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Toys

    Toys Editor's Picks

    • Outside Toys for Kids

      Outside toys are often among the favorite kinds of toys for a child. They can dream and let their imagination run wild with outside toys. A slide becomes a secret entrance to a magical land. A pedal car becomes the next winner at the Indy 500. Not only do outside toys let children create special worlds of pretend, they keep them... more »

    • About Nerf Toys

      The Nerf toy line began with Nerf balls, which were so safe that they could be tossed around indoors without breaking anything. This idea has been expanded to include harmless balls and darts shot from colorful weaponry. more »

    • How to Sanitize Infant Toys

      Infant toys, which are often made of plastic, rubber, fabric and wood, are an early source of entertainment and educational delight for babies. However, those vibrantly colorful playthings collect dust, dirt and grime that can aggravate allergies or spread germs, making your baby sick. Fortunately, there are simple ways to sanitize... more »

    • How to Select Safe Holiday Toys

      With the many recent recalls of toys, including those of well known toy manufacturers, it is especially important to choose toys that are age appropriate and safe. Dangerous designs, toys containing illegal levels of lead, toys that are inappropriate for the age of the child and toys that have strong magnets that can be deadly if... more »

    • How to Choose Safe Toys for an Infant

      Infants love to play with toys. Aside from toy play being fun, it is also educational. However, toys can be dangerous. It is important for anyone who is buying toys for an infant to be aware of toy safety. If you plan to purchase toys for infants, here are some things you should do to make sure that the toys you have purchased are safe. more »

    Toys Quick Guides

    • Collecting Vintage Toys

      Do you know how much your vintage GI Joe is worth? Do you know what to look for as you search...

    • Safe Holidays

      Deck the halls and shop the malls with safety in mind throughout this festive season. Discover...

    • Find the Right Toy

      With so many available choices when it comes to buying toys, the process of finding the right...

    • Family Fights

      Family fights are a common occurrence in just about any family. Whether it be between husband...

    Toys Articles

    • How to Get Dragon Toys

      Dragons are popular fantasy creatures that appear in a wide range of incarnations throughout literature and culture. Dragons and their influence... more »

    • How to Make Toys

      Kids are well known for their ability to have fun with whatever is at hand, regardless of whether it could actually qualify as a toy or not. ... more »

    • How to Collect Toys

      Many people that collect toys started their toy collections without even realizing it. It can start when they clean out their attic and find a... more »

    • How to Value Antique Toys

      Antique toys of all types can be very valuable. But how can you know what toys are gems and which are junk? Follow these steps to find out. more »

    • How to Buy Used Toys

      As much as some parents would like to buy their child every toy that he wants, the cost could add up to large amounts. When you buy used toys, you... more »

    Wikipedia

    Toy



    A toy is an object used in play. Toys are usually associated with children and pets, but it is not unusual for adult humans and some non-domesticated animals to play with toys. Many items are manufactured to serve as toys, but goods, or (game-centric) services produced for other purposes can also be used as toys. A child may pick up a household item and fly it around pretending that it is an airplane, or an animal might play with a pinecone by batting at it, biting it, chasing it, or by throwing it up in the air. Some toys are produced primarily as collectors items and are not intended to be played with.

    The origin of toys is prehistoric; dolls representing infants, animals, and soldiers, as well as representations of tools used by adults are readily found at archaeological sites. The origin of the word "toy" is unknown, but it is believed that it was first used in the 14th century.etymonline>

    Toys, and play in general, are important when it comes to growing up and learning about the world around us. The young use toys and play to discover their identity, help their bodies grow strong, learn cause and effect, explore relationships, and practice skills they will need as adults. Adults use toys and play to form and strengthen social bonds, teach, remember and reinforce lessons from their youth, discover their identity, exercise their minds and bodies, explore relationships, practice skills, and decorate their living spaces.

    Toys are more than simple amusement, they and the ways that they are used profoundly influence many aspects of life.

    History

    Most young mammals have been observed to play with whatever they can find, turning such things as pinecones, rocks, and food into toys. Toys and games have been unearthed from the sites of ancient civilizations. They have been written about in some of our oldest literature. Toys excavated from the Indus valley civilization (3000-1500 BCE) include small carts, whistles shape read more at » http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toy

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