What is a Rubber Ducky?
A rubber ducky or rubber duck is a toy which is manufactured in the shape of a duck. Many people associate the rubber ducky with bathing, thanks to a proliferation of duck shaped bath toys, and some people have very fond associations with rubber ducks, thanks to the famous Sesame Street song “Rubber Ducky.” In addition to making bath time “oh so fun,” in the words of Ernie, a rubber ducky can be used outside the bathtub. The origins of the rubber ducky date back to the mid-1800s, when rubber manufacturing began to rise in a major way, thanks to the development of vulcanization to condition rubber for commercial use. Several rubber companies started making rubber duckies as novelties, and apparently the trend spread. The association of ducks and water is certainly natural, and because rubber ducks were used to make bathing more enjoyable for toddlers and young children, this bathtub icon has come to be closely associated with childhood. Modern rubber ducks are actually made from plastic
