World’s Most Extravagant Toys: What Lessons Do They Teach?
by Monica Sappleton on Apr 12, 2009 with 21 Comments
Toys are children’s playthings, but they are also valuable teaching, learning tools. They help the child to manipulate, explore and discover his environment; and inadvertently supply valuable cognitive stimulation, thus sparking off new learning. As you resolve to procure these toys for your ones, ask yourself these questions: How will he benefit from these toys? Do they contribute to the development of his creative powers?
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Toys can be called children’s playthings, and they can be called their working instruments / tools. While playing with them, they also work by creating some of the most fantastic things dreamed up in their world of fantasy. In this world, fantasy quickly becomes reality and through the toys, they learn to manipulate, explore and discover their environment, thus sparking off new learning.
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What does a child learn from pushing or hauling a toy trolley? She learns more direct control over her gross motor skills.
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Playing on the monkey bar, standing on its balance board, a boy can learn how to build physical agility and the quick response skills.
When she catches this bouncing -ball, a girl can make significant improvement in her physical coordination skills.
Playing with the more educational toys like puzzles and musical instruments gives their creative and analytical skills a big boost, as they inadvertently receive valuable cognitive stimulation during this process.
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Therefore, toys are extremely beneficial to children’s growth. But how much should we spend to procure these toys that contribute so much to their development?
Take a look at the cost and the size of the following toys.
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1. The world’s most expensive hot wheels:
These hot wheels are priced at $140,000; £72,000. Their glittery exteriors are covered in 23 kt. gold.
Why not throw in some diamonds and rubies too!
.
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2. The World’s most expensive Teddy bear. The cost: £43,000.00; $88.000 . But it has been known to cost as much as $193,000.00 USD.
Why bother to stop there?
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3. The world’s most expensive game-boy is made of 18 K gold with a display screen that is surrounded by diamonds. Cost: $25,000.00 USD. But they will, throw in a few extras: the case, the cables, and a few games. How generous?
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4. The world’s biggest Jigsaw Puzzle, called: “Life The Great Challenge“. It is comprised of 24,000 pieces.
Very challenging indeed!
.. 
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5. The World’s Largest Yoyo is located in the National YoYo Museum, in Chico CA. It weighs 256 pounds and stands at a height of 4 feet 1 inch. It gains a place in the Guinness Book of World Records, mainly, because it actually works.
It really, really works!
6. The largest set of Russian nestling dolls. It contains 51 pieces. The largest doll is 1ft. 9.25ins (54cm ) in height. The smallest is 0.125ina (0.31cm)
What does one do with the tiny pieces?
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It may be interesting to watch a game played on this board.
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7. Wolrd largest permanent monopoly board. This monopoly is made of granite, and can be found in the park garden called the Discovery Meadow. It is adjacent to the Children’s Discovery Museum located in San Jose CA.. It covers an area of 930-sq. ft.
These toys, numbered 1 through to 6 are more like fancy, expensive gadgets rather than the useful toys like the first six, which serve the need of the children. But in their eagerness to make big profit, the toy industry and advertisers push these and many other extravagant toys by making them seem extremely wonderful and intriguing.
However, what valuable lesson do they teach? Nothing that the simple toys cannot and have not taught. Conversely, the lesson that they do not teach is how to be creative. They are highly sophisticated and very expensive, and as such, they leave the child very little room to recreate, or to convert them and come up with his own invention.
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Published in: Family
papaleng | Apr 12, 2009 | Reply
nice and well-researched article Monica. i like it and I do agree with some of your observations.
Glynis Smy | Apr 12, 2009 | Reply
Interesting observations!
Uma Shankari | Apr 12, 2009 | Reply
In line with your earlier articles for building a stimulating learning environment. You have also thrown in lots of interesting tit-bits. The end para is good.
Kate Smedley | Apr 12, 2009 | Reply
I totally agree with you Monica, I may sound old and like a mother now, but we didn’t have all these gadgets ‘in my day’! My on and his friends couldn’t imagine life without all of their computers, online games, mobile phones etc. Very well written article.
Betty Carew | Apr 12, 2009 | Reply
This is so true when we bought our daughter big toys i think she got more fun out of the box they came in than the toy itself.Especially if the cat was close by. I know now the simpler the more learning they get from it. Great article Monica
Christine Ramsay | Apr 12, 2009 | Reply
An excellent article but I don’t think I would spend too much on toys. I watch my grandson learn so much just by playing with cardboard boxes, his dad’s old phone, a pot of felt pens which he sorts into colours, an old computer keyboard which he is practising fingering on and recognising letters and numbers from, his mum’s magazines and lots more. Maybe later he will pay more attention to his toys.
Christine
jst | Apr 12, 2009 | Reply
Again, a very informative article indeed.Parents should be very selective rather than gjoing with the market trend, when buying toys for the kids.
nobert soloria bermosa | Apr 12, 2009 | Reply
very expensive toys indeed,i never thought toys could be that expensive,thanks Monica for this nice and interesting read
Eunice Tan | Apr 13, 2009 | Reply
Such a nice information about toys. Childhood is something to remember. Good toys will perfectly give us a good memory.
mannyrich | Apr 13, 2009 | Reply
what a good write.. childhood toys is important because it affects the child’s personality
Yovita Siswati | Apr 13, 2009 | Reply
I couldn’t agree with you more. Parents should be more careful in choosing toys for their children!
Evelyn Moore | Apr 13, 2009 | Reply
Lots of good sense and well put together – thanks
Ruby Hawk | Apr 13, 2009 | Reply
Wow, these are some expensive toys.
CLEBLANC | Apr 14, 2009 | Reply
great article, i agree with most of it.
Mr Ghaz | Apr 14, 2009 | Reply
Excellent! That was great advices about childhood. Lovely article. Nicely done and well written 2. I LOV it..great pics 2..Thanx 4 sharing..keep it up
Mystical Whitewolf | Apr 16, 2009 | Reply
Educational toys give children a love of learning new things by making the task enjoyable. Great article…….well done.
Isha | Apr 16, 2009 | Reply
Good points. Parents should take care in choosing toys for their children. keep up the good work.
nutuba | Apr 16, 2009 | Reply
Monica, this is a wonderful article! Excellent research, and the whole article was entertaining and well done!
maranatha | Apr 17, 2009 | Reply
Very good article, and exactly what I keep preaching to my children – who are parents themselves now. Games that foster imagination and creative thinking are so much more valuable than the most expensive knick-knack ever invented. Thank you for this!
David Irvine | Apr 19, 2009 | Reply
Loved it!!! Had most of these as a kid and well! my kids also have them now. lol
OhSugar | Apr 21, 2009 | Reply
Excellent presentation on extravagant toys. I agree, the toys need to produce fun and learning at the same time. Boy, have toys come a long ways since home wagons:)