Yup Yo-Yo’s are a thing!

By Marnie Adams, Contributor @ Kids In Perth 20 Dec 2022

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Image/Video Credit: Kids In Perth, YouTube Channel

Some toys are classics that every home just has to have one.

Like the Chess set, Monopoly and then…

Like fashion, some classics come back in big ways for whatever reason…

Recently, just about every parent has been bugged to buy Rubik’s cubes of all shapes and sizes because of the emergence of speed cubing as a sport and, like all things, started by a Netflix documentary.

In this case, “Speedcubers”.

So what’s the next classic toy to come back around? Yo-yos. Yup yo-yos are a going to be a thing!

What’s more fun, satisfying and, frankly, hypnotic than throwing and catching a yo-yo?

Every 90s kid remembers having a Coca-Cola yo-yo and watching TV shows to learn tricks with, frankly, pretty average yo-yo’s.

Nowadays, yoyo’s have evolved to have bearings so they spin longer, making them more fun and forgiving to play and learn tricks!

Leading the popularity and emergence of yoyo-ing both as a toy and sport is Gentry Stein.

He’s like the Tony Hawk of yo-yoing before skateboarding became huge and Gentry has a large social following which he uses to dazzle and inspire everyone to try yo-yoing!

To help create this momentum, Gentry Stein has teamed up with the best yo-yo manufacturer in the world, Yo-Yo Factory, to release a signature yo-yo called the SpinStar.

Ahhh yes… every parent rolls their eyes whenever they hear “signature” or “limited edition” which almost always means “expensive”.

Not in this case… the Gentry Stein SpinStar that's only available at Woolworths is only $10!

"My goal has been to get as many yoyos in as many kids hands as possible, and so far its been a success!" says Gentry.

"I think the yoyo is one of the best activities for kids to do.

A lot of other toys you come across get boring after an hour or two because there’s only so many ways to play with them.

With a yoyo, it never gets boring because there’s always a new trick to challenge yourself with.

Biggest thing I’ve noticed in the thousands of kids I've taught how to yoyo, is the level of confidence a yoyo can bring into your life.

The sense of accomplishment after learning a new trick is extremely impactful for kids."

Having been playing with Gentry's yo-yo and dropping it many times, it’s been durable and lots of fun as a destresser from adulting.

After showing my son a couple of yo-yo videos, he’s been really enjoying the Spinstar and regularly searches YouTube for trick tutorials.

Above all, learning and adding tricks to the bag has been incredibly satisfying.

Let’s just pray they don’t make a cartoon out of Yo-Yoing as they did with spinning tops errr… I mean Beyblades.

Buy your own Gentry Stein Spinstar yo-yo at Woolworths.

Find everything you need to know about Yo-yo’ing below.

YoYo Factory - Gentry Stein - 20122022 - img2

Q + A | Get to know Gentry

Our questions to Gentry.

Q. Why should kids play the yo-yo these days?

Yoyo is something every kid can be good at.

You can take a yoyo with you anywhere and challenge yourself to get better.

In video games, you can level up, but it always stays in the game.

With yoyo, you can level up, and it’s real.

Q. What captivates you about the yo-yo?

The thing that captivates me most about yoyo is the creative possibilities.

There are an unlimited amount of tricks you can learn, and that’s just the beginning. Just like with dancing, the way a trick is performed can totally change the looks of it too. After learning just a couple tricks, you can really create your own style.

Q. Why is the yo-yo relevant today? Why should there be a Yo-yo in every home?

It’s becoming more and more common for us to spend our time zoned out of the real world and zoned into screens mindlessly watching or scrolling.

Yoyo is a mindful activity.

It challenges both the logical and creative sides of your brain, and it always brings a smile to your face.

Q. What was the hardest trick for you to master and why?

The hardest tricks are horizontal tricks. The yoyo spins sideways, so you have to fight gravity and keep the yoyo moving the whole time, which makes it super hard!

Q. How did you discover competitive yo-yo playing?

I went to a local yoyo shop in my hometown and joined a yoyo club. They also ran a local yoyo contest which was my first experience. Most people find out about competitive yoyoing through YouTube.

Q. What should a parent look for in a good Yo-Yo?

A good yoyo should make learning tricks easier.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of yoyos out there that don’t work well and make learning difficult.

I’ve just recently partnered with Woolworths to make my Spinstar yoyo with Yoyofactory available across Australia!

It’s designed to spin long and it’s easy to return to the hand. It’s the perfect yoyo to start with.

Q. Describe what the yo-yo means to you in 3 words.

Best. Job. Ever!

Q. How has Yo-yo’s evolve with technology?

The most important changes with technology are the ability to unscrew the yoyo when you get knots, as well as changes in the design that effect how long the yoyo spins. With wider inner gaps and more weight shifted to the outer rims of the yoyos, the yoyos spin much longer and there are way more tricks you can drop with them.

Q. Yo-yo playing has taken you around the world and given you amazing opportunities, with respect to success and mastering a craft, what’s 3 pieces of advice that you would give to a young kid to inspire them? What’s your secret?

Don’t be afraid to fail. Failure is the best opportunity to learn and get better. Everyone experiences it, so get back to it and keep trying!
Write down your goal. This way you have a constant reminder of why you want to keep working toward success.
Enjoy the process! It feels great to achieve the end goal, but once you reach it, you will realize enjoying the process is actually more important than reaching the end.

Q. How much practice do you do every day?

When training for the World Yoyo Contest, yoyo was always on my mind, and I would practice 6-8 hours a day. Now, yoyo is still always on my mind, but more of my time is spent creating yoyo content and making yoyo videos for my Tiktok and Youtube Channel.

Q. What keeps you excited and motivated to yo-yo every day?

Simple. It’s fun! Yoyo is the one thing that always brings fun into my life. I’m never bored as long as I have a yoyo with me.