The Economics of Toys
Toys are big business, really big business. While toys have changed over the years, toys as a business that can be profited from only came about in the past 200 years. In fact, many parts of the economy depend greatly on toys and the sale of toys.
Toys are big business because they play a big role in the development of humans, and therefore are a part of the human condition. We need toys to help us develop, and that is why toys are sold in big numbers all year round, especially during the holidays like Christmas.
The toy sales in the United States alone amount to almost $25 billion per year. Each year, money spent on children aged eight to 12 numbers $221 billion. That is a huge amount of money and it means that children are a driving force in the economy.
Toys!
Toy manufacturers try to latch onto this driving force by anticipating the demands of children and getting a large share in the toy market. An example of this is how toys have become more complex and involved. Children these days are raised around the internet and television, and that means they need toys that are visually stimulating. A boring toy will not be bought. Toys need a wow factor these days or they will not sell.
While the United States is a big part of the toy market worldwide, roughly 75 percent of all the toys that are sold in the United States are made in China, which then fuels the economy of China. Therefore, children here are influencing the economic decisions of leaders in other countries, all because of toys.
Toys have begun to change a lot, and many toy manufacturers are seeing that video games are taking over from the toy market. Sales are being lost and in an effort to stop this from happening, many toy manufacturers are getting into the video game market to enhance their products. Things have changed so much in an effort by companies to get a part of the toy market that many toys can now connect to the internet.
Toys have changed, but the business of toys has not. Companies want to make money off the incredibly lucrative market of children’s toys. Children know what they want and if they do not like something, they will not buy it. Children today are savvier and that is making it harder for companies to get a piece of that toy market pie.
The Worst Toys of 2009
While there are a lot of good toys out there, there are also a lot of bad ones. Each year, studies are done to find what the worst or most dangerous toys are for kids. These are toys that should be avoided in order to protect children.
The worst toys are, in no particular order:
1. Disney/Pixar Wall-E Foam Rocket Launcher: Eye injury potential.
2. Mood Board Pogo Board: Head and impact injury potential.
3. Spy-Gear Viper Blaster: Eye injury potential.
4. Pucci Pups Maltese: Potential for strangulation.
5. CAT “Rugged Mini”: Puncture injury wound potential.
6. Just Kidz Junior Musical Instruments: Choking potential.
7. Lots to Love Babies “Mini Nursery”: Choking hazard potential.
8. X-Men Origins Slashin’ Action Wolverine: Eye and impact injury potential.
9. The Dark Knight Batman Figure: Blunt impact injury possibility.
10. Curious Baby Curious George Counting: Choking hazard
These toys are dangerous but buying them does not mean your children are going to get injured. However, the possibility does exist with these toys so if you buy them, only let your children play with them under supervision. Teaching your children to play with toys properly is also a good idea.
Selecting A Good Toy
When you go to the toy store to buy your children toys, how do you choose a toy that is going to be good for them? There are over 300,000 choices in toys, and that means you need to filter out the crap and get right down to the toys that children will enjoy, and which are good for children.
Picking out the right toy can be difficult given the number of choices that are out there. When you go to buy a toy, you should consider several factors relating to your child, including:
1. Your child’s age.
2. Your child’s skills.
3. Your child’s needs.
4. Your child’s specific interests.
Therefore, if your child is six-years-old, knows how to draw well, but needs something to help them learn better, then a drawing kit would be the best choice. When you go to find the toy, ask yourself how your child is going to benefit from the product and whether or not it will help them learn a new skill. In addition, will your child have fun with the toy and do they have the abilities to use the toy?
There are many different toys out there that can provide a good balance for your child’s activities. These toys focus on the child’s creativity, activity and learning, while at the same time helping them develop better motor skills, balance and coordination.
Some examples of simple toys that meet the criteria of activity include balls, tricycles, bikes, skates, jump ropes, kites and even the tried and true Hula Hoop.
For creativity, you want toys that will help your child create self-expression. Some examples of these toys are crayons and finger-paints, clay and Play-Doh.
Some examples of toys that help with learning are any that use books, tapes, software, CDs, puzzles or educational games.
Choosing a toy can be hard. You have to find the one toy out of 300,000 that your child is going to like. Choose wrong and you have wasted money, but choose right and you will have found a toy that your child will use for years to come. They will love the toys you buy for them when you focus on the activity, creativity and learning aspects of the toy. That way, your child gets something fun, while at the same time getting something to help them develop into adulthood. It is a win-win scenario for both you and your child.
Be Careful With Toy Sharing
Everyone seems to be in a panic of the H1N1 virus and the threat that it may get our loved ones sick. While the chances of getting sick are about one in 10, the flu can be quite severe even if it is not lethal. Children, who have weaker immune systems than adults, should be wary of getting H1N1 and as a parent you should be as well.
According to British Health authorities, you should be careful of whether or not your child is sharing plush toys and stuffed animals with other children. The Times of London has reported that soft toys like stuffed toys cannot be disinfected very easily. This means viruses can be transported on the plush toys and transported between children.
In addition, you should be wary of your children sharing crayons, pencils, blankets and cups.
This may seem extreme, but it is important to limit the spread of the flu virus in order to prevent too many children from becoming sick. Children have been found to be at some of the highest risk of getting sick from H1N1 and by simply making sure your children do not share too many toys, you can keep them safe and healthy.
A Brief History of Toys
Monster Bowling
Toys may seem like a modern invention, but in fact toys have been found dating back thousands of years. Toys may go back millions of years in fact. Young mammals have been found to play with pinecones, rocks and food as toys, and that could mean our early ancestors did as well.
The earliest toys were made from rocks, stick and clay, since these were what nature provided. By the time of the Egyptians, there were dolls that hade moveable arms and legs, but were made from stone, pottery and wood. As well, toys from before 1500 BC have been found in India including carts, whistles that look like birds and toy monkeys that slide down strings.
In ancient Greece and Rome, children played with dolls made of wax, sticks, bow and arrows and even yo-yos. An interesting fact is that when children entered puberty, they would sacrifice their toys to the gods as an end of their childhood.
As time went on, through the middle ages, toys were still being made out of grass, wood and stone. Into the 1700s and 1800s though, cloth and synthetic material began to be used to make toys. How toys were made also changed. In the past, toys were made by parents, while after the 1800s toys were made in factories and sold in stores for parents to buy for their children.
The doll is essentially the oldest form of toy and the evolution of toys can bee seen in dolls. The earliest dolls were just wood carvings. Egyptian dolls could move their limbs and by the 1800s, dolls could even say ‘Mama’. These days, dolls can recognize and identify objects, know the voice of their owner and even respond to phrases.
Toys have had an amazing evolution over thousands of years. From simple dolls to computerized toys, these objects become treasured items for children. They love their toys and they love to play with them. Birthdays and Christmas have become the times of year for children when toys play a big part. Whether a toy will be successful with a child can never be determine for sure, but what can be known is that children will always love their toys.
It is interesting to note that while toys have changed in complexity and how they are made, the fact that children love and play with them has not changed. Dolls are played with in the same manner today as they were 5,000 years ago.
The Best Toy for Boys in 2009
Bakugan Battle Brawlers Battle Pack Series 1
The Toy Industry Association has spoken and announced the top toy for boys in 2009. It is the Bakugan Battle Brawlers Battle Pack Series 1 Spheres, Spin Master. This also won the overall Toy of the Year award. Now, a lot of parents are probably scratching their heads right now wondering what exactly a Bakugan Battle Brawler is and what ever happened to toy names that were one word like “Frisbee”.
Well, while it is a mouthful, this toy is considered perfect for boys aged five to 15.
The Bakugan game essentially centers on magnet-loaded fighting figures called Bakugan Battle Brawlers. In their ‘non-playing’ state, they are just balls. However, when two Battle Brawlers are rolled into each other, the Battle Brawler will explode out from the ball, transforming and ready to fight all in one motion. These games do involve strategies and the Bakugan Battle Brawlers Battle Pack Series 1 Spheres is the starter kit for the entire game.
This game is fun, has a lot of action and is incredibly popular with boys these days. Any parent looking to get the perfect gift for their child should look at getting a Bakugan Battle Brawler.
