Isn’t it amazing that we develop things based upon what we see? And, that’s the real reason why we need to offer our kids toys that augment their creative sparks- and not those video games that seem to be proliferating at the birthday table.
100 years ago this year, Alfred Gilbert offered the world a wonderful toy; Erector sets. The inspiration for his offering came from his watching the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad being built. But, the inspiration he provided a plethora of young boys and girls who used his sets spread way beyond that beginning.
Yes, I had an Erector set. The progeny of this toy in today’s marketplace seems to be Lego’s. (I also had blocks- the wooden ones, that I played with for a few years, until I determined that one of the two tools my dad had (a hammer and a screwdriver) could help me make a more permanent structure.)
I also had a chemistry set. Also, from Gilbert’s company. And, a microscope. Which by the time I was using all three of them provided the Gilbert Toys corporation a turnover of $ 20 million. Only to have the firm disappear about the time I entered college, about 5 years after the death (in 1961) of Gilbert himself.
Of course, given today’s business climate, the company ‘survives’, albeit with a new owner (an erstwhile competitor), kind of like the same way other failed/closed companies survive (Emerson, Sunbeam, Polaroid, to name but a few)… by having a new company purchase the name and use it- albeit with different skill set and quality standards. But, I digress…
You see, we need to cultivate the creative abilities of our children. That means boys AND girls! We, the parents, actually reinforce gender-specific play- which is not the best approach. We need ALL of our children to understand technology and develop spatial skills. To see nature and be amazed at the wonder of it. To see how a drop of one chemical into a flask can change the color instantly. How a drop of glycerin can afford a small scale volcano to erupt. How putting things together can yield great structures, interesting moving parts…
When is that next birthday?
I had an erector set. What a great way to learn how to work with your hands building things. Lego’s have come a long way, but an erector set has screws and had to be thought out, that was a challenge that my grandchildren don’t get on the same scale.
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I agree, Chef William. I think there’s a slew of things you can do with Erector sets- including the fact that they eventually integrated electric motors into the concept.
Thanks for adding to the discussion.
I had lincoln logs and chemistry sets when I was growing up. I requested those because I had an intense dislike of barbies and “girl toys” boooorrrrinnnngggg. Which might be why I received an A plus in wood shop and got a mercy C in sewing…anywho…Great post and a lot of truth in it! Everyone can benefit from these toys.
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That’s the point, Lisa.
They are not boy’s toys. They are toys to induce the ability to put things together in unseen ways- and develop new things. And, if it doesn’t work, they are just dissassembled and one starts again. Just like we need to do with our lives.
I don’t recognise the name Erector – we had Meccano over here. My memory may well be at fault, but I think it was banned here for a while on safety fears! heaven forbid you could accidentally hurt a finger, because that wouldn’t reflect real life at all, would it!
I suspect there is some creative benefits to be had with the modern screen technology, but I agree that the variety to be had away from screens, is indeed something that children should be exposed to.
Cheers, Gordon
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Meccano (mechanical engineering set) was the European version- and now both it (the surviving “name”) and Erector are made and sold by the same firm.
I’m not sure it was banned- but that ‘scare’ may have been the impetus to driving down sales that shut the production down.
Thanks for sharing the story from the other side of the pond.
As an old radio hound used to say… “the rest of the story…”
A Centennial, Of Sorts http://t.co/jbMkAXzONh @Adjuvancy << toys i want to have and i want my future kids to have!
A girl growing up in the 50’s, I was given wooden blocks, a lego like set, Tinkertoys, and something else I remember fondly – Colorforms. When my son (now in his 20’s) was growing up I gave him all of those, and erector sets, too. Also K’nex, which I wish I had when I was young. In middle school my husband did a lot of experiments with him using the TOPS science books – these teach science using mainly supplies the normal household can get hold of.
Great lessons, there, Ms. A!
So glad you got the Colorforms and Tinkertoys! They were loads of fund. (I tended to use nails with my building blocks- I wanted them to stay strong…)