Old toys continue to leave a mark on children's imagination

Toys and games are an essential developmental aspect to any young child's life. As a result of this, a varied toy market was created, stemming from as far back as 6000BC. This market has grown remarkably since its inception and has witnessed a diverse and specified range of toys and games.

There are learning toys that have been expressly invented for the purpose of developing children educationally and readying them for preschool and then school. There are toys that have been built to encourage your child's natural development, i.e. promoting them to stand and then walk. Then there are also the simpler ranges of toys, those that are designed purely for children's entertainment.

It's these toys that have managed to stand the test of time and proven to be the most popular among children of different generations. The Rubik's Cube is one such children's toy. Invented in 1974, the Rubik's Cube is the world's best-selling toy, with over 300,000,000 units having being sold worldwide by 2005. The phenomenon of this toy lies in solving this puzzle; each of the six faces is covered by nine stickers, among six solid colours (traditionally white, red, blue, orange, green, and yellow). A rotating mechanism enables each face to turn independently, thus mixing up the colours. For the puzzle to be solved, each face must be a solid colour. This seemingly simple concept is enjoyed both by young and old. The Rubik's Cube has since undergone a toy evolution to adapt to the technologically inclined society and its children. An online community around the world called Cubers, meets occasionally to compete in different contests such as setting a world record for speed solving and even competing in blindfolded cubing. There are also TV, computer and Nintendo Wii versions for solving the Rubik's Cube puzzle.

Board games also hold a niche in the toy market as a children's game that the entire family can partake in. Patented in 1935, approximately 750 million people have played the game, making it the most played commercial board game in the world. In this game, players compete to acquire wealth through stylised economic activity involving the buying, renting, and trading of properties using play money, as players take turns moving across the board according to the roll of the dice. The object of the game is to own every piece of property and drive other players into bankruptcy. The game is named after the economic concept of monopoly, the domination of a market by a single entity. Monopoly has transitioned itself smoothly into today's culture. The graphic elements that have been trademarked such as special edition monopoly board game like the Disney edition, Monopoly Toy Story Beyond and the Star Wars edition, bears testament to this transition. Monopoly is still a great game because it helps its players develop social and interpersonal skills and encourages the concept of buying.

The bicycle is one outdoors toy loved by all children and is a universal object that lies at the core of childhood dreams and memories. Bicycles were introduced in the 19th century and now number close to one billion worldwide. There are many versions of the bicycle, namely the tricycle which in modern times has been adapted to suite an even younger audience. Tricycles, otherwise known as trikes can be enjoyed by children as young as ten months. Usually featuring parental steer controls and a safety harness, trike toys are outdoor toys that encourage children to be independent and adventurous.

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