Toy | duck

In 1970 the "Sesame Street" character Ernie sang "Rubber Duckie" in praise of his bathtub buddy, and the tune rose to No. 16 in the Billboard charts of popular songs. Ever since, children have sung along with Ernie and made the toy the quintessential icon of childhood. The rubber duck's popularity has hardly diminished since. The rubber duck has become a recognized symbol for infants, children, bathing, and bathrooms; it has evolved into a friendly tool for teaching developmental and cognitive skills to infants; it has developed into a cheerful motif for bed linens, wallpaper, nightlights, and all manner of consumer goods; and it represents a popular theme for baby showers and toddler birthday parties as well as a frequent character in children's books and stories.