How do toys change?

Just as toys through time mirror societal norms, they also are a product of technological innovation. For example, the MARTA collection includes dolls made of porcelain, rubber, and plastic, reflecting the materials available to toy manufacturers at different times in the past. What a toy is made from can affect its affordability but sometimes we have to check our modern assumptions about value. Although made from porcelain, a higher-end material used for fancy dolls today, late 19th century Frozen Charlotte dolls were relatively inexpensive and referred to as “penny dolls.” In the 20th and 21st century, we’ve witnessed the development of digital toys that offer immersive experiences through technology. Toys like the G.I Joe doll (only his legs survive) or the Dick Tracy gun represent traditional physical toys that are being replaced by shooting games on your phone or computer. Although new and exciting, virtual toys, unlike the toys in the MARTA collection, won’t leave the same archaeological evidence of past children’s lives.