What the Kids are Collecting

Last week we spent some time discussing the reasoning behind the public’s NEED to collect even the most miniscule things. The reasons that were uncovered were actually very straight forward and  quite logical. So, now that you understand WHY people tend to accrue certain things, we hope to communicate the kind of objects that people have a habit of collecting. As the public is aware, Stikii is a children’s brand of footwear, which has motivated this blog to focus its discussion on the variety of items that a child would enjoy collecting. Kids have been forming collections for centuries, just like adults, but they tend to find different things more appealing to collect. The following, in random order, lists and discusses what we have found to be 10 of the most popular items collected by children over the years:

1. STICKERS

If you have been around kids long enough, you will have noticed that somehow, in some way, stickers tend to become a part of their daily routine. Stickers can be used to monitor progress, as a form of reward, some kids like to mark documents with stickers to remind them to return to something later, and others just find the novelties to be a cute and fun form of decoration for arts and crafts projects. If you are a teacher, you know exactly what I mean (its chaos if your stock of stickers suddenly depletes). Further than those many uses for stickers; children have also come to love to collect them. Kids thoroughly enjoy gathering up stickers and placing them in books or albums. There are an umpteen number of sticker shapes, styles, textures, sizes and characters. In reality, unless the child is focused on a specific category of stickers, this can be a hobby that never has to end!! Kids even get keen on trading and swapping stickers with their friends! In fact, sticker collections have become so popular that one can purchase quick-start sticker collections at toy stores and arts & crafts stores across the country.

2. BEANIE BABIES

During the mid-1990s, the Beanie Baby craze swept the nation. The cute, animal shaped bean bags by Ty Warner (the tags just read “ty”), were first introduced in 9 different forms. The Original 9, as they became known, were in no matter an instant success. Once Ty retired 11 different beanies, the remainder was swept off the shelves in a matter of hours, and the toys were an instant success and collector’s item because some would now be rare and difficult to find. Each different animal had a special name and poem printed on their red and yellow heart-shaped tags. The Original 9 released in 1993 included:

1. Chocolate the moose
2. Cubbie the bear
3. Flash the dolphin
4. Legs the frog
5. Patty the platypus
6. Pinchers the lobster
7. Splash the Orca Whale
8. Spot the dog
9. Squealer the pig

People traveled far and wide to collect the Originals as well as any other beanies that they could get their hands on. They became so popular that Ty, along with McDonalds, released “Teenie Beanies” for distribution in Happy Meals. Even THOSE became collectables. Special additions were released in honor of events such as a tribute to Princess Diana, or in honor of the Olympic Games. These collections were worth a lot of cash as well. Some rare additions can cell for hundreds of dollars each. Over a hundred different beanie babies have been produced over the years and, though they are no longer “hot” items, many people today are still looking to complete their collections.

3. POKEMON CARDS

When beanie babies were becoming popular with young girls (and of course some boys), the Pokémon Trading Card Game was introduced and was aimed to appeal to young boys. Pokémon TGC is a collectible card game based on the Pokémon video game series and was first introduced in Japan in late 1996, and then in the US in 1998. Types of cards included in sets were: Basic Pokémon, Evolved Pokémon, Baby Pokémon, Energy cards, Trainer cards and Multi-type cards. They can be categorized into 9 different categories: Grass, Fire, Water, Lightning, Psychic, Fighting, Darkness and Metal. Kids still collect mass amounts of these cards, and some even play the game in tournaments. Many cards and sets can also be worth some money. They can sell anywhere from near $1 for a regular card to THOUSANDS of dollars for completed rare sets.

4. BASEBALL CARDS

It is a rare occurrence to come across a baseball fan that has never purchased a pack of baseball cards. Actually, it is not unusual to come across non-fans purchasing packs for the sake of the gum included! Baseball cards came into play shortly after the introduction of professional baseball itself. At first, these cards were packaged as a “bonus” along with products such as tobacco, candy or gum, to help boost sales. Many collectors today focus their collections on, for example, a specific team, era, players and more. Cards can be purchased at places like hobby shops, general retailers, pawn shops, antique dealers and the internet. Cards, depending on age, rarity, and player, can be sold for a few dollars to hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions if you find the right buyer.

5. SILLY BANDZ

In the recent years, Silly Bandz, the crazy, colorful, animal/fun shaped rubber bands made of silicone, have become all the rage in the elementary age group. They stretch to fit around the wrist and then return to their original shape when taken off. Sets include zoo animals, dinosaurs, western themed, Rockbandz, sports, tropical, Barbie, Justin Bieber, and Marvel silly bandz to name a few. You can wear them, collect them or trade them with friends! Many kids think that it’s cool to collect as many bandz as possible and then see how many they can fit on each arm.

6. KEYCHAINS

Keychains were first developed to help a person find their keys in the morning, or as they dig through their pockets or purse, or as a means to recognize one’s own set of keys. They can be personalized and unique, and used to showcase something the owner is interested in and enjoys. However, a set of keys with dozens of keychains will end up getting in the way and becoming heavy. The solution? Start a keychain collection! Many people choose themes to follow for these collections, such as places they have traveled, quotes, or a specific animal. Some people even use keychains as Christmas tree ornaments! Kids love to collect these because it makes them feel grown up and they can attach and hang them in a variety of fun places. Children can also collect chains from their favorite television shows or favorite movie characters, which make the process extra enjoyable.

7. STAMPS

Like stickers, youngsters also enjoy collecting stamps. This is often an activity that is done with parents or another adult, because stamps have so much history and educational value attached to them. You can collect stamps of any kind, or select special areas to focus on. Popular areas include: airmail stamps, commemorative stamps, people on stamps, birds on stamps, holiday stamps and more. Stamps can also hold a great deal of value and kids will love inspecting them with magnifying glasses and placing them in albums with tweezers.

8. COINS

Coin collecting is a hobby enjoyed by children and adults alike. It is a wonderful opportunity for kids to learn. The images on coins can teach them about countries around the world as well as their own country. Kids have a ball collecting “money” and feel a bit “richer” with each coin they add to an empty slot in their books. A great, more recent, coin collecting hobby is collecting all 50 state quarters.

9. MARBLES

Kids have been playing with marbles for AGES, so it is obvious that they have been collecting them for that long as well. The wide array of colors and designs that they come in makes them all the more appealing to children. Collections of marbles can come from old games, or just random findings. Displaying them in clear jars makes for a great decoration too.

10. INSECTS

For the science and nature loving child, collecting insects is a great and educational hobby to begin. With adult supervision, kids can collect live or dead insects for display. They can be displayed in jars, vials or frames. Helping them to identify the type of critter, the wings, antennae and legs makes the process a learning experience. They also have a blast catching the bugs with nets, jars and other containers.

Collecting things is pleasurable, which is why, at Stikii, we have decided to sell our Stik-em accessories in a multitude of designs and shapes, along with packaging them in pairs. Children will be eager to build their collections of Stik-ems and will take pride in sharing them with their friends. Each Stik-em category can call for a different and separate collection!!Keep checking back to see when Stikiis and Stik-ems will be available to purchase.

Collect Stik-em's!