A Decade of Toys: Changes in Past and Present

The toys of the last decade have changed quite a bit. In the past ten years, advances in technology have also led to advances in toys. The toys of the past are not like the toys that we have now. They are not as simple. In fact, the technological advances have made them more complicated. Nearly every toy today requires batteries of some kind, or even computer access. In the past, toys included simple things like building blocks and Lincoln logs.

A decade from today presented many options for simpler toys. Many kids wanted the new Elmo or some kind of figures from their favorite television shows. Lego sets, like pirate ships, were still a big hit among the preteen groups but the biggest technological toys on the market were the Gameboy Advance and the Playstation.

As the years progressed, the electronic pets and older game stations changed as they became more advanced. They soon added color, more games, and more personalized interactions. Simple things like board games also became more advanced. These games often included DVDs, such as the Scene It games. Changes to board games were coincided with changes in television shows and their popularity.

Robots also became increasingly popular as the decade progressed. Robot pets, such as the iDog, were popular choices, not only for kids but also the parents. With these toys, there was no need for a real animal, or the messes they cause.

However, there are many non-technical toys still available, such as dolls, trains, and Matchbox cars.. But many of these toys have models that are made to be technologically advanced. Radio controlled cars, for example, used to simply go forward and backward. Today, these things can go forward and backward, left and right, and there are even some that flip and do stunts! There are also dolls that provide interaction, such as eating, crying to be held, and even going potty!

The most technologically advanced toys today are the game systems. With the introduction of such game systems as the Playstation 3 and the Xbox 360, there has been less of a need for simpler toys like legos and matchbox cars. The newest craze in game systems is the Nintendo Wii, which recently released its newest addition: the Wii Fit, which allows its users to exercise in any way imaginable, right from their home!
There are good points and bad points to the changes that have occurred to the toys from the past. The good points include better construction, and more durable materials, both will less chances of recall. In addition to being more costly, the bad points include limited creativity and limited movement, with the exception of the Nintendo Wii.