|
![]() |
![]() 
![]() |
|
'Tis the season
for gift-giving, and one of the most common gifts of all is the toy. The ball, the doll,
the
kite, and the yo-yo are thought
to be the oldest playthings, and human and animal figures -- sometimes mounted on wheels and dating as
far back as
2,600 BCE -- have been found in ancient Egypt,
India,
China, and
Mesopotamia.
The Doll's Evolution, and
The Doll Revolution
The doll is believed to be the
world's oldest plaything. Many early examples of dolls, once regarded as toys, are now thought by
scholars to be fetishes (small stone carvings believed to have magical purposes) or funerary or
fertility
figures. Dolls have maintained their popularity into modern times with such notables as the Kewpie doll
(1903) and Cabbage Patch Kids (1983). Barbie, who turned 45 this
year, has long caused controversy. Mothers initially criticized her for having "too much of a figure,"
and the Saudi government banned her sale in Saudi Arabia because the
doll violated the Islamic
dress
code.
Come Out and
Play
Outdoor toys have long been given as gifts for sport and active play. The ball is mentioned in the
earliest recorded literatures and finds a place in some of the oldest graphic representations. Some form
of ball game is portrayed on early Egyptian monuments, and even among the Romans, who disliked
participation sports, ball play was extremely popular. The kite was first popularized,
if not invented, in China nearly 3,000 years ago. Over the millennia, kites have been used not only as
toys, but also to ward off evil, deliver messages, measure the weather, propel
craft, drop propaganda leaflets, photograph the Earth, and lift passengers skyward.
Hi-Tech
Hijinks
From the first steam and clockwork-driven mechanisms to contemporary electronic gadgets,
automated playthings
have
been a favorite of children and adults alike. Motorized trains, cars, planes, and boats have paved the
way for modern robotic toys containing sophisticated microcomputers that enable
life-like behavior. Sony's AIBO robot dog exhibits the
ability to learn new tricks. Electronic games, or video
games, with titles for each gender and every age, have all but eclipsed traditional toys in many
households. The Sims, with its virtual dolls, is a particular favorite of millions of girls;
millions of boys indulge in realistic combat games, such as Doom; and younger
children engage in animated learning games.
|
 |
 |
![]() |
![]() |
|
![]() |
| ![]() |
|
