Navigation
Comparing the toys children played with long ago to the toys we use today.
Imagine opening a toy box from 100 years ago. You wouldn't find any batteries, screens, or even plastic! How did children have fun back then?
Long ago, people did not have plastic. Instead, they used things found in nature. Toys were often made of wood, metal, cloth, or even stone. A doll might be made from scraps of fabric or corn husks! Today, most of our toys are made of plastic. Plastic is great because it is light, can be any color, and doesn't break as easily as old glass or thin metal toys.
1. Look at an antique block: It is made of heavy wood and the letters are carved into it. 2. Look at a modern LEGO brick: It is made of light plastic and can snap together with other bricks.
Quick Check
Name one material that was used to make toys long ago but is used less often today.
Answer
Wood (or metal/tin/cloth).
In the past, toys moved using human power. If you wanted a toy car to go, you had to push it. If you wanted a top to spin, you had to pull a string. There were no batteries or power outlets! Today, many toys use technology. They have tiny computers inside, use electricity to move, or have screens that show bright pictures and games.
1. Past: An iron toy car that you push across the floor using your own strength. 2. Present: A remote-control car that uses batteries to zoom around when you press a button.
Quick Check
What do many modern toys need to work that old toys did not have?
Answer
Batteries or electricity.
Even though toys look different, the way we play is often the same. Children have always loved to use their imagination. Long ago, a child might use a wooden stick as a pretend sword. Today, a child might use a plastic light-up sword. The toy has changed because of technology, but the game of pretend is still the same!
1. Long ago: Children used real mini-pots made of heavy cast iron to pretend to cook. 2. Today: Children use a plastic kitchen that makes 'sizzling' sounds using a computer chip. 3. Both toys help children learn about the world, even if one is 'smarter' than the other!
Which material was most common for toys in the past?
How did most toys move long ago?
Children 100 years ago used their imagination just like children do today.
Review Tomorrow
Tomorrow, try to find one toy in your house and guess if it would have been possible to make 100 years ago.
Practice Activity
Interview a grandparent or an older adult. Ask them: 'What was your favorite toy when you were little, and what was it made of?'