From See ‘n Say to Speak & Spell, and beyond, toys provide the soundtrack of our childhoods. Huge advancements in computer technology in recent decades mean that today’s toys can make a wider variety of sounds than ever before. In this episode, “The Toy Guy” Chris Byrne takes us on a nostalgic look back at the recent history of recorded sound in toys; then, with Dr. Hamid Djalilian, we consider what all that technological advancement means for young ears in the 21st century. 

Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound, and hosted by Dallas Taylor. Follow the show on Twitter, Facebook, & Reddit.Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Check out Chris Byrne’s podcast The Playground wherever you get your podcasts.Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/noiserusLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices