The U.S. of Play - Part 1: Wagons, Bears and Dolls
About this episode
The episode explores the history and significance of American toys and games in honor of the USA's 250th anniversary.
In honor of the 250th anniversary of the USA, we are doing a series of mini stories across two episodes that explore American toys and games. This week, we look at early childhood objects that became vehicles of the imagination. I talk with Michelle Parnett-Dwyer, senior curator at the Strong National Museum of Play, about how the origin of the Radio Flyer Wagon. Author Michael Kimmel tells me about his great-grand uncle who invented the teddy bear with a little help from the 26th president. I talk with Sara Broussard, director of the Houston Toy Museum, about the complicated history of Cabbage Patch Kids and my assistant producer Stephanie Billman recounts her obsession with the doll that adults were literally fighting over in the mid-1980s. To support the show, you can donate on Patreon where you get access to the ad-free version and our companion show Between Imaginary Worlds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
People in this episode
Host: Eric Molinsky
Guests: Michelle Parnett-Dwyer, Michael Kimmel, Sara Broussard
Topics covered
- American toys
- games
- childhood objects
- imagination
- history of toys
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Strong National Museum of Play, Houston Toy Museum
Products: Radio Flyer Wagon, teddy bear, Cabbage Patch Kids
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