Some Kids Have Never Heard of Yoyos

[N8dogg]

I live in Las Vegas, the weather is still beautiful here. I’m a nurse and I work nightshift and last night/yesterday morning I got off from work, went home, and then went to throw in the local park just because it was 72 degrees, not a cloud in the sky, and honestly just a beautiful late November morning here in Vegas.

As I was throwing there were local little league baseball games going on in the park. Evidently it was some kind of late fall tournament as there were many many teams of kids ranging from around 6-12 years old. Anyway, I’m throwing my Crucial Cupcake and having a great time, a few of the kids are watching me as they’re teams are practicing waiting for their game in the tournament when one kid around 10 years old walks up to me and says, “What is that anyway?” I reply, “This? Oh, it’s a yoyo.” The kid shouts back to his teammates, “Hey guys, he says it’s called a yoyo.” A few of the kids come up to me and out of the 5 or so kids that were standing there watching me throw literally only one of them had ever heard of a yoyo. The rest had never even seen or heard of one before. EVER. Not even your basic dollar store cheapo responsive “garbage” throw. Anyway, the kids and their parents stood in awe of some very basic rock the baby, around the world, thumb/arm grind/anything at all for about 5 minutes before they had to return to their baseball practice.

My point is, as much as this hobby/sport/recreational activity may be growing, as advanced as this tricks and throws may be becoming, we’re still playing with a toy. A children’s toy, and evidently some children don’t know that this toy exists. Spread the word, don’t get too high and mighty and too advanced to break it down and have fun on an absolute basic level. Around the world and walk the dog still blow people’s minds as much as any crazy advanced trick out there. We just need to keep the toy and dream alive!

[Tuxedodave]

You walked the dog with the cupcake?! Noo!

[N8dogg]

@Tuxedodave

You walked the dog with the cupcake?! Noo!

On grass. It survived just fine!

[cruton]

Wow, thats like never having a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. What is going on?

[zigzag97]

Kids nowadays are too “busy” with their electronics like iPads, iPhones, iPods and list goes on…

[SR1 (SPENCE)]

haha

whats a yoyo

srs

what is this place anyways

[GambinoGirl14 (NotATyrant)]

@cruton

Wow, thats like never having a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. What is going on?

I have to agree. How have you NOT heard of a yo-yo?

[LinksLegionaire (Bandalorian)]

@cruton

Wow, thats like never having a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. What is going on?

@zigzag97

Kids nowadays are too “busy” with their electronics like iPads, iPhones, iPods and list goes on…

I found it funny these posts were right after each other.

[ebilflindas]

Maybe parents need to be reassured that yoyos are sugar- and gluten-free; that they require no batteries; and leave no carbon footprint (other than what it took to produce and ship them).

[Legyoyo (Daniel)]

Haven’t of a yo-yo ay? well where have you been the last century under a rock!!! HUH KID!! HUH!!!

[anonyo]

Really? Seriosuly?

No, I know you’re not joking.

I’m surprised the kendama has such a following, and that’s not a criticism of the toy itself. It brings me to where I am going with this:

There is no active television marketing for this toy(kendama), yet I see them all over the place. The same holds true for yoyo. I grew up seeing the Duncan commercials and I thnk I even saw the YYF Fast201 Challenge commercials on TV.

Finding yoyo information on the internet is a bit easier, but if you don’t know what you are looking for(what’s that toy called again?), then good luck with it.

What do I see?
Video games. While I’m not opposed to video games in the least, I do feel there’s too much of it. Buttom mashing instant gratification, blinking and flashing lights and lots of graphics and action. It’s hard not to be lured in. While I am more of a Nintendo fan, I have other stuff too, quite a bit actually.
Online gaming: all the benefits of video games but you don’t have to invite friends over(or have friends) and do multi-player fun.
Toys that move, dance, since, light up, play music, and essentially play themselves for your amusement. Batteries are required.

The problem that the yoyo has in this day is that “it takes effort to enjoy this”. It’s not all instant gratification, but for those who it truly connects with, the rewards can be incredible. This toy requires a REAL effort. There’s no “walk-thru” guide and no way to cheap. If you want to do a trick, it’s gonna require good old fashioned work.

Watching a yoyo in motion s a fascinating thing. Well, maybe not if you watch me, it’s probably more like a train-wreck with a string tied to an idiot. Watching Guy Wright at CalStates summarizes what I want yoyo to be for me: smooth, flowy, artisty in motion. I’m not knocking any other player for a second. I appreciate every single thing they do with amazement and awe, but the speed play doesn’t connect with me. Zammy’s work, using his arms so much, also fascinates me, and make me want to get my skills up to do that sort of stuff because if I slow it down a bit, it can be made to flow very nicely. Honestly though, Zammy does his tricks at the speed they really are intended to be performed.

What I am pleased about is how many kids are playing with the yoyo. There’s enough spread out to help keep it visible, but not enough to really get sufficient attention. Meets gather crowds of onlookers, which helps. Then there’s us “previous generation” player, us “old folks”(OK, I’m nearly 41 as of this post), where I feel it is really up to us to keep it going. I didn’t force my son into this, he chose it for himself.

What I find alarming is that parents aren’t presenting these toys, be it yoyo, spintops, kendama, and other similar toys, to their children. Instead, they are getting Nintendo 3DS, PSX units, ipads and more stuff.

Someone offered to buy my eldest an iPad for Christmas. I said “no”. Why? I don’t even have one, but it’s not a jealousy issue, it’s really a matter of “she’ll break it within a week, and if she doesn’t, the other three will”. Don’t think I’m lying either. So, those people offered a Kindle instead, knowing how that child loves to read. I’m again saying no. I think paper is the better way to go for a kid in 3rd grade.

Great story. Thanks for sharing the story with us and your yoyo with others who desperately need exposure to a time tested and classic toy. We need more doing this. I do my part too, throwing daily at my kids’ school while they are in session.

[anonyo]

@N8dogg

Spread the word, don’t get too high and mighty and too advanced to break it down and have fun on an absolute basic level.

Right on. Maybe it’s the teacher in me, but in my mind, no one is dumb… just unaware.
Yo-yo Awareness 2013!

[abby1371]

Man kids never heard of yoyos? This social internet thing is taking us down by the kids first by not hearing about yoyos!

[N8dogg]

@Studio42

I do my part too, throwing daily at my kids’ school while they are in session.

Was it you talking about having a bunch of cheap throws to hand out to people in public settings? Almost like the Gideons placing Bibles in hotels, but instead having yoyos to hand out to people to get them interested? Like TenYoyo’s “throw it forward” yoyo that they packaged with the Wet Whistle? There’s an old fashioned/educational toy store down the street from me that sells fixed axle hand made wooden yoyos for something like $4 each. Seriously. I think I am going to pick up a few and have them in my car just in case something like this ever happens again. “Throw it forward,” as it were.

[zigzag97]

@LinksLegionaire

@cruton

Wow, thats like never having a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. What is going on?

@zigzag97

Kids nowadays are too “busy” with their electronics like iPads, iPhones, iPods and list goes on…

I found it funny these posts were right after each other.

heheh whoops :

[abby1371]

@Studio42

Really? Seriosuly?

No, I know you’re not joking.

I’m surprised the kendama has such a following, and that’s not a criticism of the toy itself. It brings me to where I am going with this:

There is no active television marketing for this toy(kendama), yet I see them all over the place. The same holds true for yoyo. I grew up seeing the Duncan commercials and I thnk I even saw the YYF Fast201 Challenge commercials on TV.

Finding yoyo information on the internet is a bit easier, but if you don’t know what you are looking for(what’s that toy called again?), then good luck with it.

What do I see?
Video games. While I’m not opposed to video games in the least, I do feel there’s too much of it. Buttom mashing instant gratification, blinking and flashing lights and lots of graphics and action. It’s hard not to be lured in. While I am more of a Nintendo fan, I have other stuff too, quite a bit actually.
Online gaming: all the benefits of video games but you don’t have to invite friends over(or have friends) and do multi-player fun.
Toys that move, dance, since, light up, play music, and essentially play themselves for your amusement. Batteries are required.

The problem that the yoyo has in this day is that “it takes effort to enjoy this”. It’s not all instant gratification, but for those who it truly connects with, the rewards can be incredible. This toy requires a REAL effort. There’s no “walk-thru” guide and no way to cheap. If you want to do a trick, it’s gonna require good old fashioned work.

Watching a yoyo in motion s a fascinating thing. Well, maybe not if you watch me, it’s probably more like a train-wreck with a string tied to an idiot. Watching Guy Wright at CalStates summarizes what I want yoyo to be for me: smooth, flowy, artisty in motion. I’m not knocking any other player for a second. I appreciate every single thing they do with amazement and awe, but the speed play doesn’t connect with me. Zammy’s work, using his arms so much, also fascinates me, and make me want to get my skills up to do that sort of stuff because if I slow it down a bit, it can be made to flow very nicely. Honestly though, Zammy does his tricks at the speed they really are intended to be performed.

What I am pleased about is how many kids are playing with the yoyo. There’s enough spread out to help keep it visible, but not enough to really get sufficient attention. Meets gather crowds of onlookers, which helps. Then there’s us “previous generation” player, us “old folks”(OK, I’m nearly 41 as of this post), where I feel it is really up to us to keep it going. I didn’t force my son into this, he chose it for himself.

What I find alarming is that parents aren’t presenting these toys, be it yoyo, spintops, kendama, and other similar toys, to their children. Instead, they are getting Nintendo 3DS, PSX units, ipads and more stuff.

Someone offered to buy my eldest an iPad for Christmas. I said “no”. Why? I don’t even have one, but it’s not a jealousy issue, it’s really a matter of “she’ll break it within a week, and if she doesn’t, the other three will”. Don’t think I’m lying either. So, those people offered a Kindle instead, knowing how that child loves to read. I’m again saying no. I think paper is the better way to go for a kid in 3rd grade.

Great story. Thanks for sharing the story with us and your yoyo with others who desperately need exposure to a time tested and classic toy. We need more doing this. I do my part too, throwing daily at my kids’ school while they are insession.

thank goodness my parents got our house remodeled! that was a time when the tv was put away for 3 to 4 months and also the time i had to find. Something to do so i played with yo-yos and other stuff instead! And went outside! Something some of these digital engrossed kids never do!

[Legyoyo (Daniel)]

@abby1371

@Studio42

Really? Seriosuly?

No, I know you’re not joking.

I’m surprised the kendama has such a following, and that’s not a criticism of the toy itself. It brings me to where I am going with this:

There is no active television marketing for this toy(kendama), yet I see them all over the place. The same holds true for yoyo. I grew up seeing the Duncan commercials and I thnk I even saw the YYF Fast201 Challenge commercials on TV.

Finding yoyo information on the internet is a bit easier, but if you don’t know what you are looking for(what’s that toy called again?), then good luck with it.

What do I see?
Video games. While I’m not opposed to video games in the least, I do feel there’s too much of it. Buttom mashing instant gratification, blinking and flashing lights and lots of graphics and action. It’s hard not to be lured in. While I am more of a Nintendo fan, I have other stuff too, quite a bit actually.
Online gaming: all the benefits of video games but you don’t have to invite friends over(or have friends) and do multi-player fun.
Toys that move, dance, since, light up, play music, and essentially play themselves for your amusement. Batteries are required.

The problem that the yoyo has in this day is that “it takes effort to enjoy this”. It’s not all instant gratification, but for those who it truly connects with, the rewards can be incredible. This toy requires a REAL effort. There’s no “walk-thru” guide and no way to cheap. If you want to do a trick, it’s gonna require good old fashioned work.

Watching a yoyo in motion s a fascinating thing. Well, maybe not if you watch me, it’s probably more like a train-wreck with a string tied to an idiot. Watching Guy Wright at CalStates summarizes what I want yoyo to be for me: smooth, flowy, artisty in motion. I’m not knocking any other player for a second. I appreciate every single thing they do with amazement and awe, but the speed play doesn’t connect with me. Zammy’s work, using his arms so much, also fascinates me, and make me want to get my skills up to do that sort of stuff because if I slow it down a bit, it can be made to flow very nicely. Honestly though, Zammy does his tricks at the speed they really are intended to be performed.

What I am pleased about is how many kids are playing with the yoyo. There’s enough spread out to help keep it visible, but not enough to really get sufficient attention. Meets gather crowds of onlookers, which helps. Then there’s us “previous generation” player, us “old folks”(OK, I’m nearly 41 as of this post), where I feel it is really up to us to keep it going. I didn’t force my son into this, he chose it for himself.

What I find alarming is that parents aren’t presenting these toys, be it yoyo, spintops, kendama, and other similar toys, to their children. Instead, they are getting Nintendo 3DS, PSX units, ipads and more stuff.

Someone offered to buy my eldest an iPad for Christmas. I said “no”. Why? I don’t even have one, but it’s not a jealousy issue, it’s really a matter of “she’ll break it within a week, and if she doesn’t, the other three will”. Don’t think I’m lying either. So, those people offered a Kindle instead, knowing how that child loves to read. I’m again saying no. I think paper is the better way to go for a kid in 3rd grade.

Great story. Thanks for sharing the story with us and your yoyo with others who desperately need exposure to a time tested and classic toy. We need more doing this. I do my part too, throwing daily at my kids’ school while they are insession.

thank goodness my parents got our house remodeled! that was a time when the tv was put away for 3 to 4 months and also the time i had to find. Something to do so i played with yo-yos and other stuff instead! And went outside! Something some of these digital engrossed kids never do!

As much as I love video games nothing beats a good game outside with friends; be it football, yo-yoing, hi-ya ball, foursquare, etc., etc.

[Jack_Shaw]

Playing outside is waaay better than playing COD.

[Legyoyo (Daniel)]

But afterwards COD is always fun

[Cake_king]

(Lightbulb) lets make a foundation
The yoyo awareness project
To allow kids to Know about the dangerously fun sport of yoyoing
We will practice hours and hours to find a cure for this event