A toy is an item used to play, specially designed for such use. Playing with toys can be a fun way to teach young children to live in society. Various materials are used to make toys, such as wood, clay, paper, and plastic. Many items are intended to be used as toys, but things made for other purposes can also be used. For example, a small child can fold a simple sheet of paper in the form of an airplane and “fly” on it. New ways of toys include interactive digital entertainment. Some toys are mainly produced as collectibles and are for display purposes only.

The origin of toys is prehistoric; dolls depicting babies, animals, and soldiers, as well as images of tools used by adults, are easy to find in archaeological sites. The origin of the word “toy” is unknown, but it is believed that it was first used in the 14th century. The toys are mainly for children. The oldest known toy doll is believed to be 4000 years old.

When it comes to growing up and getting to know the world around us, it is considered important to play with toys. Young children use toys to reveal their identities, help their bodies become healthy, learn cause and effect, explore relationships, and practice the skills they will need as adults. Adults sometimes use toys to form and strengthen social bonds, teach, help with therapy, and remember and reinforce the lessons of their youth.

Most children are told to play with anything they can find, such as sticks and stones. Toys and games have been discovered at the sites of ancient civilizations. Some of the oldest literary sources have written about them. Toys excavated by the Indus Valley Civilization (3010–1500 BCE) include small carts, bird-shaped whistles, and toy monkeys that can slide along a rope.

The earliest toys were made from materials found in nature such as stones, sticks, and clay. Thousands of years ago, Egyptian children played with dolls with wigs and movable limbs made of stone, ceramic, and wood. Given their love of the game, it is highly likely that the ancient Egyptians also had children’s toys, but they are challenging to identify with certainty in archaeological records. Small figurines and designs found in tombs are usually interpreted as ritual objects; the inhabitants of the settlements are easier to call toys. These include spinning tops, spring balls, and wooden animal models with moving parts.

In Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, children played with wax or terracotta dolls, sticks, bows and arrows, and yo-yos. When Greek children, especially girls, reached old age, it was customary to sacrifice the toys of their childhood to the gods.

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