Toy:Crayola Beginnings Baby: Drop & See

The Binney & Smith Company of New York and Easton, Pennsylvania, began operations producing paints, school pencils, and dustless chalk for classroom use. In 1903, it introduced a box of eight Crayola crayons for 5 cents. For nearly 100 years, Crayola has dominated the wax crayon business. In fact, 98 out of every 100 consumers recognize the word "Crayola." Each year, the Toy Manufacturers of America list Crayola's box of 64 crayons as one of the best selling toys--selling better, in fact, than any year's Cabbage Patch doll, Tickle Me Elmo, or Furby. But even though Crayola has a sure winner with its line of crayons, it has added products to suit an ever more varied and sophisticated coloring consumer. For infants and toddlers, Crayola offers a number of products that use the senses and natural motion to explore and manipulate colors. The Beginning Babies Drop and See set consists of a molded plastic maze into which youngsters drop colorful balls--called TaDoodles. As the TaDoodles work their way through the maze, they pass through colored windows and seemingly change color themselves. The maze also contains levers and knobs to push and pull. Crayola's packaging promises that the set helps infants learn motor skills, eye-hand coordination, cause and effect, color recognition, and other skills and concepts.