ren grow older, they view toys in a different light. A doll or a truck is no longer merely a toy, but a prized possession; and in the case of a favorite toy, perhaps even a companion. (Newson 168) When a child first starts going to school, he may be reluctant to leave his “friend” at home, or he may want to show off his favorite toy to his new classmates. As he makes new friends, he will begin to depend on toys less and less for amusement. Around this time the child will begin to engage in more dramatic play. The toys he used in his toddler years to act out stories will be played mostly by him or perhaps his friends. Soon his interest in “traditional” toys may be lost completely.When a boy plays with blocks, he does not conceive that they may help him with his analytical skills. When a girl dresses up her dolls, she does not realize that doing so may help develop her coordination skills. A child’s mind has often been compared to a blank page: it will retain whatever you place on it. If you give a child stuffed animals to play with, he may grow up to be more pacific than a child who was exposed to mostly action figures. Toys carry an extraordinary amount of influence. Parents may decide which television shows to allow their children to watch, but toys will decide whether the children want Big Bird to be president or be roasted for Thanksgiving. Growing up, my father bought Barbie dolls and stuffed animals for me. My mother bought me Lego sets. In a curious combination, I would play with all of those toys together. I built beds and closets for the Barbie dolls and food bowls for the animals. The Barbie dolls would ride on the furry dogs and bears as princess warriors with day jobs as models. Perhaps this is why I’ve never associated with only girls or boys; I preferred playing with a large group of both sexes at once as I did with girl toys and boy toys. If parents want to make sure t...
