Modern children are “growing up” too fast for the toys and lose interest quicker than ever. At least this is what more and more experts are agreeing on.
Hilary Kennelly, of the West Wales Museum of Childhood, said the industry has suffered from modern children “growing up too fast”, the BBC reports. Toys are quite powerful and can help you remember a lot of stuff from the past and help with the development of a child, she adds.
But the newer toys are very different. They use technology way too much sometimes. A classic toy makes you actually move it and control. The child brings the life into the toy. Newer toys though simply have a button. Press it and the toy does its thing. Press it again – it does the same. This quickly destroys the interest and engagement of a child and he or she starts to look elsewhere for interaction.
“With a teddy bear you can make up stories with it. You can make it part of many adventures”, Hilary adds. “Now I’ve heard a girl of 8 years old say she is too old for Barbie”, she comments.
Children want to grow up too fast, which is not a good thing. You have to grow up at a proper pace, Hilary says. The toy industry seems to agree with her, as it is hoping that the classic retro toys will be making a comeback. The British Toy and Hobby Association (BTHA) has said the re-launch of many old favorites will boost sales in the UK. Retro toys were a top point of focus of the recent toy fairs. Would this be enough to recapture children’s imaginations and give toys a new life? We can only hope so. Judging by the rise of sales of stuffed animals last year, this may just happen.
