IT’S ALL ABOUT TOYS Story and Photos By Jeff Falk
T
oys are recreation. They are fun. They’re nurturing. Toys are supposed to make us think. But not too much. We really need to be careful around toys. Because if we’re not, we might just learn some things. And if the best way to teach is through fun, then toys are an invaluable tool. Toys have been with us since the beginning of time. They possess the power to develop human beings, and the power to both affect and reflect our society and culture. Toys are personal, unique, universal and gender-less – and they can foster imagination and creativity. Toys can be simple in their design, or they can be quite complex. Introducing Meghan Clark. 16 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MARCH 2020
Clark is a toy expert. She used to play with them all the time when she was a kid. “Yes, we’ve all been influenced by toys,” says Clark. “Whether it’s a baby doll or something more elaborate, all kids have seen toys. The way we use toys is based on our personalities. The way I think is different than the way you think. We could both play with the same toy in totally different ways. “They’re fun,” continues Clark. “They can keep children engaged. A puzzle is a toy that’s engaging and can help children learn. Puzzles can teach shapes and letters. That’s the point of a lot of toys – to learn.” So it is obvious that toys work. But how do toys work? “The science behind toys has allowed them to evolve,” says Clark, who’s also the Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Finance for the Whitaker Center, downtown. “Older toys were more basic, not very elaborate. The science is why they have evolved into what they are today. “Because science has evolved, toys have become much more advanced,” adds Clark. “It’s why it’s important to expose kids to the science of toys. It’s important for kids to understand the technology and engineering behind them. Kids want quick results. They want to see things happen immediately. It’s a kid’s personality, but it’s also what has evolved.” The Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts, 222 Market Street in Harrisburg, is hosting a hands-on, traveling exhibit called “Toys, The Inside Story,” from now to May 10. The display is designed to give children of all ages a glimpse inside toys and what makes them tick. It’s kids playing with the toys that make toys, toys. “What I really remember is every Christmas my parents would give me and my sister a Lego set, a puzzle and a game,” says Clark. “We’d sit around for the week after Christmas playing the game, playing with the Lego sets and playing with the puzzles. It was so fun. It kept us engaged. My parents would do it with us, and that would make it even more fun.
