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Filed under: Toddlers, Preschoolers, Kids 5-7, Kids 8-11, Fun & activities, In the news, Toys & gamesThe National Toy Hall of Fame is a repository of great toys that generations of children have enjoyed. Since 1998, the best of the best as selected by historians, educators and others have been proudly displayed at the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York. To be included in the Hall of Fame, a toy must exemplify learning, creativity and discovery. Examples of toys that have met that criteria are the Easy Bake Oven, the Etch-A-Sketch and the Hula Hoop.As of Thursday, there are three new additions to the Toy Hall of Fame and one of them might just surprise you. Along with the baby doll and the skateboard, the lowly stick was recognized for its versatility and power to stir the imagination. "It's very open-ended, all-natural, the perfect price - there aren't any rules or instructions for its use," said Christopher Bensch, the museum's curator of collections. "It can be a Wild West horse, a medieval knight's sword, a boat on a stream or a slingshot with a rubber band. ... No snowman is complete without a couple of stick arms, and every campfire needs a stick for toasting marshmallows."How great is a stick? It's so great that its appeal has spread to the entire animal kingdom. "This toy is so fantastic that it's not just for humans anymore. You can find otters, chimps and dogs - especially dogs - playing with it," Bensch said. Of course, in my house the same could be said for any toy left on the floor.The stick isn't the first no-cost, multi-purpose toy to be inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame. In 1995, the cardboard box earned a spot in the museum. In the spirit of everyday objects turned into toys, what do you think the curators should consider next time? Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Posted on Sat, 08 Nov 2008 13:00:00 EST at http://www.parentdish.com/2008/11/08/toy...the-stick/
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