We like what we like. That’s usually how it goes, but when somebody asks you why you like it – that question can either stop you in your tracks to deeply ponder all the intricate reasons that you like something, or the answer can instinctively rise fast above like a firecracker shot into the sky and you shout the answer. Sometimes it can be difficult to say what we like and why, especially when in research, we’re given 5 or 10 point scales to choose from, fretting whether we like something ‘6.5/10’ or ‘7/10’.
When asking children what they like, the answer usually is so obvious that it slaps you in the face. One of the things I like most about children is that they are doers and playing is usually their way of doing. They’ll think about the reasons and consequences later, but for now they’re going to do what they’ve set out as their mission. As a result, their actions and answers are incredibly honest and sincere.
Play theorist Brian Sutton-Smith presents a case in his book Toys as Culture (1986) and says that the cultural function of toys within the past 200 years is to promote solitary play. Evolving play from a typically collective activity to a relatively solitary one is a result of modernization and toys are tools to enhance that possibility. Sutton-Smith claims that modern toys are “decreasingly self-evident tools” because “The more traditional the society, the more likely the toy is a simulacrum of an adult occupation (a miniature spear, a doll); the more modern the society, the more likely it is a negation of everyday realism” (Sutton-Smith 1997: 155). According to Sutton-Smith it is a result of inversive symbolism. Regardless, whether one plays alone or in a group it is interesting to view toys as a reflection of a society and a cultural artifact.
In the 18th and 19th century toys were designed as educational tools, devices to teach lessons about the world. Starting already in the late 19th century and stabilizing itself in the 20th century, concepts of romanticism and commercialism become very present in the toy world. And now here we are in the 21st century. I wonder how has the evolution of a toy progressed and how has the toy manufacturing business grown.
Aside from creative and culture theories I have, I return to a playground filled with little and big people, as I also work as a Kindergarten teacher. I asked an International kindergarten class located in Espoo, Finland the question, “What is your favorite toy?” and then asked them to draw it. After you read their responses and see their drawings, it became pretty clear why they like what they like and why some toys are more popular than others. The children found it so easy to talk about.
These children have shared so much with us and have given incredible insight to what and why they love their toys. I like to use this information to help me with my creative choices on what to make for them in and with them but not only when in class as a kindergarten teacher developing a curriculum, but also as the toy maker I am too. Their choice of toy and activity is reflective of their social and emotional development. Four year olds can usually play happily with other children as they learn to understand about the feelings and needs of others. The home is still the center of your five-year-old’s world, but he is becoming more independent and in control of his/her behavior. At this point, you can (try to) reason with your child and they can respond with serious questions. Most of all, they want to be taken seriously! From six to nine-years-old gradual development of a child’s social skills and an increasing ability to relate to others can be seen. Desires to fit in and be accepted by their peer group may be felt. At least some degree of peer group acceptance is essential for one’s self-esteem and a growing ability to relate to others is important. We are of course all on our own path, but nonetheless they developmental markers can help gauge where we are on our journey.
To breakdown the responses I had from the children, I can very much connect their emotions and points of development through the insight they’ve given into their favourite toys, and I learn a lot about them by the way they play. The girls Iiris, Ronnya and Anjelica’s dress up dolls and Claudia’s cuddly bear these toys show they can help feel sympathy for others and security for oneself. Adi, being the busy-body and active boy he is, loves Hex Bugs purely for the stimulation and surprise elements the toy offers. This kind of wow fun feeling is also relevant to Niko’s love for Batman’s lasers (see below pics) It makes him laugh! Siddhu, Leel, and Otso not only are entranced with Beyblades because of their spinning effects, but because of the social environment these collectible toys offer. I can say that practically every morning at school I find a group of boys racing their Beyblades to see whose spins the longest. Despite already knowing who will win, the game could continue the whole day. I feel that all these toys mentioned above are fun and age-appropriate and I see how they help them bond with other children and, in a healthy way, encourage solitary play, develop creativity and help one deal and understand their emotions.
Assuming all our readers are adults, can you easily verbalise, even draw, the things you love or do you find it difficult? The notion of play seems to escape us as we grow older, but perhaps it is play that let’s us feel closer to others and our emotions, and having a lack of playful time makes us overly conscious of our actions and words.
Reference: Sutton-Smith, Brian 1997. The Ambiguity of Play. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
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