Toys have always played an important role in any child’s life. And, as adults it something that we look back on with fond memories. That’s why there’s a museum completely dedicated to toys- in Rochester, New York.
One of their most prized attractions is their ‘‘, and they recently added a trio of toys ranging from a doll that made a difference to a game that still is a big hit today.
‘Baby Nancy’ is the first black baby doll to have an afro and dark skin. The groundbreaking doll was launched nationwide in 1968 and is credited with making cultural and commercial breakthroughs in our country.
Sidewalk chalk also made the cut and recently increased in popularity again due to the pandemic. Fun fact: While they’re often used for kid’s colorful creations, humans have been using chalk to create pictures since the age of cavemen! Back in 16th Century Italy, people starting using chalk to create street art.
Then, there’s, wait for it, JENGA! If anyone ever has played the game, it’s a stack of blocks and each player removes one block at a time. The person who knocks the tower down loses the game. The wooden block game was created in Ghana in the 1970s. Jenga blocks actually have small differences in dimensions to make their construction less stable, each brick is a different size and weight so no two games are alike.
The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York has been adding toys to their list since 1998, and anyone can nominate a toy to the ‘National Toy Hall of Fame’. to see the full list.
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