INTRODUCTION TO THE BEST CLASSIC TOYS 2009

Why Classic Toys Are Always Important©

by Stevanne Auerbach, PhD/Dr. Toy

Dr. Toy really appreciates the long lasting appeal of classic toys, dolls, games, puzzles and other children’s products that have brought joy and delight to you, your parents and grandparents. You share in the good feeling of nostalgia and enjoyment that is connected to toys that bring back special memories of good times playing with others. Have you noticed many of the toys that you played with as a child are still available now to share with your children? Those childhood classics have lasted over generations to continue to bring joy. They continue to prove their value and will now delight your child. The joy of sharing with your child a toy that you had played with is a special treat for you and for your child. We applaud the longevity of classic toys. I hope that many new generations of children will continue to enjoy the classic toys we have selected as best for this year. We also want to remind you to watch for handmade toys (carved wooden toys, handmade dolls, and other play products ) at stores and shows that display the ongoing creativity of the talented hands that keep the art of toy making alive and well. Learn more about this wondrous art at The Handmade Toy Alliance.

What Is A Classic Toy?

A classic toy is simple to enjoy, has a lot of play value, and has been tested over many years. There are many other aspects that remain of value:

Durability. Simplicity in style and ‘star qualities’ make them all-time favorites. Some examples are: checkers, chess, hula-hoops, kites, marbles, and yo-yos.

Consistency. The consistent toy is simple in shape and responds based on what the child does with it. These toys give children a feeling of accomplishment because the more they practice with them, the better they become. For example, the more a child practices with a yo-yo, the better he or she can become at doing tricks. This practice improves eye-hand coordination and dexterity, and all along each step of the way the rewards are satisfying.

Creativity. By expanding their own imagination, children are encouraged to experiment using classic toys. Think about how children use a puppet. The children use their own language, their own artistic expression, and they can explore without limit to achieve their own goals. The puppet forms the object that encourages their language development. It helps the children spontaneously stimulate the language of play at the right moment.

Toys are important for many reasons. They become the child’s stimulus to play; reflection or expression of their observation of activities or use of objects around them; or way to extend their fantasy, imagination, or dreams. Toys and games from the past are valued today because of the powerful memories of play that remain from childhood.

We are pleased to share the memories of Arline Wall who helped to introduce one of the great classic games Trivial Pursuits as you may well remember playing it then and now. Read her rememberances here. “New” classics can be found in many places. They are newer versions of the classic toys. They are updated and improved in some way. Sometimes the design is made safer or changed in some way to make it easier for a young child to use. Another contribution sharing memories of toys and games is offered by Dr Roy Fairfield, who recalls growing up with play in the 1920’s in Maine.

Among the selections for Dr. Toy’s Best Classic Toys for 2009, we find products that are consistent, creative, and as much fun as ever, or improved in some tangible way to make their play value even greater. When you look carefully at this year’s winners you see the best examples of classic toys.

Your child will love the classic style of the Fisher-Price Little People 50th Birthday Play ’n Go Farm™, LEGO Systems’ Brickbeard’s Bounty, and Schylling’s Children’s Tin Tea Set. He or she will enjoy learning how to learn solve b.dazzle’s amazing Scramble Squares ® 9-piece themed puzzles of dolphins, frogs, puppies, and baseball; learning the amazing games offered by Pressman’s Mastermind or Family Pastime’s Max; or learning new tricks with Duncan Toy’s Duncan® Butterfly Yo-Yo. Your child will delight in activity with the Green Toy Company’s Green Toys™ jump rope, Whamo’s long time favorite Hula Hoop and the Hacky Sack; or being involved in hours of active imaginative play with Little Tikes, Cozy Coupe, Automoblox, Automoblox T9-SE, Carrera’s slot car racing cars set based on Spider-Man, and ALEX Toy’s Lemonade Stand and picnic basket. Children will value the creative and educational experience offered by Figures in Motion, Famous Figures of Ancient Times: Movable Paper Figures to Cut, Color and Assemble, and the amazing natural collections found in the World Discovery Box, Discovery Box. They will always enjoy creativity with Crayola’s Model Magic Deluxe Craft and the 64-count Crayons with Built-In Sharpener, and For My Kids, Happy Fun Dough or creatively personalizing, Color Me House, building with the K’NEX 400-piece Value Tub; and role playing with Heavenly Hug’s Doll, Heavenly Hug, Wild Republic’s Hanging Monkey, ALEX’s Crafty Fashion Show, and Adorable Originals, Adorable Girl® Doll and more!.

You will find a lot of favorites that you played with included on the 2009 list. Watch for the other great classic toys that have been around since you were a kid. Most of them can be found easily by logging on to www.drtoy.com and searching for the Best Classic Products.

You will also enjoy exploring the feature, Ask Dr. Toy, to see the many interesting questions and answers posted about classic toys.

The basic playthings that are still here today should not be forgotten as they are important links to the fun of the pastimes of yesteryear. Learn more about classic toys in books and on the Internet.

You may not realize how much children can learn from playing with classic toys. Some of your favorite ones helped you learn and can now help your child. You may already have some of these:

• Bubble pipe is fun to use and helps develop breath control.
• Checkers offers simple strategy, learning to take turns, and enjoying playing again and again.
• Chess helps develop more advanced strategy and problem solving.
• Gyroscope allows the child to understand the challenge of gravity and basic principles of physics.
• Hula Hoop and Frisbee encourage children to exercise and develop physical skills.
• Jacks provide easy-to-learn skills and stages of mastery, plus eye-hand coordination.
• Kite is a fun way to enjoy light breezes plus learn about gravity and air currents.
• Kaleidoscope is great to expand the imagination, creativity, and appreciation of color and form.
• Top provides a lesson in on-going balance and learning.

The Care and Feeding of Your Classics:

• Encourage your child to learn more about toys by visiting your public library and reading information about them. Sometimes a book about the history of dolls or trains can fascinate for hours.
• Help your child learn to care for its toys.
• Have a special place for play and set aside enough time for toy pick-up.
• Classic toys are wonderful if they best fit the child’s age and readiness.
• Many lifetime hobbies start in childhood such as the train enthusiast who began his interest as a child setting up the layout for his first train. Or, the avid doll collector who started learning more about history because of the special doll given by grandma.
• Children are influenced by early experiences, and they will grow to enjoy a lifetime of creativity and hobbies if given the opportunity.

Show your child the toys and games you enjoyed playing with as a child. The enjoyment will be experienced all over again. The memories that are created will last a long time. Remember the classic toy has proved itself over time to be safe, consistently popular, well designed, frequently used, practical, and a good value for the money. Most of all, the right toy encourages your child’s involvement. After all, that is what play is all about!

Let's Play!

 

 

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