The craze of the bobbleheads that has been going since the mid 20th century, and which has developed further variations in the last decade has spun all sorts of different sizes, styles and techniques. Often they are seen as playful and sometimes simply childish. However behind their playful appearance lies a product that should not be mistaken for a toy for various reasons.
First of all there is the cost of a bobblehead. Unless the household income is extraordinary, it is highly unlikely that parents will buy a figurine for their kids, below age of 10 or 12, which is as expensive as a personalized bobblehead, and yet doesn’t do anything special, certainly not from the perspective of the child. Children are attracted to toys that show motion, lights or sound. Kids like the toy of the moment or something that will pose a challenge, like a puzzle.
If we take it one step further, we could even that bobbleheads are almost polar opposite with the digital toys and gadgets that kids grow up to and take for granted since and early age these days.
The painstaking process that must be followed by the master craftsman to create a personalized figurine resembling a photo is another reason why a bobblehead is not really a toy. The item is meant to sit on a shelf, be admired and be a friendly conversation starter as opposed to enduring the hardships that most toys and action figures will be submitted to by their ruthless little owners.
Additionally, bobbleheads are personalized to the whim of the person who orders them, and it is rarely the case that this design or its designer has incorporated knowledge of child-friendly figurines. It is not rare for personalized figurines to have pieces of jewelry or clothing that can break and easily be swallowed or find its way into a kid’s other cavities like ears and noses, which best case would warrant a visit to the doctor and some pliers going into uncomfortable places, and with really bad luck could result in infection or worse.
Finally, on a rather more boring angle, there are legal differences to which an item calling itself a toy is subject. A toy may require inspections, import permits and certifications of its safety. The materials used to build it, pack it and even paint it are extremely rigorous and a bobblehead, while friendly in these regards is not subject to the same amount of scrutiny.
Ultimately the use of bobbleheads marks the difference between a collectible and a toy. The first is something special meant to be cherished and kept, and the second one is a children’s item that is meant for fun and rough treatment.
Are there exceptions? Yes. Sometimes a bobblehead can be created to look like the child, and if instructed to give the figurine gentle treatment things can go well. Also children drawings and creations can be turned into beautiful personalized figurines that represent and immortalize them.
