Toy Archives - Page 3 of 3 - Ten Random Facts

Cuddle up with your stuffed toy.

Stuffed toys are toys that are made of fabric and are stuffed with a type of stuffing material.
‘Stuffed toys’ are also known as ‘stuffed animals’, ‘plushies’, ‘plush toys’, ‘soft toys’, ‘softies’ and ‘cuddle toys’.
Over the years, stuffed toys have been stuffed with fibre, wool, plastic pellets, beans, cotton, batting and straw.
Stuffed toys are often made into the shape of an animal or other objects.
Stuffed toys are commonly used for comfort, or given on special occasions, sometimes to express one’s feelings of love.

In 1880, Steiff, a German company started by Margarete Steiff, was the first commercial company to produce stuffed toys.
The first patented stuffed toy was a rabbit from Beatrix Potter’s stories, Peter Rabbit.
Stuffed toys have their origins in stuffed dead animals and home made rag dolls from the 1830s, and once teddy bears were created in 1902, they became increasingly popular.
Some antique stuffed toys, notably, late 1800 and early 1900 Steiff toys, have been sold for hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Electronics and mechanics are sometimes placed inside stuffed toys to allow sound and movement.

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Spin, spin… Can you do tricks on a yo-yo?

Yo-yos are essentially toys, generally composed of two cylindrical discs connected by an axle, with an attached string.
Terracotta examples of yo-yos have been found in Ancient Greek art dating between 400 – 500 BC.
The first modern patent of a yo-yo was in 1866 by James Haven and Charles Hettrich, and it was named a ‘whirligig’ and a ‘bandalore’.
International yo-yo competitions, where performance is judged, are held all over the world every year, with contestants from many backgrounds.
The term ‘yo-yo’ possibly came from one of the languages spoken in the Philippines, from a word meaning ‘come back’ or ‘spring’, although its origins are uncertain.

A yo-yo has also been called a ‘bandalore’ (a French term) and a ‘quiz’, and was named a ‘yo-yo’ in 1928 in the United States, by Pedro Flores, who was a Filipino immigrant.
Japan has some of the best yo-yo masters, most notably world champion Shinji Saito.
One of the most common yo-yo tricks is ‘walk the dog’, which is when the toy appears to be spinning along the ground in front of your feet.
Cheap yo-yos can spin approximately 10-20 seconds, with a record of nearly 4 minutes, while professional ball bearing yo-yos can spin for 1-4 minutes, with a record of just over 21 minutes.
Yo-yos are generally symmetrical, with weight distributed more on the edges of the discs, although this can vary.

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