This chapter aims to look at the evolution of toys over the years. It looks at different historical periods and the changes that took place in the design and material of toys. This research helps to determine the factors that influence the consumer behaviour of buying toys. The research aims to understand the role of the global pandemic conditions as one of the major factors affecting the purchase and playtime of physical toys. The purpose of the study is to help in bringing back the essence of the actual toys/board games that had lost their charm due to the advent of technology resulting in the invention of games/virtual games for children. Also, the suggested recommendations would aim at bringing improvement in the behaviour of people shifting towards mobile games, as compared to the actual toys. This way, toys will keep playing the role of an educational tool. As education is now moving to a progressive and participatory format, toys play a vital role in the lives of students. This will help us understand how toys become a vital pedagogy tool.
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The production of toys has dated back to 4000 BC when children used to play with clay balls and marbles in countries around the world such as Egypt, Nagada, and more. In the beginning, they played with everything that they found, some of which included sticks, stones, etc that had been unearthed from different excavation sites like the Indus Valley Civilization (3000-1500 BC). The materials that were used to produce those toys were found within nature such as clay, rocks, sticks, mud, and more. These impacted the overall behaviour of children immensely. Even in ancient Greece and Rome, there are several traces of ancient toys that played a huge role in the cognitive, behavioural and psychological development of a child (Layne, 2008). This era also came to be known as the ‘antiquity’ era for the development of toys.
During the 18th Century, there was a sharp increase in the number and variety of toys produced. Now, children started using the toys not only as a means of entertainment but also as an educational tool. For example, in the year 1767, John Spilsbury was the person who introduced the jigsaw puzzle to children as a tool to help them know the subject of Geography (Spilsbury & Boydell, 1781). With the help of these puzzles, children were able to learn more about the different countries in the world. Similarly, the rocky horse was another kind of toy that was developed in England during the same time with the motive of imparting the skills for real horse riding in children. Gradually, the educational purpose of the toys increased towards the 19th century. Now, hoops, kites, wagon wheels etc, had been replaced with puzzles, board games, cards, and more. Also, a tinge of religion was added to the educational flavour of toys to help children gain a grasp over the teachings of the Bible. These included the toys that resembled Noah Ark’s model that was popularised in one of the Bible scenes (Mattula Ada, 2013). Toys like kaleidoscope functioned on some of the most important concepts during those times (mechanics and optics) also helped students know more about them. This enlightenment era also introduced a number of other toys to children as well which included magic lanterns, zoetropes, wood and porcelain dolls etc. that were surely something way beyond just having fun during recreational activities; they conveyed some of the other educational concepts to children.