There seems never to have been a civilization without toys, but when and how they developed is unknown. They probably came about just to give children something to do. In the ancient world, as in today's world, most boys played with some form of toy and most girls with another. (1)________________________. Boys and girls are being prepared, even in play, and girls after the tasks of their mothers. to step into the roles and responsibilities of the adult world. What is remarkable about the history of toys, but how they remained the same is not how they changed over the centuries. Changes have come mostly in terms of craftsmanship, mechanics, and technology. Generally the same kinds of toys appeared around the world. (2)____________________________. Nearly every civilization had dolls, little weapons, toy soldiers, tiny animals and vehicles. Toys can be regarded as an art form, as they have not been subjected to technological leaps that characterize inventions for adult use. The progress from the wheel to the oxcart to the automobile is a direct line of way up. (3)______________________________, however, is not characterized by invention. Each doll is the product of the artistic tastes of the times and subject to the limitations of available materials.