inadvertently invented "nutty putty" during World War II. Elastomer Synthetic rubber is any type of artificially made Polymer material which acts as an Elastomer. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Later, Peter Hodgson recognized the potential as a childhood plaything and packaged it as Silly Putty. Silly Putty (originally called Nutty Putty, and also marketing by other companies as Thinking Putty, Bouncing Putty) is the Crayola owned trademark Similarly, Play-Doh was created as a wallpaper cleaner. Play-Doh (british Plasticine) is a Non-toxic modeling clay compound similar in texture to Bread Dough that has been sold as a children's toy [14] In 1943 Richard James was experimenting with torsion springs as part of his military research when he saw one come loose and fall to the floor. Richard T James (1914 – 1974 was a naval Engineer. He and his wife Betty (born February 13, 1918, in Altoona Pennsylvania) were the inventors A torsion spring is a spring that works by torsion or twisting that is a flexible elastic object that stores Mechanical energy when it is twisted He was intrigued by the way it flopped around on the floor. He spent two years fine-tuning the design to find the best gauge of steel and coil; the result was the Slinky, which went on to sell in stores throughout the United States. A Slinky is a Coil -shaped Toy invented by mechanical engineer Richard James in Philadelphia Pennsylvania The United States of America —commonly referred to as the
Many traditional toy makers have been losing to video game makers for years. Because of this, some traditional toy makers are enhancing the brands that they have by introducing interactive extensions or internet connectivity to their current toys. [15]
Safety regulations
Many countries have passed safety standards limiting the types of toys that can be sold. Safety standards are standards designed to ensure the Safety of products activities or processes etc Most of these seek to limit potential hazards, such as choking or fire hazards that could cause injury. Choking is the mechanical obstruction of the flow of air from the environment into the lungs Injury or bodily injury is Damage or Harm caused to the Structure or function of the Body caused by an outside agent or Children, especially very small ones, often put toys into their mouths, so the materials used to make a toy are regulated to prevent poisoning. Materials are also regulated to prevent fire hazards. Children have not yet learned to judge what is safe and what is dangerous, and parents do not always think of all possible situations, so such warnings and regulations are important on toys.
Disposal
When toys have been outgrown or are no longer wanted, reuse is sometimes considered. They can be donated via many charities such as Goodwill and the Salvation Army, sold at garage sales, auctioned, sometimes even donated to museums. The Salvation Army is a Christian charity and church that is internally organised like a military service. A garage sale, also known as a yard sale, rummage sale, tag sale, attic sale, moving sale, or junk sale, is an informal "Auctioneer" redirects here For the DC Comics supervillain see Auctioneer (comics. A museum is a "permanent institution in the service of society and of its development open to the public which acquires conserves researches communicates and exhibits the However, when toys are broken, worn out or otherwise unfit for use, care should be taken when disposing of them. Donated or resold toys should be gently used, clean and have all parts. [16] Before disposal of any battery-operated toy, batteries should removed and recycled; some communities demand this be done. In electronics a battery is a combination of two or more Electrochemical cells which store chemical Energy which can be converted into electrical energy Some manufacturers, such as Little Tikes, will take back and recycle their products.
In 2007, massive recalls of toys produced in China led many U. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The 2007 Chinese export recalls refers to a series of product recalls and import bans initiated by the product safety institutions of the United States, Canada S. based charities to cut back on, or even discontinue, their acceptance of used toys. Goodwill stopped accepting donations of any toys except stuffed animals, and other charities checked all toys against government-issued checklists. [17]
The WEEE directive (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment), which aims at increasing re-use and recycling and reducing electronic waste, applies to toys in the United Kingdom as of 2 January 2007. The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE Directive is the European Community directive 2002/96/EC on waste electrical and electronic equipment Events 366 - The Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine River in large numbers invading the Roman Empire. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. [18]
See also
- Toy companies
- Game manufacturers
- Board games
- National Farm Toy Museum
- Museum of Toys and Automata
- List of toys
- National Toy Hall of Fame
- Toy museums
References
- ^ Definition of "toy" from etymonline.com
- ^ MrDonn.org - Daily Life in Ancient India, including the mysterious Indus Valley Civilization
- ^ a b Maspero, Gaston Camille Charles. A board game is a Game in which counters or pieces that are placed on removed from or moved across a "board" (a premarked surface usually specific to that game The National Farm Toy Museum is a Museum located in Dyersville Iowa that specializes in preserving and displaying Scale models Replicas and The Museu de Joguets i Autòmats is in Verdú Lleida, 100 km west of Barcelona, it sets forth a collection of more than a thousand objects and is placed in a building This is not intended to be a complete list For a list of all toys on which there are currently articles see:CategoryToys. The National Toy Hall of Fame is an American hall of fame that recognizes the contributions of Toys and Games that have sustained their popularity for many Toy museums are Museums for Toys They typically showcase toys from a particular culture or period Gaston Camille Charles Maspero ( June 23, 1846 &ndash June 30, 1916) was a French Egyptologist. Manual of Egyptian Archaeology and Guide to the Study of Antiquities in Egypt. Project Gutenberg.
- ^ Powell, Barry B. (2001). Classical Myth; Third Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 33-34. ISBN 0-13-088442-1.
- ^ Oliver, Valerie (1996). History Of The Yo-Yo. Spintastics Skill Toys, Inc. . Retrieved on 2006-10-30. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 637 - Antioch surrenders to the Muslim forces under Rashidun Caliphate after the Battle of Iron bridge.
- ^ Van Patten, Denise. A Brief History of Talking Dolls- -From Bebe Phonographe to Amazing Amanda. About. com. Retrieved on 2006-10-30. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 637 - Antioch surrenders to the Muslim forces under Rashidun Caliphate after the Battle of Iron bridge.
- ^ a b c Tsuruoka, Doug (January 5, 2007). "Toys: Not All Fun And Games". Investor's Business Daily.
- ^ Ucci, Mary (April, 2006). "Playdough: 50 Years' Old, And Still Gooey, Fun, And Educational". Child Health Alert 24. (Full-text on-line version requires login)
- ^ Caldera, Yvonne M. ; Aletha C. Huston, Marion O'Brien (February 1989). "Social Interactions and Play Patterns of Parents and Toddlers with Feminine, Masculine, and Neutral Toys". Child Development 60 (1): 70-76. doi:. A digital object identifier ( DOI) is a permanent identifier given to an Electronic document.
- ^ Toys for Girls and Boys - The Canadian Toy Testing Council accessed 27 May 2007
- ^ Associated Press. Events 927 - Simeon the Great, Tsar of Bulgaria, dies 1120 - Richard III of Capua is anointed Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. "Parents of tweens seek balance for fast-maturing kids", CNN. com, November 28, 2006. Retrieved on 2008-03-16. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 597 BC - Babylonians capture Jerusalem, replace Jehoiachin with Zedekiah as king
- ^ a b Karl Hils, The Toy - Its Value, Construction and Use, Edmund Ward Ltd. , London, 1959.
- ^ Brown, Patricia Leigh. "New Auction Gems: Common Folks; Venerable Houses Woo Unstuffy Buyers With Unstuffy Stuff", The New York Times, April 23, 1995, pp. 37. Retrieved on 2006-10-11. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1138 - A massive earthquake struck Aleppo, Syria. 1531 - Huldrych Zwingli is killed (English)
- ^ On the invention of silly putty, from web.mit.edu
- ^ World in their hands. The Age (2007).
- ^ Goodwill donation guidelines
- ^ Eckelbecker, Lisa. "Santa helpers deal with toy recalls; Charities must scrutinize gifts", Worcester Telegram & Gazette, November 15, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-11-16. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 534 - A second and final revision of the Codex Justinianus is published (English)
- ^ Information about the Weee Directive.
Further reading
- Kline, Stephen. 1995. Out of the Garden: Toys, TV, and Children's Culture in the Age of Marketing. Verso Books; ISBN 1-85984-059-0.
- Walsh, Tim. 2005. Timeless Toys: Classic Toys and the Playmakers Who Created Them. Andrews McMeel Publishing; ISBN 0-7407-5571-4.
- Wulffson, Don L. Toys! Henry Holt and Company; ISBN 0-8050-6196-7
Dictionary
toy
-noun
- Something to play with, esp. as intended for use by a child.
- A thing of little importance or value: trifle.
-verb
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