| Don't you get nervous when your kid prefers to play | | | | Cam and crank toys |
| video games for hours instead of playing outside, | | | | A simpler way to power a mechanical toy is to |
| reading books or doing something creative? You are | | | | transmit the kinetic energy from your hand directly to |
| not alone - the children nowadays spend too much | | | | the toy. Such toys use cams attached to a crank and |
| time in front of a monitor or a TV set and play too | | | | follower. The crank is not centered in the cam which |
| much games with violence that don't help them | | | | gives uneven rotation and helps the toy perform a |
| develop their imagination. | | | | move. Example for such a toy is a clown who is hiding |
| I have an idea for you. Your kids will love it. You will | | | | and showing his head from a box. |
| love it. I'm afraid you may even get addicted to playing | | | | Sometimes the toy creators combine several different |
| with the kids. Introduce them to some mechanical retro | | | | cams into a single toy which can lead to quite rich and |
| toys - like the ones from your childhood. You'll be | | | | complex performance. These more complex ones are |
| surprised to see how much kids enjoy them! | | | | usually called crank toys due to the way they are |
| Mechanical toys are affordable, long living, usually | | | | powered. |
| eco-friendly and help the kids develop their curiosity, | | | | Other toys |
| creativity and imagination. Some of them have very | | | | Some mechanical toys are powered by various |
| simple mechanisms which can be seen, explored and | | | | gravity forces. For example there are cars which are |
| reproduced. You can even make mechanical retro | | | | powered by giving only initial power and then using the |
| toys yourself or with your kids. | | | | gravitation to roll the wheels. |
| Just see the main categories of mechanical toys you | | | | The outdoor spring toys are also entirely mechanical - |
| can play with: | | | | little kids love them and that is great, because these |
| Wind-Up Toys | | | | toys are for riding. They encourage the kids to spend |
| These toys are powered by a spring inside. You get a | | | | more time outdoor and to perform physical activity. |
| key, wind up the toy and then it can move for several | | | | Depending on the material they are made of, the retro |
| minutes. The wind-up toys are within the most | | | | toys are mostly wooden and tin. This is different than |
| charming mechanical toys. They can be powered by | | | | the most modern toys which nowadays are made of |
| rather complex gears and can perform a big variety | | | | plastic. |
| of movements. | | | | The mechanical toys are educative, use no batteries, |
| Usually wind-up toys are made of tin, but nowadays | | | | live long and look great. There is no reason to replace |
| you'll find more plastic toys - they are cheaper and | | | | them with radio-controlled electric toys which can |
| lighter but usually can't live as long as the good old tin | | | | never be so charming. |
| toys. | | | | |