EXPLORING THE CULTURE AND IMPORTANCE OF TOYS
Layla Perez
When children play with toys, they are actually exploring their world and discovering their culture. Toys do much more than just entertain young ones. They develop a child's social-skills, imagination, and learning. Toys reflect the culture and time period from which they came. From simple corn husk dolls or swords made from wood to modern video games, toys can be explored as artifacts that reflect culture.
Toys relate to culture in many different ways. A culture’s aesthetic values are shown in their toys. For example, they will make dolls to represent their culture by making them look or dress like themselves. Toys are a form of recreation which is another universal of culture. A culture's philosophy links back to toys because in certain cultures, some toys like dolls or role-play toys will be considered girl toys, While in other cultures, those toys can be for girls and boys. Toys are also a form of technology because they have improved and become more complex as new technology or materials become available. Toys also take part in a culture’s societal groupings because they teach you how to share within your societal groupings. Social skills are developed and important because they lead to friendships and important skills such as taking one's turn and sharing. Many gender specific toys use role-play with the toys to practice those skills and duties that each culture deems as important. For example, girls are often given dolls and told to play house or take care of their baby. These gender specific role play toys pass on the cultural values and ideas to the youngest members. |
The imaginative play that toys provide makes children more creative. Educational toys promote learning that will help children in all aspects of life. Learning can make you better in school and/or at home. Toys can really help you develop many skills you might need in the future.
Some well-known toy companies include, LEGO, Hasbro, Fisher-Price, Mattel, and Barbie. LEGO is a company that is based on building bricks, but companies don’t have to be based off one kind of toy and Mattel is a perfect example. Mattel makes many toys such as dolls, action figures, and toy cars. To be successful as an inventor of toys, you have to study chemistry to know the materials that toys are made of, mechanical engineering, so you can make the toy pieces and put them together to fit properly, child development to know what toys are appropriate for each age, and electrical engineering to make talking toys or self-moving toys.
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