Toys

I

Introduction

Toys, objects that serve as playthings for children. Although the exact origin of the word is unknown, it is believed to date to the 14th century, with its modern usage emerging in the 16th century. Toys is a broad category that can encompass games, puzzles, balls and other sports equipment, dolls and action figures, play sets, creative and artistic materials, collectibles, miniatures of all kinds, and a wide variety of other items.

Most toys are specifically manufactured or crafted, but found or homemade objects are also often used by children in play. Ancient cultures, such as the Greeks and Egyptians, fashioned the earliest toys from rocks, sticks, wood, animal hide, and clay. Even with the wide variety of elaborate, high-tech toys available today, a child may have just as much fun using his or her imagination to play with a cardboard box or a stray piece of plastic.

The inherent purpose of any toy has always been to entertain or occupy a child. But toys are also frequently used in other ways, such as educating children or teaching them about important rituals. No matter their purpose, toys are an important influence on the emotional, mental, and physical development of children.

II

Toys and Child Development

While children mature at different rates and some toys can be fun at any age, many playthings are tailored to different age levels. Child development experts have conducted studies aimed at determining the right type of toy for a child at each stage of development. Relevant factors may include the color of a toy, sounds or movement, features, level of complexity, and ability to stimulate creativity or role-playing. See also Child Development.

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In addition to age-specific targets, toy manufacturers must consider child safety issues. A toy designed for 2-year-olds has very different safety requirements than one made for 12-year-olds. For example, toys with small pieces pose a choking hazard for small children. This is one of the primary reasons that toy makers label their products with specific age recommendations. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission is a federal agency that works with all types of manufacturers, including toy companies, to determine safety guidelines and recall potentially dangerous items.

Safety restrictions aside, there is little governing the age at which a child may enjoy a toy. Some children will play with toys designed for a much older age. Less often will a child play with a toy he or she feels is too “young” for them.

A

Infants

Toys designed for infants—children from birth through age two—are generally targeted toward developing the child’s senses, primarily sight (colorful mobiles), sound (musical toys, rattles), and touch (balls, plush toys). Such objects stimulate the child, provide comfort, and encourage the development of hand-eye coordination. Infant toys are usually based on familiarity, whether with shapes, colors, animals, or people. Repetitive play reinforces familiarity with the toy. Infant toys should follow the child’s development level. They should be durable and nontoxic, with no small pieces and no sharp edges.

B

Early Childhood

Toys for preschool-age children, generally considered ages 2 through 6, allow them to exercise their imagination in preparation for school and other social settings. These playthings encourage creativity and skill-building, such as coloring books, blocks, construction sets, and modeling clay.

Some toys for this age group fall into gender-specific categories. Toy kitchens, makeup, housewares, and dolls reinforce traditional female roles and are often used in role-playing. Traditional favorites among little boys are toy trucks and cars, miniature construction equipment, and blocks and building sets. Toy weapons—such as cap guns, space guns, and cowboy guns—have also long been popular with boys. Many types of toy guns have been discontinued, however, because of growing concerns about violence among children and the potential for such toys to be mistaken for real weapons.

Still other toys designed for early childhood can easily cross gender lines. Crayons and paint, modeling clay, board games, and plush toys are equally desirable to both boys and girls. Sports toys, once considered strictly for boys, are now widely popular with both sexes following the rapid growth in girls’ athletics.

Early childhood is also a time children become more aware of television and movie characters. Throughout history, familiar characters have appealed to children from an early age. Some of the more popular 20th-century icons that spawned their own toys included Little Orphan Annie, Batman and other superheroes, and Disney characters such as Mickey Mouse. The expansion of children’s media in recent years, through sources such as cable television and video games, has greatly increased the number and variety of such characters and their related toys.