Yo-Yo's

Kids around the country are "walking the dog", "rocking the baby" and spinning "around the world." Yo-Yo's are making a come-back with elementary and middle aged school kids. Many teachers are incorporating the toy into class curriculum. Physics instructor Dr. Henry Valk says yo-yo's are a great way to bring renewed interest to an old subject. "You want to pique their curiosity that there's more to find out, more interesting things that they have to learn," says Valk.

Still, because many schools now require students to purchase yo-yo's for class exercises, critics say kids are really learning about subversive marketing techniques. Many educational programs promoting yo-yo's are sponsored by the toy companies who sell them. When kids buy yo-yo's sold at their school by outside companies, the school gets a cut of the profits.

Cathy Henson, a PTA president, says it's hard to determine if education or marketing drive yo-yo sales. "The question is, do we now want schools, which are governmental entities, to be fundraisers and using our kids to do that?" says Hensen.

Hensen says that parents should be wary of programs that require kids to buy a commercial product for class. She says that if kids do need a yo-yo, a simple two-dollar model will suffice. Dr. Valk says companies are providing and receiving benefits. "They're benefiting themselves by advertising the benefits of their yo-yo and at the same time you can illustrate some basic physical principles," says Valk.

What Parents Can Do

Keep an open mind. Parents may be skeptical of yo-yo's in the classroom but many educators say the age-old tricks like "walk the dog" and "around the world" do help improve students' concentration and eye-hand coordination.

Yo-Yo's offer a lesson in science. Many educators use Yo-Yo's to help teach valuable lessons in physics and to demonstrate lessons in balance, gravity and inertia.

Yo-Yo's offer good, clean fun. Yo-Yo's give kids the chance to have fun and learn at the same time. The Yo-Yo's of today are capable of many tricks and they also range in complexity, size and price. Prices range from $2.00 for the basic yo-yo to $150.00 for a high-tech model.

Shop around. Remember that if your child is required to have a yo-yo for school purposes, you do not have to purchase it through the school. Many stores stock yo-yo's of all price ranges. Curb commercialism by purchasing a cheaper model.

Teach safety rules at home. Parents should remind kids to be mindful of their surroundings when they swing their Yo-Yo's. Kids should stay away from other people and breakables when they are learning to control their Yo-Yo's.

Published by CWK Network
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