Have you ever wondered what might be the science behind…fun? Yes, fun!
Whether you grew up playing with toy trains, Barbies, or even video games, everyone has experienced that magical feeling of nostalgic “fun” in some way shape, or form. However, have you ever sat down to wonder why we feel this way about wooden (sometimes plastic) toys? What is the science behind it? And how are our brains wired to know that we like these things?
Well -good news- Mr. Magee is on the case!
As a teacher at our NYC campus, his goal for this semester was to delve deeper into the question of why we feel “nostalgic”. By running a ColLAB titled: “Having Fun Yet? The Value and Science of Play”, Magee and his students have been comparing and contrasting the strategies of toy companies, branding for various toy products, and how children’s toys have become affected in the modern age of video games and virtual reality.
Students in the ColLAB first studied the rise and fall of toystore powerhouse, Toys-R-Us, before they traveled to one of the last few remaining locations for a field study. There, they explored “the commercialization and commodification of fun”.
Students in the ColLAB first studied the rise and fall of toystore powerhouse, Toys-R-Us, before they traveled to one of the last few remaining locations for a field study. There, they explored “the commercialization and commodification of fun”.
The week after, students then visited FAO Schwarz in Rockefeller Center to compare their in-store experiences. After exploring the historic store and discussing why it’s important to the childhood-play industry, students observed the differences between FAO Schwarz with their previous Toys-R-Us study. They then took part in an in-store, interactive toy design activity with the Funko Monster Factory.
The store’s unique experience can only be summarized by FAO Schwarz itself:
“Grab a head, torso & legs to create your very own Freddy or Monster Funko! With tons of combinations that can be created, you can let your creativity shine at the Funko Monster Factory. Bring the parts to our Funko specialist who will put them together with a special mallet!”
In the final weeks leading up to Symposium, our annual end-of-the-year ColLAB fair, students will take the individualized figures made at FAO Schwarz to create a narrative “born of structured play”, writes Magee.
To stay updated on their progress, be sure to follow our social media pages for more.
- https://www.instagram.com/thewinchendonschool/
- https://www.instagram.com/winchendon_in_the_city/
- https://www.facebook.com/The.Winchendon.School
- https://www.facebook.com/winchendonschoolNYC
For more information about our ColLAB program, click here.
