Study the history of a toy

Children are invited to carry out a small investigation within their family, in the form of a photo report or testimonials, to identify the corresponding objects and gather information on their cultural context. The surveys are carried out over a period long enough to interview as many people as possible. The children then prepare a short presentation to present the results of their research to the class. This gives rise to a debate on the conclusions to be drawn from these observations.

It may be interesting not to fix the definition of the toy “small car” too much beforehand. The space in which the word is interpreted by children (and their families) reveals the cultural variety and the various functions that it can take on. On the other hand, it is better to frame the investigation by suggesting to the students a research framework, by asking for example for each object listed: an image, its name, its brand (possibly a packaging), its functioning, its owner, in what conditions it was received, a significant memory attached to the object, etc.

For the discussion during the pooling, the teacher can use a plan addressing the following points, which should be placed in the original context of the toy:

• different functions of the toy (realistic reproduction, reproduction of a book or film character, movement, use within a larger game/toy, etc.)
• different values of the toy (popularity, lifespan, transmission, toy preserved and collected)
• different creations of the toy (artisanal or industrial production, stylization, mechanism, automation, remote control, etc.).

The activity could also include a visit to a museum’s toy collections. More and more museums (specialized, design or popular arts) are developing toy collections. See for example:

• The Toy Museum of Moirans-en-Montagne (39)
• The collection of Tomi Ungerer's toys at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Strasbourg (67)
• The toy museum of Colmar (68)
• The toy collection of the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris (75)
• The toy collection of the Departmental Museum of Seine et Marne (77)
• The Poissy Toy Museum (78) Etc...