Who needs toys when I can have rawhide?!

Why is it that when a child is surrounded by toys, they choose to play with anything and everything else? My son, for instance, is at the moment mesmerized by a box of paperclips. He doesn't even have the box open, but instead is shaking and touching the box. I think toymakers should reconsider the toys they make and start making toy leaves, toy paper, and toy rawhides for kids. I'm sure that they could even be made without lead paint. I know I'd buy them because those are some of Ashton's favorite things to try to play with and put in his mouth. It's amazing how much of a struggle it is to pry things out of those little fingers.