Do you think the phrase “Yoyo are toys” is a helpful thing that puts this hobby in perspective or a derogatory set of words that keeps Yoyoing from seeming “cool” or worth your time?
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If ‘toys’ aren’t worth the time, then even kids shouldn’t play with them. Because by letting kids play with their toys, we are teaching them to waste their time.
Which is ridiculous.
I think part of the problem is because our society expect adults to always work, and tend to look down to those who don’t.
Because for some bizarre reasons, having fun is associated with laziness and a waste of time.
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^ totally agree.
“play” has such a negative connotation in adult life. either we’re expected to try to be serious and professional, commit to some important artistic pursuit, or push ourselves to the apex of our physical performance.
reminds me of the “bisy backson” from the Tao of Pooh (a silly book, but a favorite of mine):
“He works when he works, works when he exercises, and, more often than not, works when he plays. Work, work, work. All work and no play makes Backson a dull boy. Kept up long enough, it makes him a dead one, too.”
we can fashion yo-yoing into a performance art, a scientific exploration, or a competitive sport… but i think the innocence and honesty of “play” will always shine through whatever we try to layer on top of it.
i hope so, anyway.
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They are high precision, tethered, gyroscopic instruments that I play with . Yep…toys 
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Haha this is awesome!
I think it’s a coordination improvement device. Lol ah who am I kidding, it’s a toy! But I’m only 15 so I don’t have to worry about it yet, not that I ever will worry about it, people can say whatever they want and think whatever they want,I enjoy it and plan on continuing to do so. And the way I see it, sitting around playing video games (which is somehow becoming the norm and somewhat socially acceptable even for adults!) all day is way worse than yoyoing a bit here and there throughout the day. I think if yoyoing is frowned upon it’s because they are jealous of if our mad skills! 
So what if it is called a toy. All adults have toys and mine just happen to be yoyo’s.
Lots of people who I know use the word toy as a degrading term for what I do, but I don’t care. I can play with toys, who said I can’t?
And to put it in perspective, yoyos are one of the cheaper adult toys, generally speaking.
Really depends on how you use it. If you use it for serious efforts of arts, or metal health it is not a toy, if it is used as a toy than yeah its a toy.
It is a toy. However, it is a very special kind of toy called a skill toy. Oh, who am I trying to kid, a yoyo is a toy. It doesn’t need pretentious labels or justification, it is simply something to help us have fun, relax and express ourselves.
I think that yoyo is a great creative outlet and something to do when bored or feeling down
Very ignorant of people to call a YoYo a toy! Since its inception it as gone through a large metamorphus in the last 16 years…from the 1930-40’s to the year 2000 there was very little change in the YoYo. From 2000 till today(past 16 years) have changed the YoYo in many different ways…the price has changed with the changes since 2000! The once imperial design reined supreme but then it all changed…
So take me back to someone saying" Yoyos are a toy! " Are professional athletes worth over a million dollars per game of whatever sport they are in? Hell no! So why are we discussing this again? Oh yeah Yoyos are not toys…period! There value alone has sky-rocketed…the shapes…hubstacks…bearings…responses…side effects…counter weights…and so on…it should be a sport…an Olympic sport! Competitions via countries and chosen competitors! Ok…ok…ok…I’m far enough out of my subject now…I can shut up…thank you…
My co-worker once went so far as to say “those stupid toys” and how I spend so much time with them! (He is a gamer btw) I feel like it is a toy in its base form, but for me it is more of a creative outlet, a de-stresser, (is that a word?) as well as a way to improve hand-eye coordination. So in general the title of “toy” is accurate, however it can sometimes be a derogatory term.
Toy
noun
noun: toy; plural noun: toys; modifier noun: toy
an object, especially a gadget or machine, regarded as providing amusement for an adult.
By that definition I would say that a yoyo is a toy.
Toys cannot be stupid… Inanimate objects cannot be stupid. People that dont recognize the potential of objects that can inspire smiling faces and fun times; are ‘stupid’.
Your coworker is not only stupid but ignorant. By calling ‘yoyos stupid’ he in essence was/is calling you stupid; because you are using them.
The word ‘toy’ seems historically to be associated with something primarily to be used by ‘children’.
In reality; a toy is anything that one may use resulting in fun. < Regardless of age. Toys=fun and toys are not limited to any certain age parameter.
I know watching Grandpa at the park throwing Eli hops may look zany to some. But that shortsighted view is simply a narrow/shallow perspective and not at all related with Reality.
Yoyos are a perfect example of an object that has a very wide age latitude. You can start throwing when you are 5 and keep throwing as long as you are alive.
You only need 1 yoyo(unless you throw 2A🤓. Unlike many other ‘toys’ a yoyo can be taken just about anywhere. Very portable, very calming, very entertaining, very good gymnastics for your brain.
Very fun… A versatile toy. A timeless toy. A very fun toy.
I love yoyos. They are anything but stupid.
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Wow! That’s both hilarious and terrifying at the same time.
Tom Kuhn has the right attitude, they are recreational devices.
Yep. Yoyos are toys. They serve one purpose: entertainment (or livelihood based off someone else’s need for entertainment). Likewise, TVs, smart phones (when used for purposes other than necessary communication), and money (for a select many) are all toys.