Lessons learned from the "Five and Dime"

Last month’s article on marbles brought up a discussion among the Spring Antique Mall dealers about the elementary toys of the mid-part of the last century versus the sophisticated, high-technology toys of today. Were those toys as beneficial as the ones that children preoccupy themselves with now, like the high-technology gaming toys, the Wii, Nintendos, etc.? Albeit, children have to be computer savvy to be competitive in today’s job market, but are there some essential skills that are not being addressed when a child just basks in the glow of a computer monitor?

Although inexpensive and low in technology, there were many lessons learned from those purchases from the ‘five-and-dime’ stores. I don’t know what my siblings and I would have done without those portable ‘playground’ toys, as my mother herded us outdoors, latching the screen door as she remarked “Get outside and get the stink blown off you.”

On the subject of marbles…one not only learned strategic planning, setting up the following shot while executing one, but good sportsmanship as you had to reluctantly handed over your prized marble collection to the neighborhood ‘sharpshooter’ one marble at a time. Jacks and a ball took plenty of hand and eye coordination as you progressed from the ‘onesies’ and ‘twosies,’ to scooping up ten jacks at a time. And the skill became more adept as a proficient jacks player progressed from “Eggs in the Basket” to “Pigs in the Pen,” “Double Bounce,” and “Around the World.”

Other toys lent their own skill set demands…Yo-yos encouraged competition as there was always a new trick to learn in the spirit of one-upsmanship. Tops required discipline as it took plenty of practice to get just the right wrist action in order to get the top to spin. Pickup sticks required patience as you meticulously tried to lift one stick after another off the pile, without disturbing the others. And a china tea set taught manners and the art of polite conversation as participants poured and sipped. The skill required with each toy was as diverse as the toys, but they all had one thing in common. You interacted with your peers, and had to get along and play well with others.

Teamwork can’t be taught by a monitor and neither can verbal communication skills. Year after year, Human Resource Managers say that the number one skill set that they look for in applicants is their ability to communicate verbally. Children need toys that develop this specific skill in addition to patience, good sportsmanship, and learning to get along with others. At some point you have to wrestle the ‘Game Boy’ from their sweaty palms, drag them out into the fresh air, and then latch the screen door.


Janet Werner has a degree in psychology in addition to both an M.S. in Occupational Education and an M.B.A.