Toys are great and vital for a child’s development. And there are always some toys that change the way we play for the better. Some of them are plush.
Recently, the New York Times had a feature on the 10 Hot Toys That Changed the Way People Play. As you can imagine, it features some quite popular toys. Among them are three classic stuffed animals that really made a difference.
According to the New York TImes, there’s one particular toy that headlines the list. Or maybe “toys” as it’s the Beanie Babies. The Beanie Babies became one of the most popular toys not only in the 90s. They are popular today, also. And they continue to stick to the formula – small, cute and affordable.
For many people the Beanie Babies are more than a hobby. A lot of them use the plushies as investments since their prices can go quite high for classic models. Still, we prefer just to have fun with our plushies. So, for us the Beanie Babies are just one of the best toys and a welcome addition to our party.
The other plush toy that changed how we play is Tickle Me Elmo. Elmo was a popular character well before he got that toy. Then Rosie O’Donnell brought the new Tickle Me Elmo toy on her talk show.
The rest is history. Tickle Me Elmo became an instant hit. People were actually waiting at long queues just to buy one. But this cute toy showed us that plushies can do a lot more than look good. They can actually interact with us, play with us and do so much more.
The predecessor for Tickle Me Elmo though was someone else. It was Teddy Ruxpin from 1985. Teddy Ruxpin was one of the first animatronic plush toys.
Sadly, as with many first generation technologies, there were more issues than acceptable. The first Ruxpins were often faulty and people had to return them. Plus, some kids were actually scared by the otherwise cute looking bear.
Even so, Teddy Ruxpin managed to do something important. He showed the promises of technology and opened a whole new world of toys. So, today’s Hatchimals, Elmos and all of other interactive plush toys can actually trace their success back to the original Teddy Ruxpin. And that’s quite the legacy to have.
Plus, there’s also a new generation of Teddy Ruxpin, too. He’s even more interactive and should be creepy. And who knows, maybe the new Ruxpin will also set the stage for a whole different crop of interactive toys in a few years time.
