Sunday 28 June 2009

Rent a Stick?


The American National Museum of Play, located in Rochester, New York, has just 41 toys in its National Toy Hall of Fame. Among them are the humble stick and the cardboard box, a reminder that the toy rental club cannot solve all of your children's play needs!

Inducted toys are selected on the basis of the following criteria:
  1. Icon-status: The toy is widely recognized, respected, and remembered.
  2. Longevity: The toy is more than a passing fad and has enjoyed popularity over multiple generations.
  3. Discovery: The toy fosters learning, creativity, or discovery through play.
  4. Innovation: The toy profoundly changed play or toy design. A toy may be inducted on the basis of this criterion without necessarily having met all of the first three.
Needless to say, the list includes good old Lego, but there are other names that only an American would recognise. Raggedy Ann and Andy, anyone? Or Lincoln Logs?