There’s a 101-year-old doll hospital in Sydney, Australia. It restores precious possessions to their pristine glory after time or an accident has taken its toll.
So, what is it about toys that make us humans become so attached to them? Perhaps, as a child, for once you can be the adult. You can plan her day and movements, pretty much what your parents do for you. It’s a reversal of roles.
Now you have robots that can even sense emotions. I don’t know whether children will take to something that might be a little too smart for their liking. Give them a dumb doll any day.
Playing with these requires exercising one’s imagination and every little girl stages her own scenarios. Setting up house and inhabiting a make-believe world can keep her entertained for hours. I remember one doll from my childhood which even had a pram. I would take it for long walks and, in return, she had to put up with my monologues.
Stuffed toys also hold the same magic. Children form a deep attachment to these and, when parts get detached due to wear and tear, there can be tears and tantrums.
Parents need to be sensitive to a child’s bond with an inanimate object. They will see a range of emotions displayed such as possessiveness bordering on obsession, and a deep sense of protection as the doll, for example, is guarded against boys who think nothing of holding it by an arm or a leg and threatening to dismember it.
Back in the day, there were paper dolls which were carefully cut out of magazines. Colour pencils flew over paper as one created a wardrobe comprising morning, evening and beachwear that would have made any celebrity proud. All that the child longed for was brought to life through artistic expression as she designed dress after dress, bent on making this doll have everything she wished for. Soon, the wardrobe became so extensive that choosing an outfit for different times of the day presented a dilemma. This was perhaps the precursor to the Barbie. The only difference was that the former didn’t cost a penny.
Boys, too, have their toys such as action figures and miniature vehicles, which they can play with for hours. I have sometimes been drawn into some games of make-believe by a nephew who would patiently explain the special powers of each. I was tutored in fighting techniques using weapons that could kill or maim. At the end of the game, there was mayhem, with several of these figures lying on the ground, having succumbed to a gory death.
The only difference between girls and boys and their relationship with toys is that girls outgrow this stage. Boys remain boys and so will a lot of men! You see these male adults in groups, exchanging tidbits on the features of the latest gadget they have acquired or the newly-bought car.
Next is the game of compare and contrast. Remember those exam questions? There is a deep discussion of the pros and cons of the gadgets possessed by each. There may not be consensus but, a few days later, you will be surprised to see several with the very same device. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, isn’t it?
However, apart from the announcement of the acquisition of the latest gizmo, the device can command their complete attention as they spend hours gazing at this new wonder, trying out all the high-tech features and marvelling at the ingenuity of the maker.
So, the next time you see a head bent over something, please just walk past. You know exactly what is engaging that person’s complete attention and trying to strike a conversation would be a futile exercise.