K. CAMPS
Speelgoed in meisjeshanden
Summary: Toys in Girls’ Hands
“The difference between boys and girls defines the way they play, not the actual objects they are playing with.” This statement of Marianne De Valck dates from 1996. Opinions on boys- and girls’ play weren’t always that broad-minded. Toys, as a mirror of society, display a magnificent image of the evolution of the thinking about girls’ education, emancipation and stereotypical thinking. The Toy Museum explored this material and showed the results in an exhibit ‘Toys in Girls’ Hands’.
,
K. CAMPS
Knikkeren
Summary: Playing with marbles
While making a study on the play behavior of children in Belgium, the history of one particular game should not be absent. No other game has been played so frequently throughout the 20th century as the shooting with marbles. Jozef Van Balberghe published an interesting booklet on playing with marbles in Mechelen 60 years ago. We took his work as a starting point, since he wrote about the specific aspects of this game in Mechelen, the home town of the Toy Museum. To be able to see the evolution, we compared his study with the inquiry of the Toy Museum.
,
K. CAMPS
Het spelgedrag bij Belgische kinderen en jongeren, vroeger en nu. Een kwantitatief en kwalitatief onderzoek, uitgevoerd door het speelgoedmuseum (2003-2004)
Summary: Playing behavior of children in Belgium throughout the 20th century
Toys and games are a cultural phenomenon. They are the result of the evolution of society and at the same time they determine the future of it. Toys and games are the mirror and the pars pro toto of that society.The Museum undertook a project to inquire the playing behavior of children in Belgium throughout the 20th century.
,
M. WELLENS
Speelgoed: een volwaardige erfgoeddrager
Summary: Toys: a unique element of cultural heritage
People who study play often are not taken seriously, as if they don’t have anything else to do, but play all day long. Toys are a serious part of our culture. Toys are much more then a mere object. They are a mirror of our society and tell about our culture. In the Toy Museum in Mechelen toys are not only presented in several ’traditional’ sections, like dolls or construction toys. The toys tell their story and are regarded as very important witnesses of our material in immaterial culture. Throughout the history of toys, we can learn a lot about social, cultural and economic history. A survey is given of the history of toys in its social and cultural context. On April 23, 2007 the Toy Museum celebrates its 25th anniversary. We noticed that in these 25 years, the study and presentation of toys is take seriously, both by the public and official authorities. For this reason we hope that toys and games will get the appreciation and recognition they deserve as a substantial part of our cultural heritage.
,