“Star Wars” had an influence on the play habits of America’s youth, according to an article by Diane Nelson, communication specialist with the Iowa State Extension Service.

Nelson, also a freelance writer, recently had her article on how various historical events, like film and war, have impacted the evolution of children’s play published in the award-winning children’s magazine The Goldfinch.

The Goldfinch is a quarterly magazine published by the State Historical Society of Iowa aimed at educating youth about Iowa history.

According to Millie Frese, interim editor, each issue has a topical theme. The theme of the winter issue in which Nelson’s article appears is toys and games.

The “Star Wars” movies are one of the more recent examples of toys reflecting current culture, Nelson said. She was surprised by the number of academic studies done on toys.

Her research revealed that “Star Wars” altered the way in which kids play.

“With ‘Star Wars,’ kids made a switch,” Nelson said. “In the past kids imitated their parents; they played house, war or farmer. ‘Star Wars’ movies created play that was totally imaginary,” she said.

The “Star Wars” movies created a “big splash,” Nelson said. The success of the figurine sales indicated that toys could be used as a promotional ploy. “Disney experimented with this idea in the thirties and found it could work,” she said.

“The wars, of course, had an affect on toys,” Nelson said. “Soldier toys became very popular.”

Prior to World War I, toys were largely made in Germany, Nelson said. For obvious reasons the import of toys from that country ceased at the onset of the war.

“American toy producers began to do more,” Nelson said. It suddenly became politically incorrect to buy toys made in Germany. American manufacturers began to persuade consumers to buy American-made toys, she said.

During World War II, the federal government ordered toy manufacturers to stop using metal for toy production, Nelson said.

“They needed those [metal] supplies for war materials,” she said. “Some areas of the country held large metal drives and many children donated their toys.” Toy makers during this time experimented with other materials, such as cardboard and various kinds of plastic.

In the 1880s people primarily played board games, Nelson said.

“Games reflected events in history,” she said.

She said the industrial revolution had an impact because it made things easier to mass produce. With the invention of the automobile and the airplane, flying and racing games became popular.

Other articles appearing in the winter issue of The Goldfinch highlight how Iowans turned work into play with community socials and ethnic games from Mesquakie, Swedish and Czechoslovakian cultures, Frese said. Readers will also learn about the origins of two Iowa toy companies founded in the 1940s — the Ertl Company in Dyersville and Slik Toys in Lansing.

The Goldfinch is primarily aimed at children between the ages of eight and 15; however, Frese said it is enjoyable for children of all ages, including adults.

“It makes learning about history fun. I think it really helps kids get involved in history, something they are a part of everyday,” Frese said. Nelson agreed, “It tries to put Iowa history into their language.”

The Goldfinch has won numerous awards for excellence in educational literature for children, including the Parents’ Choice Award for excellence in children’s publishing.

Frese said the awards were great honors since The Goldfinch competes against national publications such as Ranger Rick and Crayola Kids.

“The magazine has no advertisements — we are strictly a non-profit educational publication,” Frese said.

Nelson will also have an article in the spring edition, which is focused on letters. Her article will be about ISU rose breeder Griffith Buck.