| Show U. U Us S. S Toy Trade Changes Playtime Technique World in Miniature to Greet Y Youngsters This Christmas By JOSEPH W. W V. V LaBINE LaDINE When I was a kid kid Father speaking When he was a kid Santa Claus Glaus brought tin trains and crockery crockery crock crock- ery dolls toys tinker-toys and wooden wagons that somehow somehow somehow some some- how fell apart the day after Christmas So when Father walks through a 1938 toy store his eyes may well pop out at the baby doll that can be fed bathed powdered dressed and rocked to sleep or the streamlined automobile with exhaust pipe electric lights and a horn to make youthful pedestrians get of off the road He lie may frown over real pianos and motion picture projectors but these seemingly extravagant toys are really much more sensible than the winks set Aunt Emma gave him for Christmas many years ago Old World Imitates Imitate Us U. The toy industrial revolution has made the United States a world headquarters for Christmas shoppers shop pers who migrate annually from every ev ery cry European nation nation Just just to see what's what new in the American toy in in a scant few years ago our own toys toy came from abroad Japanese and German manufacturers man manS now copy our products Often they attempt to sell cheap imitations in the United States The revolution wasn't spontaneous ous a dozen years yean ago aio struggling American toy makers protested when psychologists and educators told them that Jacks box may maybe maybe maybe be amusing but certainly not very instructive Armed with fancy figures fig ures urea about child behavior and the need for toys that would develop young minds these self-appointed self uplift societies forced their wares on toy manufacturers For several years American youth was showered with Christmas gifts it was supposed sup posed to like but Sorely puzzled the psychologists were were slow to find a remedy why not ask children chil chil- dren themselves what kind of toys they wanted So they tried it and discovered that American boys and girls like nothing better than imitating Mother Mother Moth er er and Dad Tha That's t s why 1938 Christmas Christ mas mu toys toy stress tress miniatures miniatures authentic tic reproductions of trains automobiles automobiles automo automo- biles baby buggies and airplanes At Chicago's Chicago Merchandise dise Mart where the toy-minded toy visitor can get a comprehensive picture pic pie ture of this new trend It its it's quite possible that you'll see ee a preview of your 1940 automobile ready for delivery to a old year driver long before the real thing rolls roU of off an assembly mel line melAge Are Age Is Important Factor Briefly y toy manufacturers have realized that children need new toys and games iame to develop new abilities ir i 9 t f ii 4 4 S S 4 g z 1 L S 'S a SS S 4 N I L. L S S SL L S WHITTLED DOWN TO SIZE Youngsters Youngsters like to 0 imitate Mother and Dad Dati so 0 o toy oy manufacturers manufacturer responded Above The young town man with his Ilis streamlined car featuring ing exhaust pipes pipe and anti a classy paint pain job Below A Christmas morning mother gives give leer her dolly a thorough scrubbing in the he doll shown hOlen at Merchandise Mart Chicago as they grow older just as they need new clothes to fit their increasing in creasing stature They've decided to give children sensible toys playthings play things built to stand abuse to develop develop de de- de strong bodies and agile minds Having made peace with the educators edu and psychologists they've enlisted enlisted en listed designers chemists professional Inventors and engineers to help belp meet the new demand When buying toys this Christmas you'll be wise to follow the six objectives ob prescribed by experts who say a child should have at least one type of toy from each classification tion 1 Physical I-Physical exercisers 2 Sense 2 Sense developers color texture tex ture shape and sound 3 Building 3 toys toy for self seU tion and consciousness of ability todo to todo todo do things 4 Make 4 Make believe toys devices device for imitative play 5 Handwork 5 materials materials' leading to arts art and crafts 6 Games 6 that develop skill skID and encourage play with other children But Dut your selection should also be guided by the table of values established es es- es by the same experts The correct toys for your youngster should meet these requirements 1 Durability I 2 Stimulation 2 of self 3 Correct 3 toy for the given age 4 Principles 4 of aesthetics 5 Sanitation 5 and hygiene Zippered Teddy Heart Beart The latter factor is Is' stressed by modern modem toy makers For the very young thUd child only vegetable dyes are used Sharp corners comers have been eliminated and dangling appendages too easily detached and swallowed are taboo There is emphasis on forms and materials that can ean be kept scrupulously clean Even teddy ted dy bears beans are now made with a zippered zip zip- skin that can be removed and laundered while many wood toys can also be washed While adhering to these scientific c principles toy makers have bave not for gotten that their young customers are primarily interested in being entertained en For example its it's much better for a child to develop muscle and ordination co-ordination through a foot foot- propelled vehicle like a toy automobile automobile auto auto- mobile or tricycle than by calls calis Similarly in the most pleasant way possible toys toy reveal talents and aptitudes often otten overcoming de This is particularly true of the sense developers elementary handcraft materials musical and rhythmic toys and all aU materials for simple arts ants like crayons water colors and printing sets Tested Under Fire Every toy that finds its way to the Christmas tree this year might well bear the label Child Tested and Approved After the inventor and child chUd psychologists have bave perfected them the playthings find Ond their way to nursery and sand pile for thorough trial before being manufactured manufactured manu manu- in quantity lots First the experimenters want to discover whether their toy can stand up under un tin- der den hard wear Second it must hold interest long after the novelty stage tage has passed which was one serious fault with the toys yesterdays yesterday's children chil dren received each Christmas By New Years Year's day they ther had usually been consigned to the closet By Dy additional experimentation they discover what age group most enjoys the toy and it is manufactured tuned accordingly Man Many large stores are segregating their toy displays displays dis dis- dis plays plarl by ages this year a boon to the uninitiated uncle or aunt who doesn't know whether a three year old girl should have a up dress-up doll dollor dollon dollor or on just jUit a plain rag baby As A. for the toy makers they're happy about the whole thing Says Say James L. L Fri managing director of the Toy Manufacturers of the United Unit ed States By increasing the purposefulness pur pun of playthings their imaginative im jm appeal and educational value have been greatly enhanced and consequently the m market for toys toy has haa steadily broadened C Western Union |
