Toys

A toy is something to play with, for children, adults or both, or pets. They may be either the sole device used in an enjoyable activity or one of many. more...

Toys have existed for thousands of years; dolls of infants, animals, or soldiers, and miniature representations of the tools of adults are readily found at archaeological sites. The origin of the word is unknown, but it is believed to have been first used in the 14th century. A few comparatively recent developments of toys have been their mass production, technological sophistication and copyrighting. A number of these copyrighted, mass-produced toys are associated with particular decades in the 20th century.

Many successful films, television programs, books and sport teams have official merchandise, which often includes related toys. Some notable examples are Star Wars, a science fiction film series, and Manchester United, an English football club. The haulage company owned by Eddie Stobart produced model lorries, which now subsidise the business.

Some things usually thought to be games are actually toys, such as the computer game SimCity and its spinoffs, which are called software toys. As a rule, if something gamelike lacks an explicit end state, it is a toy, not a game.

Early toys

The history of toys closely follows the development of human society. People constructed the earliest toys from materials they had on hand, such as rocks, sticks, or clay. Arguably the oldest toy is the doll. Thousands of years ago, Egyptian children played with dolls with wigs and movable limbs, made in stone, pottery, and wood. In Ancient Rome, girls played with dolls made of wax or terra cotta, while boys played with sticks and bows and arrows.

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