Slinky

Most toys are just fads that last for a few years and then go out of style. However, the Slinky toy has been a favorite since it first hit store shelves in 1945. The advertising jingle ("It's Slinky, it's Slinky, for fun it's a wonderful toy. It's fun for a girl and a boy.") still resonates among young and old alike. But how did this simple and yet incredibly fun toy get its beginning? It all started one day in 1943 when engineer Richard James dropped a tension spring on the ground and saw how it moved. Thinking he might be on to something a bit more fun and universal than a tension spring, he took the spring home to his wife, Betty, and the two of them tried to come up with a name for this potential toy. After searching and searching, Betty found the word "slinky" in the dictionary, which meant sinuous and stealthy. And the rest is. . .history!