It's that time of year when parents and other caregivers race to find the hottest toys and stock up on classic favorites,

from poppets to Pokemon, from squishmallows to Legos.

Toys might seem frivolous, but to psychologists, they're a subject for serious study.

Researchers have long known that children learn best through play.

Play is how kids stretch their brains and develop crucial cognitive, social and other skills.

And toys are a fundamental part of playtime.

But what makes something a good toy?

Indeed, what makes something a toy at all?

Why do some toys stand the test of time, while others are just a one-season wonder?

What's the difference between fun and educational toys? Why do we assign gender appropriateness to some toys and not to others?

How do kids' toy preferences change as to some toys and not to others?

How do kids' toy preferences change as they age, and how has technology changed what toys are and the way kids play with toys?

Welcome to Speaking of Psychology, the flagship podcast of the American Psychological Association

that examines the links between

psychological science and everyday life. I'm Kim Mills. We have two guests today. Our first is

Dr. Barry Kudrowitz, an associate professor and director of product design at the University

of Minnesota Twin Cities, where he teaches classes in toy product design.

Dr. Kudrowitz has a PhD in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology,

where he studied creativity, humor, and idea generation, and he has studied how play can fuel

creativity and innovation. In addition to his academic career, he's also a toy designer.

Highlights of his work include the Katsup Krapper, an anthropomorphic roller skating ketchup

bottle that he designed as a grad student, and the Nerf Adam Blaster, a Nerf toy sold by Hasbro

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