thumb|ours en peluche
Un '''jouet''' est un plastique mais il y en a toujours en bois.

On distingue également des jouets les structures fixes servant de terrain de jeu (échafaudages, balançoires, manèges, etc.). De la même façon, on ne considère pas les jeux de société comme des jouets : bien que pouvant favoriser des interactions sociales, le jouet est plutôt orienté vers la découverte individuelle de sensations, de lois physiques, vers une expérimentation du monde.

Au sens figuré, un jouet désigne l'objet (réel ou imaginaire) ou la personne qui fait l'objet de manipulations diverses, pas toujours réalisées dans le cadre d'un jeu.

Comme le montrent les recherches en sciences sociales, le jouet est un objet d'une profonde richesse, il est à la fois : objet de consommation, moyen de découvrir le monde, source de plaisir, occasion de complicité familiale, signe d'une époque, miroir d'une réalité culturelle.

Pour s'y retrouver dans le monde hypertrophié des jouets il existe un ouvrage intéressant, le Ludoscope qui propose chaque année des analyses psychologiques approfondies en donnant des indications très utiles quant à l'âge des joueurs, la catégorie des jouets, leur intérêt, leur particularité.  
thumb|cheval à bascule (~ 1850)
==Types de jouets==
===Jouets pour tous les âges===
* Balles et ballons
* Peluches
* Poupées

===Jouets par tranches d'âge===
thumb|voitures jouet variées
* 0 à 36 mois
** Doudous
** Peluches
** Premier train en bois

* 3 à 6 ans
** Trains en bois

* 6 et plus
** Train électrique,
** Auto miniature, Circuit routier électrique,
** Modèles réduits
** Lego
** Figurines articulées

Au-delà de 12 ans on parle plus de jeux que de jouets, en raison notamment du degré d'élaboration de ces derniers, tels que les jeux vidéo.

===Jouets pour animaux===
* Objets à mâcher (os en matière plastique...)
* Balles et ballons

=== Jeux de construction ===
Sous une appellation trompeuse, il s'agit bien de jouets. Le jeu est une activité réglée ce qui n'est pas le cas ici.
* Lego
* Meccano
* Kapla
* K'nex
===Petits bateaux===
Inventé en 1891, le bateau à thumb|center|200px|Bateau à [[moteur pop-pop]]

===Jeux de guerre===

* Petits soldats
* Pistolet à eau

''This article is about playthings.  For other uses of the term, see Toy (disambiguation).'' 
thumb|250px|A [[teddy bear]]
                            
                         
A '''toy''' is an object used in play. Toys are usually associated with domesticated collector's items and are not intended to be played with.

The origin of toys is prehistoric; dolls representing infants, animals, and soldiers, as well as representations of tools used by adults are readily found at archaeological sites.   The origin of the word "toy" is unknown, but it is believed that it was first used in the 14th century.<ref name=etymonline>[http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=toy Definition of "toy" from etymonline.com]</ref>

Toys and play in general are an important part of the process of learning about the world and growing up. The young use toys and play to discover their identity, help their bodies grow strong, learn cause and effect, explore relationships, and practice skills they will need as adults.  Adults use toys and play to form and strengthen social bonds, teach, remember and reinforce lessons from their youth, discover their identity, exercise their minds and bodies, explore relationships, practice skills, and decorate their living spaces.

Toys are more than simple amusement, they and the ways that they are used profoundly influence many aspects of life. thumb|300px|Wooden toys of [[Channapatna, a town in India famous for its toys.]]

==History==
thumb|left|250px|A display of Roman toys, including several that would be familiar to children today: a doll, dice, rattles, and toy dishes for playing house.
Most young rocks, and food into toys.  It simply makes sense then that toys have a history as old as human civilization itself. Toys and games have been unearthed from the sites of ancient civilizations.  They have been written about in some of our oldest literature.  Toys excavated from the Indus valley civilization (3000-1500 BCE) include small carts, whistles shaped like birds, and toy monkeys which could slide down a string.<ref name=Indialife>[http://members.aol.com/Donnclass/Indialife.html MrDonn.org - Daily Life in Ancient India, including the mysterious Indus Valley Civilization<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

The earliest toys  were made from materials found in nature, such as rocks, sticks, and clay.  Thousands of years ago, Egyptian children played with bows and arrows, and yo-yos.  When Greek children, especially girls, came of age it was customary for them to sacrifice the toys of their childhood to the gods.  On the eve of their wedding, young girls around fourteen would offer their dolls in a temple as a rite of passage into adulthood.<ref name=Powell>{{cite book
  | last =Powell
  | first =Barry B.
  | title =Classical Myth; Third Edition
  | publisher =Prentice Hall
  | date =2001
  | location =Upper Saddle River, NJ
  | pages =33-34
  | id =ISBN 0-13-088442-1 }}</ref><ref name=Oliver></ref>  
thumb|A boy with a [[Hoop rolling|hoop.  Hoops have long been a popular toy across a variety of cultures.]]
As technology changed and civilization progressed, toys also changed.  Whereas ancient toys were made from materials found in nature like stone, wood, and grass modern toys are often made from plastic, cloth, and synthentic materials. Ancient toys were often made by the parents and family of the children who used them, or by the children themselves.  Modern toys, in contrast, are often mass-produced and sold in stores.  

This change in the nature of toys is exemplified by the changes that have taken place in one of the oldest and most universal of human toys; dolls.  The earliest and most primitive dolls were simple wooden carvings and bundles of grass. Egyptian dolls were sometimes jointed so that their limbs could move realistically.  By the early 1800s there were dolls that could say "mama".  Today there are dolls that can recognize and identify objects, the voice of their owner, and choose among hundreds of pre-programed phrases with which to respond.<ref name=VanPatten></ref> The materials that toys are made from have changed, what toys can do has changed, but the fact that children play with toys has not changed

== Child development ==
thumb|left|A [[rubber duck is a popular bathtime toy for small children.]]
Toys, like play itself, serve multiple purposes in both humans and animals. They provide entertainment while fulfilling an educational role.  Toys enhance cognitive behavior and stimulate creativity.  They aid in the development of physical and mental skills which are necessary in later life.  

One of the simplest toys, a set of simple wooden blocks is also one of the best toys for developing minds.  Andrew Witkin, director of marketing for Mega Brands told Investor's Business Daily that, "They help develop hand-eye coordination, math and science skills and also let kids be creative."<ref name=Tsuruoka></ref>  Other toys like Marbles, jackstones, and balls serve similar functions in child development, allowing children to use their minds and bodies to learn about spatial relationships, cause and effect, and a wide range of other skills as well as those mentioned by Mr. Witkin.

One example of the dramatic ways that toys can influence child development involves clay sculpting toys such as Play-Doh and Silly Putty and their home-made counterparts.  Mary Ucci, Educational Director of the Child Study Center of Wellesley College, demonstrates how such toys positively impact the physical development, cognitive development, emotional development, and social development of children.<ref name=Ucci> (Full-text on-line version requires login) </ref>

Toys for infants often make use of distinctive sounds, bright colors, and unique textures. Through play with toys infants begin to recognize shapes and colors. Repetition reinforces memory.  Play-Doh, Silly Putty and other hands-on materials allow the child to make toys of their own.

Educational toys for school age children of often contain a puzzle, problem-solving technique, or mathematical proposition. Often toys designed for older audiences, such as teenagers or adults demonstrate advanced concepts.  Newton's cradle, a desk toy designed by Simon Prebble, demonstrates the conservation of momentum and energy.

Not all toys are appropriate for all ages of children.  Some toys which are marketed for a specific age range can even harm the development of children in that range.

===Gender===
thumb|right|300px|A toy tank with a remote control.  Such toys are generally thought of a boys' toys, but some girls enjoy playing with them also.
thumb|left|[[Barbie dolls are almost exclusively considered to be girls' toys.]]
Certain toys, such as Barbie dolls and toy soldiers, are often perceived as being more acceptable for one gender than the other.  It has been noted by researchers that, "Children as young as 18 months display sex-stereotyped toy choices".<ref name=Caldera></ref>

Playing with toys stereotyped for the opposite gender sometimes results in negative consequences from parents or fellow children. In recent years, mainly in western countries, it has been looked down upon for males to play with toys that were originally stereotyped as being "for girls".  However, it is generally not looked down upon for females to play with toys designed "for boys", an activity which has also become more common in recent years.<ref>[http://www.toy-testing.org/contents/whatbuzz/bz_gbfil/bz_gb.htm Toys for Girls and Boys - The Canadian Toy Testing Council] accessed 27 May 2007</ref>

==Economics==

thumb|left|[[Toys "R" Us operates over 13,000 stores in 30 countries and has an annual revenue of $11.1 billion USD.]]
With toys comprising such a large and important part of human existence, it makes sense that the toy industry would have a substantial economic impact.  Sales of toys often increase around holidays where gift-giving is a tradition.  Some of these holidays include Christmas, Easter, Saint Nicholas Day and Three Kings Day.  

In 2005, toy sales in the United States totaled about $22.9 billion.<ref name=Tsuruoka/> <!-- This reference has a slightly lower figure, but isn't from as reliable a source.  I'm hesitant to delete it entirely at this point, so I'm hiding it in a comment until I know what to do with it.<ref name=Vargas>
</ref>-->  Money spent on children between the ages of 8 and twelve alone totals approximately $221 billion annually in the U.S. <ref name=tweens></ref>

Toy makers change and adapt their toys to meet the changing demands of children thereby gaining a larger share of the substantial market.  In recent years many toys have become more complicated with flashing lights and sounds in an effort to appeal to children raised around television and the internet. According to Mattel's president, Neil Friedman, "Innovation is key in the toy industry and to succeed one must create a 'wow' moment for kids by designing toys that have fun, innovative features and include new technologies and engaging content."

In an effort to reduce costs, many mass-producers of toys locate their factories in areas where wages are lower.  75% of all toys sold in the U.S., for example, are manufactured in China.<ref name=Tsuruoka/> Issues and events such as power outages, supply of raw materials, supply of labor, and raising wages that impact areas where factories are located often have an enormous impact on the toy industry in importing countries.

==Types==
===Construction sets===
thumb|left|[[Lincoln Logs have been a popular construction type toy in the U.S. since the 1920s.]]
The Greek philosopher models.  Popular models to make include spaceships, and houses. The things that are built are sometimes used as toys once completed, but generally speaking, the object is to build things of one's own design, and old models often are broken up and the pieces reused in new models.

The oldest and, perhaps most common construction toy is a set of simple wooden blocks, which are often painted in bright colors and given to babies and toddlers.  Construction sets such as Lego bricks and Lincoln Logs are designed for slightly older children and have been quite popular in the last century. 
Construction sets appeal to children (and adults) who like to work with their hands, puzzle solvers, and imaginative sorts.

Some other examples include Bayko, Konstruk-Tubes, K'NEX, Erector Sets, Tinkertoys, and Meccano.

===Dolls, animals, and miniatures===

thumb|A child and her doll.
A cornhusks, stone, bisque, celluloid, wax, and even apples.  Often people will make dolls out of whatever materials are available to them.

Sometimes intended as decorations, keepsakes, or Egyptian 2000 BC.<ref name=Maspero></ref>

Dolls are usually miniatures, but baby dolls may be of true size and weight.  A doll or stuffed animal of soft material is sometimes called a plush toy or plushie.  A popular toy of this type is the Teddy Bear.

A distinction is often made between dolls and action figures, which are generally of plastic or semi-metallic construction and poseable to some extent, and often are merchandising from television shows or films which feature the characters. Modern action figures, such as Action Man, are often marketed towards boys, whereas dolls are often marketed towards girls.

Toy soldiers, perhaps a precursor to modern action figures, have been a popular toy for centuries.  They allow children to act out battles, often with toy military equipment and a castle or fort.  Miniature animal figures are also widespread, with children perhaps acting out farm activities with animals and equipment centered around a toy farm.

===Vehicles===
thumb|left|A [[pop pop boat|toy boat]]
Children have played with miniature versions of vehicles since ancient times, with toy two-wheeled carts being depicted on ancient Greek vases.<ref name=Hils/>  cars such as those produced by Matchbox or trains.  Examples of the latter range from wooden sets for younger children such as train models like those produced by Lionel and Hornby. Larger die-cast vehicles, 1:18 scale, have become popular toys; these vehicles are produced with a great attention to detail.