A decade ago, toys were a lot simpler. One of the most famous and popular toys was a yo-yo. Yoyo’s were circular plastic objects with string wrapped around them. Once the string is swung, the yo-yo falls down the string, and eventually stops as the level of string decreases fully.

Tricks can be performed with one, or multiple yoyos (i.e. throwing yoyos down, then straight back up, just before the string has fully decreased will bring the yo-yo back up etc). They came in different colours, and were very popular in schools. Most schools banned them as they were seen as a deterrent from hard work.

With Toy Story 3 coming out, toy sales are believed to rise. Toy Story is one of the most celebrated CGI story that has been released, and is also one of the first. The main toys believed to be sold are: Woody, Buzz Lightyear and Woody’s gf, a new character to the saga.

Toy Story 3D is already in the cinemas, and is expected to break records. It has also been a while since the last Toy Story was released, so extra stock may be requested to help deal with the craze (due to the fact the film is coming out etc).

When a film, or children’s tv series is released, a lot of merchandise is released along with it. Companies do this to make as much profit as possible whilst the series or film is being released.

This means that toy manufacturers have to increase stock intakes to keep up with the increase in demand. It is not only children that buy toys, but also adults (depending on the merchandise obviously). Argos and ‘Toys for Us’ are the main toy manufacturers in retail chains which sell a large variety and up to date stock, whereas other shops simply cannot keep up.

One of the leading sold toys ever made is the Transformers toys. A Transformer is a endless robotic organism, which can transform from its alien appearance, to that of a vehicle. Some of the vehicles they transform to vary, including: a lorry, car, motorbike, aircraft, a tank, and their own home planet’s Cybertron aircraft.

Many avid fans of Transformers will buy the toy, but keep them in their packaging, for display and future resale. The best selling transformers include: Optimus Prime, Megatron, Starscream, Jetfire, Jazz, Bumblebee and Soundwave. The toys themselves are fairly expensive, selling for around £50 or more.

The final installment of the Shrek saga is set for release, Shrek Forever After is the title of the film. Shrek is pixar’s biggest selling CGI film, and the toy sales for the film are expected to go through the roof. Since it is the last movie, toy retailers are going to be ordering in vast amount of stock, to help keep up with the demand for the merchandise.

The main sold Shrek merchandise include: Shrek himself, the Donkey, Puss In Boots, the Princess and Pinocchio. The film is already released in 3D, and is expected to break records at the box office.

The biggest collection of rare toy cars in the UK is set to go on auction this week and valuators are suggesting that it’ll hit the dizzy heights of £100,000.

The seller is Mr Horace Dunkley who is 65-years-old. His collection features over 2,200 Matchbox pieces and there is said to be something of a fervour surrounding the auction from other collectors.

Mr Dunkley has been all over the world collecting his toy cars and he never really considered it an investment so much as a hobby. He now concedes it is the right time to sell the collection, cheekily adding:

We’re looking forward to squandering the kids’ inheritance after the sale, they are going to allow my wife and I to grow old disgracefully.

A model car has fetched the largest ever auction fee for a matchbox toy. The auction took place this week and among the collection was Lesney dumper truck that the Matchbox car company made over half a century ago.

The rare piece was originally intended as a maquette for large toys, but never went into full scale production as Matchbox found success with its smaller range. The owner of the toy, Mr Takuo Yoshise, came from Japan for the event.

A mystery bidder won the auction for the truck with an astonishing bid of £10,200, so Mr Yoshise, who is 75 years old, will go home with full pockets.

Lego enthusiasts in the UK have been delivered a piece of good news as the new Legoland Discovery Centre at the Trafford Centre in Manchester has opened its doors to the public.

The Discovery Centre features a 4D cinema, a ride called Kingdom Quest and Miniland – a special display of the North West’s landmarks made from Lego. The Trafford Centre is said to be delighted that Lego chose its site at Barton Square for the new venture.

There is of course a large Lego shop where parents can find all sorts of Lego goodies for their children. Lego has strived to keep with the times and the new Discovery Centre will help it appeal to yet another generation.

One of the most influential toys in the world is still going strong to this day. In the face of a booming computer industry and more and more interactive toys and forms of entertainment, it is great to see that kids still love playing with Lego.

Lego is the ideal toy in terms of fun and development. It is amazing to see the absorption with which a child will approach a Lego construction, playing and learning all at once.

Whilst Lego has worked incredibly hard to compete in the current multimedia industry, even branching out into computer games, it has stayed true to its original mission – to provide a toy that will educate as much as it will entertain.

Little girls have been playing with Barbie dolls since the late fifties and the iconic toy has always come with lots of different glamorous personas. She has had a staggering 124 different careers, but her latest, the 125th, is probably the least alluring she’s ever had.

The newest Barbie is a computer engineer. How the mighty have fallen.

What’s most incredible about this Barbie’s profession is that it was actually decided via an online poll conducted by the toy manufacturer Mattel. Apparently a career in IT is what the public really wanted for her.

Mattel have made an effort to paint a picture of a wonderful feminine presence in the technical community, but it is hard not to take that with a pinch of salt. After all, the other careers on offer included architect, surgeon and newswoman.