In this post, rather than just talk about one specific kind of toy, I wanted to talk about the anticipation of getting toys, especially Christmas toys. Looking back, I am pretty sure that as a young child I got more enjoyment and excitement from looking at toys in a catalog and anticipating the fun I would have with them than I got from having the real thing. It really is true that if you have a good imagination then you can go anywhere and do anything, and that's the way it was for me and toy catalogs. You weren't limited to one or two toys, you had everything at your disposal and you could do anything you wanted with them. I remember looking at the twisty, turny loop the loop matchbox car tracks, the cases that would hold a hundred or more matchbox cars and imagining what could be done with all of that.
I also remember looking at the tents, sleeping bags and other camping equipment and imagining all the great adventures, the toy spy equipment, the magic sets, the model kits. The point is that those toys did not just do what they were supposed to do, they left plenty of room for invention and allowed you to make them so much more because they fired up your imagination. As fun as video games can be, they don't really allow for this. They are what they are and that is it. Hopefully these kinds of toys will never go away because I think kids need those kinds of toys. Sometimes timeless toys stay around a long time, but they have a modern spin on them. My nephews love their lego spongebob sets but they are really the same toy that I played with years ago. Classic toys change and adapt but they stay essentially the same. They are classic because they engage us, we don't just play with them.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
Erector Sets are Still Around
In this day and age, you wouldn't expect kids to get too excited about a toy that involves the simple task of attaching pre-shaped pieces of metal to each other to create models. And yet, Erector sets remain one of the tried and true toys. There is some kind of an inherent attraction when it comes to little kids getting the chance to use something that comes close to being like the toys and hardware they see grown ups using. It might be a toy, but it also seems like they are able to do things from the world of adults. The fact that when they have finished using them they also have a unique, very individual toy that they themselves have created makes it all that much more attractive.
I also remember loving the fact that you could either by specific sets that were meant to create a specific model, or you could bye the bigger sets that had no specific purpose in mind. But it really didn't matter, because in the end they all worked together interchangeably. That meant that I was only limited by my own imagination when it came to constructing new creations. And the good old erector sets are still around. They have come up with new motors and other electronics but the toy remains fundamentally the same as it ever did. There's comfort in that fact.
I also remember loving the fact that you could either by specific sets that were meant to create a specific model, or you could bye the bigger sets that had no specific purpose in mind. But it really didn't matter, because in the end they all worked together interchangeably. That meant that I was only limited by my own imagination when it came to constructing new creations. And the good old erector sets are still around. They have come up with new motors and other electronics but the toy remains fundamentally the same as it ever did. There's comfort in that fact.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Fisher-Price Toys
Fisher-Price has developed and sold almost 5,000 different toys over the last seventy years. That's a lot of toys for a lot of different generations of kids. It's amazing that you can be a kid now and enjoy these toys, and have grand parents who did the same. Some of the best loved Fisher-Price toys have included the View-master, Power Wheels, Rescue heros and, of course, the Little People.
One of my favorites was the Chatter Telephone. Maybe that name doesn't sound familiar but I know that you remember, and probably played with, this toy. This is the plastic telephone that has wheels. You pull it along on a cord and the eyes move around and it makes a happy chattering sound. I have clear memories of one of the first Christmases I can remeber, and I must have recieved a chattering telephone that year. I remember pulling it around the Christmas tree endlessly that year, making believe that I was taking it on a long journey. This is one of those toys that you keep around for years, and later when you're a teenager you would be embaressed to admit that you didn't want to get rid of it, even though you would never dream of playing with it again. At least not when somebody else is around! Its funny how time can change our perspective on things. I have watched my nephew play with his Baby Einstein Count and Compose Piano
One of my favorites was the Chatter Telephone. Maybe that name doesn't sound familiar but I know that you remember, and probably played with, this toy. This is the plastic telephone that has wheels. You pull it along on a cord and the eyes move around and it makes a happy chattering sound. I have clear memories of one of the first Christmases I can remeber, and I must have recieved a chattering telephone that year. I remember pulling it around the Christmas tree endlessly that year, making believe that I was taking it on a long journey. This is one of those toys that you keep around for years, and later when you're a teenager you would be embaressed to admit that you didn't want to get rid of it, even though you would never dream of playing with it again. At least not when somebody else is around! Its funny how time can change our perspective on things. I have watched my nephew play with his Baby Einstein Count and Compose Piano
Monday, November 9, 2009
Mr. Potato Head
Sure Mr. Potato head is one of those classic toys that almost everyone remembers fondly. The amazing thing is that it is such a simple toy, when you think about it. It consists mainly of a handful of plastic eyes, noses, ears and other body parts. That's it. And yet if you've played with it you know that there is a lot of fun to be had in sticking these simple plastic parts into a potato and letting your imagination run wild.
Created in 1952 by George Lerner, Mr. Potato head was originally meant to be included in cereal boxes as the toy. The potential for this new, strange toy was quickly seen, and the breakfast cereal version was soon scraped. The rest if pretty much history.
As if that wasn't enough, the Mr. Potato Head toy was further imortalized when it was included as a character in the Toy Story movies.
In the mid 1970s the size of the potato portion of the toy was doubled, and the size of the individual parts was also enlarged, to make the toy safer. The thinking was that larger parts would make it harder to be a choking hazard. The increased size also opened the toy up to a new market of smaller children because they could more easily manipulate the larger parts.
Created in 1952 by George Lerner, Mr. Potato head was originally meant to be included in cereal boxes as the toy. The potential for this new, strange toy was quickly seen, and the breakfast cereal version was soon scraped. The rest if pretty much history.
As if that wasn't enough, the Mr. Potato Head toy was further imortalized when it was included as a character in the Toy Story movies.
In the mid 1970s the size of the potato portion of the toy was doubled, and the size of the individual parts was also enlarged, to make the toy safer. The thinking was that larger parts would make it harder to be a choking hazard. The increased size also opened the toy up to a new market of smaller children because they could more easily manipulate the larger parts.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Welcome to My Top Toys
Welcome to a new site, which I am calling My Top Toys. This blog is all about toys, specifically my personal favorite toys, both now and when I was a child. Maybe I will share some favorites with you, or you could tell me about some of yours. The aim is to have fun and bring some great toys to your attention. Although there are certainly differences between the toys of today and those of yesterday, it is amazing how much stays the same when it comes to what toys are popular. Lincoln logs and legos are as popular now as they ever were. Join me on a journey through the fun world of toys. Although I will be talking about some of the toys from my earlier years, that doesn't mean that I won't be covering some of the more modern toys. I don't discriminate between modern or classic toys. There is nothing that says that older wooden toys are any better than the newest wii or Xbox 360 game. The goal of any toy is to create fun and excitement for the user.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)