Portal:Toys

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The Toys Portal

19th century illustration of a child playing with a toy horse and cart

A toy or plaything is an object that is used primarily to provide entertainment. Simple examples include toy blocks, board games, and dolls. Toys are often designed for use by children, although many are designed specifically for adults and pets. Toys can provide utilitarian benefits, including physical exercise, cultural awareness, or academic education. Additionally, utilitarian objects, especially those which are no longer needed for their original purpose, can be used as toys. Examples include children building a fort with empty cereal boxes and tissue paper spools, or a toddler playing with a broken TV remote control. The term "toy" can also be used to refer to utilitarian objects purchased for enjoyment rather than need, or for expensive necessities for which a large fraction of the cost represents its ability to provide enjoyment to the owner, such as luxury cars, high-end motorcycles, gaming computers, and flagship smartphones.

Playing with toys can be an enjoyable way of training young children for life experiences. Different materials like wood, clay, paper, and plastic are used to make toys. Newer forms of toys include interactive digital entertainment and smart toys. Some toys are produced primarily as collectors' items and are intended for display only. (Full article...)

The current logo for American Girl

American Girl is an American line of 18-inch (46 cm) dolls released on May 5, 1986 by Pleasant Company. The dolls portray eight- to fourteen-year-old girls of various ethnicities, faiths, nationalities, and social classes throughout different time periods throughout history. They are sold with accompanying books told from the viewpoint of the girls. Originally the stories focused on various periods of American history, but were expanded to include characters and stories from contemporary life. Aside from the original American Girl dolls, buyers also have the option to purchase Truly Me dolls, which vary by eye color, face mold, skin color, hair texture, and hair length. A variety of related clothing and accessories is also available. A service for ordering a custom-made doll with features and clothing specified by the owner dubbed Create Your Own, was introduced in 2017.

Pleasant Company was founded in 1986 by Pleasant Rowland in Middleton, Wisconsin, and its products were originally purchasable by mail order only. In 1998, Pleasant Company became a subsidiary of Mattel after Mattel purchased the company for $700 million. The company has been awarded the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award eight times and was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2021. (Full article...)
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A jigsaw puzzle usually forms a picture when complete.
A jigsaw puzzle usually forms a picture when complete.
Credit: Vassia Atanassova

A puzzle is a problem or enigma that tests the ingenuity of the solver. In a basic puzzle, one is intended to put together pieces in a logical way in order to come up with the desired solution. Puzzles are often contrived as a form of entertainment, but they can also stem from serious mathematical or logistical problems — in such cases, their successful resolution can be a significant contribution to mathematical research.

Did you know...

Did you know?
  • ...that a 1950s Annalee Doll was auctioned off for a record $6,000 in 1992?

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Toys categories
Toys categories

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Topics

Types:DollVehiclePuzzleTeddy bear

Industry:American Specialty Toy Retailing AssociationBirmingham toy industryInternational Union of Allied Novelty and Production WorkersKiddicraftPlay valueToy safetyToy storeToyeticWooden toymaking in the Ore Mountains

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ArtsEntertainmentVisual artsGames
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Toys
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Board and table gamesG.I. JoeTransformersMy Little Pony
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AnimationAnime and mangaBiographyComicsFilmFictional charactersMedia franchisesMusicTelevisionVideo games
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