Childhood Toys Evolve with Technology
@abitosunshine (765)
United States
August 17, 2012 9:41am CST
As children, my siblings and I all enjoyed playing with a yo-yo. I was never really good at performing tricks with my yo-yo, but did enjoy the repetitive action of the yo-yo bobbing up and down. I think it was soothing somehow.
Of course, I passed my love of a yo-yo on to my son at an early age. Yo-yos make great stocking stuffers at Christmas time, so he generally got one, and yes, he enjoyed it too.
Now that I have a grandson I am again thinking of childhood toys and passing them along to him when he is old enough to play with them. So, I was looking at yoyos online. Oh my! Yo-yos have certainly evolved with technology!
Yo-yos now light up with motion activated LEDs! What a delightful way to add to the performance of yo-yo tricks!
I am thinking I might have to purchase myself one of these newfangled yo-yos!
How about you... has your favorite childhood toy evolved with technology? Will you try out the modern model of the toy?
1 person likes this
7 responses
@jennyze (7029)
• Indonesia
21 Aug 12
Since I was growing up with males siblings, I used to play all the male games, like yo-yo, spin top, and nickles... I know there are many variation of yo-yo now, but I did not see any improvement with spin top. And I guess not many are playing with nickels anymore...
1 person likes this
@abitosunshine (765)
• United States
22 Aug 12
I understand the influence brothers have on a girls's choice of toys and games, jennyze. Please tell me... what is nickles?
@jennyze (7029)
• Indonesia
22 Aug 12
Well, it's round little things made of marble. We try to hit another nickel from a certain distance to win the game. It's almost like billyard with a little ball and using finger instead of stick to hit another balls.
Maybe I used the wrong term...
1 person likes this
@abitosunshine (765)
• United States
14 Sep 12
Sounds interesting. I guess I need to research the nickels/marbles game!
@Canellita (12029)
• United States
24 Aug 12
Not a favorite toy, but some of the games I enjoyed are now available in electronic versions such as Scrabble and Yahtze. Scrabble against the computer is a good way to learn new words, but Yahtze doesn't work as well.
1 person likes this
@Canellita (12029)
• United States
18 Sep 12
Scrabble may be my favorite also! I was always good at spelling and I love getting bonus scores.
@abitosunshine (765)
• United States
14 Sep 12
Scrabble is my favorite board game. I use to enjoy playing Scrabble with a friend in email, an online version of the game.
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
18 Aug 12
I bought one of the light up ones for my granddaughter. She loves playing with it....I don't know of other things except dolls that have evolved that much. I had a walking doll at one time......no they talk and eat and wet their britches!
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@abitosunshine (765)
• United States
18 Aug 12
And the baby dolls now cry! Oh my! Being a tomboy I didn't play with dolls much but my three younger sisters did. And yes, the walking dolls were a favorite.
Good to hear you gifted your granddaughter with a light up yoyo and that she enjoys it.
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
17 Aug 12
I think u should get you a modern one. I never played w/toys much, i made mudpies, lol.
@abitosunshine (765)
• United States
17 Aug 12
HooRAYo for mudpies, definitely one of my favorite childhood "toys"! I think you are right--I should get myself a modern yoyo.
@dismalgrin (2604)
• United States
19 Aug 12
Toys sure have changed since I was little. And I remember my parent's complaining that toys left no room for the imagination anymore when I was young. I think toys will evolve as technology grows as well. But, I'd rather see some old fashioned toys from before my parent's were around make a comeback.
1 person likes this
@abitosunshine (765)
• United States
20 Aug 12
Yes, toys have definitely changed since I was a kid, too, and I am sure they will continue to change along with technological advances. Like you, I would rather see vintage toys make a comeback.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
20 Aug 12
My favorite childhood toy was Barbie Dolls and now that I have a daughter of my own, she really likes to play with Barbie Dolls as well. Of course when I was a little girl, there were very few different varieties of Barbie Dolls that were available. Today, there are numerous different Barbie Dolls and then there are a lot of other dolls that are like Barbie Dolls as well. Just today we let Kathryn pick out a new Barbie Doll and her newest Barbie Doll has wrists that move and knees, elbows, hips, shoulders and even a torso that moves more like a person moves.
1 person likes this
@abitosunshine (765)
• United States
20 Aug 12
You know, I think Barbie dolls are another one of those timeless toys that will be around forever and evolve with the times.
@marsha32 (6631)
• United States
17 Aug 12
I never really did much yo-yoing, but when I was kid, it was common place to see others walking down the street yo-yoing while they walked. I always owned a yo-yo and played with it often though.
What do we see now when we see kids walking down the street? They are texting!!
It's time to bring back some of the "good ol' days"
Marsha
1 person likes this
@abitosunshine (765)
• United States
17 Aug 12
Yes, Marsha! Our yo-yos were an extension of our hand for sure.
Texting... don't even get me started! Even my boss at my workplace is always on her cellphone texting!
I agree with you completely on bringing back activities from the good old days.
