As much as we don’t like to admit it, we all grow up eventually. It seems not so long ago that I was watching children’s television and going berserk at the toys they would showcase. But now, it’s not so much of a priority. It’s a generational shift, and now a whole new era of young toy mad kids are looking at the toys that will define their childhood like we would look at our own in times gone by.
So, what are the best toys and gadgets for kids? And how have they changed over the years?
Remote Control Toys
Remote control vehicles are a staple of many children’s childhoods, even back in the 1950’s companies would manufacture remote control toys. In my day, there were various RC toys out there but nothing like there is nowadays.
First off, in my day it was all cars. There were no options for boats, planes or helicopters – but now kids can choose from all of these varieties. When I was a kid the boats and planes were strictly for adults, they were really like miniature models of them and were actually quite powerful – and expensive. But now a quadcopter with LEDs is much more affordable, and not something parents would laugh at when a kid puts it on their Christmas list.
Action Figures
In my research for this I have determined that action figures are still very much at the forefront of the toy and gadget world for kids and adults. Also, it seems like they are still using many of the same designs that I grew up with. Generations before me probably also had the same figures to some degree.
Spider-Man, Batman and Ninja Turtles are still very popular. It’s amazing really, the action figures that are available haven’t evolved too much. I’d have thought they would be walking and talking by themselves by now. But if it ain’t broke don’t fix it – the formula obviously works and kids still like them.
To be fair, there are some new additions. The action figures from “The Lord Of The Rings” film series have wedged themselves in alongside Spider-Man and Batman. Also, various animated films aimed at children have spawned their own legacy of children’s action figures.
Puzzles & Games
Amazingly, board games are still very popular amongst kids. When I was a kid I couldn’t wait for video games to replace them – but that hasn’t happened. There are many new puzzles and games available and some old ones that I remember are still around too.
Of course the classics like Monopoly or Scrabble have survived, but also the card game UNO has made it through to another generation of children. On the more childlike side of things, the game Operation is apparently still very much alive. There are some more bizarre games that have had another lease of life too – I remember watching an ad for “Pop Up Pirate”, a game where you plug swords into a barrel and make a plastic pirate shoot up in the air, and that is still available for the current generation of kids.
An interesting new arrival is the use of space age materials in things like bouncy balls and other toys. There is a ball called the “Wadoba Extreme” which is made from polyurethane and coated in lycra so it can bounce off water. Toy manufacturers now commonly put LEDs and lights inside bouncy balls for an added element of fun.
Play Sets
This is a really interesting era because it really hasn’t changed very much. As a kid, the biggest and most popular play sets were undeniably Lego and Playmobil. This is still very much the case, and aside from the occasional addition nothing has changed.
The types of play set available have evolved with the times. For example there is plenty of “Lord Of The Rings” and “Harry Potter” stuff around now, but there are some throwbacks too. In the research for this piece I found an interesting Lego play set based on the “Ghostbusters” franchise that I would definitely have loved as a kid.
Playmobil arguably has retained its sameness, and it doesn’t do the themed franchise stuff that Lego does – which is kind of a shame in a way because it now definitely lags behind Lego in terms of market share.
For Girls
I wouldn’t want to neglect the girly toys! The main franchises that I remember are still around. My Little Pony and Barbie continue to soldier on defiantly. There are some new faces though, Peppa Pig being a notable one. There are also a range of Disney Princess toys that are new additions to the toys available for girls.
It’s fair to say that Disney aims most of its toys at girls these days, which wasn’t necessarily the case before. Perhaps the characters lend themselves better to girls, but I don’t really agree with that. Some cool action figures for boys would be most welcome. One thing about toys for girls these days is that there is a little bit of an alarming push towards womanhood with toy makeup sets and handbags being much more common than I ever remember. Still, I suppose it would be fine for the various dress up costumes that are much more commonplace (and of an extraordinarily high quality) than in my day.
There is also an interesting shift towards arts and crafts for girls. Stuff like bead art and jewellery making in addition to kids knitting and sticker books now seem to be a bit more targeted towards girls. I suppose they could be used by boys too though.
Pretend Play
Well this is a strange new addition that I’d never heard of. The term “pretend play” essentially means toys created that represent everyday objects that kids ordinarily wouldn’t be allowed to play with. For example, tool kits and kitchenware are made in toy form for kids to a much greater extent than during my childhood.
Tea sets and pretend money are just a few of the more popular ones. Some bizarre ones include pretend play cleaning equipment like hoovers and mops. I don’t know if I would enjoy pretending to clean the house with a toy mop as a kid.
It’s an interesting new development, pretend play makes it safe for kids to have fun with things like tools and I suppose I can see the fun in it.
Generational Leaps
In conclusion, the best toys and gadgets for kids are still largely the same as in my childhood, indeed many generations before me will be able to see the similarities in the types of toys available for kids today.
It’s an interesting progression, I suppose influenced by the development of the internet and the interconnectivity of the world today. But all in all, then and now, toys seem to be as good and as fun as ever.