Fun without batteries - The yoyo isn't alone!

General Yo-Yo
1

One of the things that attracted me to yoyo was the fact that this is not a “powered” activity. With very few exceptions, yoyos do not use batteries. I’m kind of getting sick of batteries in toys.

Now, I’m not some anti-battery person. I have two Duncan Pulse yoyos and a Duncan FHZ Pulse as well, and they were bought specifically because they light up, as I have a need for this feature. But in general, I’m kind of getting sick of everything needing power in order to enjoy it.

Again, I’m not anti-battery. Heck, I have plenty of portable video game systems that go as far back a the ORIGINAL Game Boy(white that took 4 AA batteries), many variants on the Game Boy, all the way to the Nintendo DS(not 3DS yet) and plenty of other sytems, including stuff many of you haven’t heard of or seen.

What I am tired of is all the batteries I go through in my kid’s toys. At times it’s just beyond annoying. The Sit N’ Spin has batteries for the little music player in it. A rocking horse has batteries. Stuff that is beeping and booping and making gross noises and little voice clips. It can just get beyond annoying sometimes. Also, a lot of the hot toys require batteries. It’s like people don’t know how to play anymore. And on a long car trip… it drives me NUTS with all the electronic noises coming from the rear seats!

I have to be thankful my kids are enjoying Lego blocks, which was something I had to convince my wife on. I only regret this because I get tired of stepping on them and the mess they make.

So, thanks again for the yoyo. A couple of spinning discs, a string, a bearing, and powered by a good throw. It may not be quite as simple as blocks, but it doesn’t REQUIRE power and it’s still a lot of fun. Even in the yoyos that have batteries for the LED effect, they still work fine, they just don’t light up.

Also, yoyos can make great gifts!

Let’s try to reduce our reliance on fun that needs batteries. YoYo is an old toy. Let’s re-discover older toys. Erector set, building blocks, lego bricks, puzzles, Entanglement puzzles, puzzle toys like Rubik’s Cube type device, Lincoln Logs and other stuff. This is all good and classic stuff.

2

Pretty much all of the stuff only available at specialty stores, or the ‘bargain bin’ toys at Walmart…wait, my local walmart got rid of their ‘simple/novelty toys’ section.

I love my electronic stuff, being iPhone, 3DS, etc but nothing can top something that can keep you occupied that you don’t have to worry about charging up the night before. It is convenient though to have that iPhone. Say that I want to look up how to do a certain trick, I don’t have to wait to get home to do so.

3

~Bandai Hyper Infinity ~
Motor Yoyo

./Thread.

just kidding.
Me too.

Even a regular wooden axle + String is already fun enough.

All you do is Throw and relax.
Silicone , Pads , Cleaning Bearing , Slacking on new string is the only maintance you would ever really need.

I love yoyoing its one of those hobbies that dont even require electricity
your Mind
Your creation
Your Creativity
and Art and Style is what I love about it

4

Balisong
Cardistry

two other things I do (well, learning cardistry, just picked it up) that don’t require power.

I like not having to rely on electronics for entertainment.

5

i went hobby jumping for a while so my list is
yoyoing
devil sticks
juggleing
balisong/butterfly knife
spin tops
lockpicking
and diabolo

6

That is why I love yoyoing because I can do it wherever. I even have strings i cut short so i yoyo in the car.