Since it's the holiday season and we're in a playful mood, we're just going to come out and say it: toys rule!
It seems everyone has a memory of a favorite childhood toy: a doll, a truck, a ball or a game that brings warm memories immediately to the surface.
But toys and the play they inspire have been around for thousands of years, dating back to prehistory. And while the types and packaging may have changed, the point -- having fun and learning -- has not.
WBOI's Julia Meek invited clinical psychologist Carl Jylland-Halverson to share his thoughts on the origins and evolution of toys, and the timeless importance of play.