Popular Toys Throughout the Ages

Ant writes "MSNBC has a story on the 'must-have' items from decades past. From the article: 'With so many new toys and games hitting store shelves every year, it may be a little surprising that many of the most popular playthings are actually quite old. But people have been playing for a very long time. In 4000 B.C., Babylonians played a board game that was probably the ancestor of chess and checkers. Stone yo-yos were first used in ancient Greece around 1000 B.C. Kites appeared in China around the same time, though historians speculate that they have probably been flown since before recorded history.'"

ah yes

[bLindmOnkey]

almost all those toys survived through the entire century. I'm surprised barbie or hula hoops arn't on that list. Beanie babies and razors were definate fads though. Rubix cubes will live forever because it's especially educational for young ones but fun for people of all ages. Really though, iPod should be the most recent one.

Man, this brings me down memory lane...

[Starker_Kull]

... But isn't it cool that 10,000 years ago, when angels pushed the planets around the earth, the sun was a glowing ball of rock a few hundred yards wide, and diseases were what you got if you pissed off the local god of leaf-hunting or whatever, people still needed something to challenge their minds when they had spare time. I think this is the greatest thing about the human race - we don't just live in the here and now, we need rules, structure, challenges, mystery, luck to entice us. Perhaps that is what really seperated us from the animal herd, is that we SEEKED out things to challenge us, whereas most animals (and let's get real, most humans, probably including me) would just be happy with lots of food and a nice warm sunny day.

I think games are the highest sign that there is intellegent life here after all.

$30 Billion???

[fuzzybassoon]

The article claims that $4 million in 1952 is equivalent to $30 billion 2005???? I think someone made an order of magnitude error. Forbes seems to be really good with their money.

Lego lost to a potato?

[br0pbr0p]

What's with the kids in that era? How can you like a potato over LEGO?!?! Lego is the ultimate toy, hands down.

Forbes and slide shows

[chroma]

You know, I like articles from Forbes, but those slideshow things they like to use have got to go. Did some editor actually think that they make the articles better?

Something wrong with poll

[GunFodder]

How can this poll possibly be correct when not a single game console made it? You'd think that one of the the Atari 2600, Nintendo Entertainment System, the Playstation or the Game Boy would have managed to at least earn an honorable mention. I read that the total video game industry is about the size of the movie industry, and growing faster!

Re:Implications for Toys for Tots

[apflwr]

The moral of the story is that kids will make toys out of anything, and there is essentially no need for Toys for Tots.

Boy, someone's a Grinch.

Sure, Toys For Tots is a superfluous charity, but I really can't see any reason for such bile. I would imagine it's nice for a disadvantaged kid to get a brand new toy or two at Christmas. Might even make him or her actually forget they're disadvantaged.

If do don't agree, cool, put your money elsewhere. But AFAIK the charity's on the up-and-up and does some good. Lashing out at a couple of marines and volunteers like you claim you did does nothing but make you look like an a misanthrope.

Re:Man, this brings me down memory lane...

[owlman17]

Come to think of it, all life's a game. Except there's no load and save.

Re:Implications for Toys for Tots

[ultranova]

Most of our 4000 year history has been devoid of a T4T charity, and somehow we turned out just fine, and in fact had plenty of toys. Give to cancer research, not to Chinese factories.

Most of our history has been devoid of cure for cancer. Coming to think of it, most of our history has been devoid of computers, and we've done just fine - so I guess you're just a hypocrite, saying that others should do without modern toys while using one yourself.

"I know man, we're just a couple of assholes."

You got that right. Merry christmas, and I hope that you get no presents since you're obviously doing so well without that stuff anyway, asshole.

1950's - 1960's = golden era for toys?

[walterbyrd]

How many classics came out of that era? Just a few I can remember: barbie, hola-hoop, silly putty, legos, G.I. Joe, slinky, frisbee, play-doh, easy-bake oven.

Don't know why, but it seems like era stands out in toy history.