History of Toys

Toys are objects that are used to play and most associated with children and pets. Playing with toys is often referred to as the training fun of life for a young man. Although many objects specifically designed as toys, in fact anything to be used by children, for example, spoons are played into a 'plane'. Some toys are produced only for the collection and for display only.

Since pre-historic times, toys have been found, such as doll-like children, animals and soldiers. Toys and games in general are very important to the learning needs of the world around us. Children use toys and play to discover the identity of the self, it also helps the body grow strong, learn cause and effect, studying the relationship between individuals, and skills training that may be required when you grow up. Adults use toys and games to form and strengthen social networks, teaching, and use for lessons for their children.

Basically, the kids use whatever they could find as a toy, be it fruit pine, stone and food. Some ancient toys were unearthed from the site of ancient cultures such as the horse-drawn carriage mainian, bird-shaped whistles, toy monkeys estimated to have between the years 3000 - 1500 BC in the Indus Valley.

- Toys ancient roman times

Initially many toys are made using materials such as stone, wood and clay. Thousands of years ago, Egyptian children played with dolls that had had wigs and movable limbs, made using stone, ceramics and wood. In ancient Greece and Rome, children played with dolls made of wax or clay, wood, also has a toy archery arrows and yo-yo. The girls have a culture of ancient Greece sacrificed their toys to the gods, on the first night, the girls (aged about 14tahun), presenting their puppets in temples as a ritual to step into manhood.

Development of technology and culture also affect the types of toys. If ancient toys were made from natural materials by the parents and the children themselves, the modern toys are made of plastic, fabric and synthetic materials and are made en masse and sold in stores. The most common and oldest toy is a doll. Primitive doll ever found is wood chisel with a bond in the grass. In the early 19th century, dolls that could say "mama", was produced. Currently, there are dolls that can recognize objects, sounds owners and choose the sentence that has been programmed to respond to. While making materials and how the toy is used has changed, the fact that children need toys remain the same.

Since the toy has a very important function in human existence, it is natural that the toy industry has a major economic impact. Toy sales generally increase during the holidays, especially the tradition of giving gifts of toys, such as Christmas, Easter, etc.. In 2005, toy sales in the United States reached $ 22.9 billion, and the money used for the needs of children aged 8-12 years could reach $ 221 million per year.

Toy makers change the design of their toys to meet the needs of the market. Baby is becoming more complex with lights and sound effects to get the attention of children who grow up in a world filled with entertainment from television and the internet. According to Neil Friedman, president of Mattel company, key in the toy industry is innovation and design have to be able to hit the children, while the toy should be fun, unique features and incorporates the latest technology. To lower costs, many toy manufacturers to move their factories to local labor costs are lower. Currently 75% of toys sold in the United States, manufactured in China.