Old Fashioned Games

Do you remember Tinker Toys? Me and my brother would spend hours and hours building our...well what do I call them? They weren't exactly houses or people. Well I'll say we spent hours creating our creations. Then we'd just sit back and wait for the other to have to leave, for any reason, and destroy eachother's "creations." Just to have to start all over again.

The landmark fashion doll and cultural icon was launched in 1959. In the mid 1940's, a young ambitious couple Ruth and Elliot Handler, owned a company that made picture frames. Elliot began to use the scraps of wood from picture frames to make doll furniture. This was the beginning of their toy business. In 1945 that Ruth and Elliot Handler joined with their close friend Harold Mattson to form a company that would eventuall become the most famous and successful doll ever created. This company would be named Mattel.

Later in the mid 50's, while visiting Switzerland, Ruth Handler purchased a German Lilli doll. Lilli was a pretty fashion doll. Lilli was made of hard plastic with molded on shoes and earrings. She was available in 11 ½" or 7" in heights. Her hair was long and pulled back into a ponytail. There was a large wardrobe available for this doll. Lilli is the doll that would inspire Ruth Handler to design the Barbie doll.

Ruth thought and thought about this. She figures out what she wanted her doll to look like. With the help of her technicians and engineers at Mattel, Barbie was born. Ruth then hired a fashion designer, to create Barbies wardrobe. In 1958 the patent for Barbie was obtained. Barbie has become modernized now. She has a boyfriend and friends and comes in many races and looks. She even has tattoos.

But even though there are so many fun and beautiful styles, I can still remember each of the Barbies I played with at my Grandmas. The ones that my Great Grandma sewed all the clothes for.

I have to say these were my all time favorite toy when I was little. I would spend hours playing with these. Not only was it fun trying on all the fancy clothes that came with the book, but making your own and cutting them out was fun too. I just remember sitting at my grandmas, as she would always buy me new books, and it would keep me busy for hours.

The "Big Wheel" was first developed by Louis Marx Toys in 1969. It was first presented to the public at the New York Toy Fair. It was a hit right off the bat. It was first know as the Hot Cycle. By the late seventies the "Big Wheel" had grown to become a house hold brand name. Most every family in America had a Big Wheel in the garage.

How many Big Wheels did you have in your garage?

"What walks down stairs, alone or in pairs, And makes a slinkity sound?
A spring, a spring, a marvelous thing, Everyone knows it's Slinky%u2026
It's Slinky, it's Slinky, for fun it's a wonderful toy
It's Slinky, it's Slinky, it's fun for a girl and a boy

I think we can all remember singing along to that jingle!

The slinky was invented by a man named Richard James. In 1943, Richard was a naval engineer that worked with springs. One day while working he dropped one of the springs he was working with, and as he watched the spring walk along the floor, an idea was born

In 1943, Richard James was a naval engineer trying to develop a meter designed to monitor horsepower on naval battleships. Richard was working with tension springs when one of the springs fell to the ground. He saw how the spring kept moving after it hit the ground and an idea for a toy was born.

Did you know that in 1939 the View Master originally was marketed as a way for viewers to look at their favorite tourist attraction pictures? Yes, it was mostly sold at touriest attraction shops with canyon and cave pictures on them. Then in 1942 the US Military bought thousands of them to use in training. It wasn't until the late 60's that it started to become kid friendly. Do you remember what your disks were about?

Don't get electricuted! This game is all about the motor skills. Warning: Not for the shaky handed. This game was marketted by Milton Bradley, and currently made by Hasbro. It has been in production since 1965, the year in which the game was invented by John Spinello.

Everyone loves the Sock Monkey. Even now, they have come back in popularity. The truth is, noone is exactly sure when or where they originated. Sometimes in the Victorian Era. But it wasn't until 1869 when John Nelson, a Swedish immigrant to the United States, began manufacturing work socks in Rockford, Illinois in 1890. In 1932 the Nelson Knitting Company started making iconic sock monkeys made with the red-heeled socks.

Silly Putty has been around for 50 years now, and is known as a classic kids toy. But it was actually discovered in a lab where it was created by accident during research into potential rubber substitutes for use by the United States in World War II.

My memories of playing with silly putty, were getting my dads newspapers out, and pushing the putty down on the faces of people in the pictures. Then the pictures would be copied onto the putty, and it was sooo fun to be able to stretch the faces into funny expressions and shapes.

These fighting robots were a popular game back in the day! Marvin Glass and Associates created this toy in 1964. The point of this game was to keep hitting eachother until you knock the other robots head off.

I can still hear the sounds of my little brother and his friends sitting in the next room playing this game.

Could there be a scarier toy? Sorry, just my opinion. I had one at my Grandma's house. I used to hide it in the bottom of my toy box. Than again, I have an irrational fear of clowns. Maybe some kids would find a clown jumping out at you out of a box that plays music fun?

I think everyone remembers just old fashioned sledding. Not all the fancy stuff there is now. But just grabbing your wood sled, bundling up and hitting the neighborhood hills!

He was a rubbery muscle bound man that could be stretched out and then would return to his normal state. He is a collectible now. He was originally marketed in 1976.

I think we can all remember having one of these. Not only did I have one, but I remember buying one for my kids! The Chatter Telephone is a pull toy for young kids. It came out in 1962 by Fisher-Price. It has a smiling face, and when the toy is pulled, it makes a chattering sound and the eyes move up and down. The toy has a rotary dial that rings a bell, and was conceived as a way to teach children how to dial a phone. I loved this toy.

Who didn't love these? You could spell out a message to Mom on the refrigerator, or decorate your toy box with fun messages! Loved, loved, loved these! And what a good way to start teaching children how to spell.

Click on below picture to purchase magnetic letter!

All I can say about these little plastic army figures, is I remember my brother playing for hours with these. He would have them set up in his room, outsite in the woods, he even had a big wooden homemade fort to put them in. We were not allowed to call it a doll house. It was a fort!

Hop on Pop

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Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You :
Dr. Seuss's Book of Wonderful Noises
(Bright and Early Board Books)

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Dr. Seuss's Second Beginner Book Collection

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Your Favorite Seuss:
A Baker's Dozen by the One and Only Dr. Seuss

Now that I've got that little jingle stuck in your head. Let's just admit it. We STILL like playing with this toy!

Mr Potato Head was invented and developed by George Lerner in 1949, and first manufactured and distributed by Hasbro in 1952. Mr. Potato Head was the first toy advertised on television.

Then came Mrs Potato Head.



She doesn't look to happy does she?

Fisher-Price Little People Animal Sounds Farm

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Fisher-Price Little People Zoo Talkers Animal Sounds Zoo

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Learning Resources Jumbo Farm Animals, Set of 7

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John Deere
Animal Sounds Hay Ride

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Fisher-Price Little People Play 'n Go Farm

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Little People Nostalgic Figure Four-Pack with Husband, Wife, Fireman, & Dalmation.

Playskool Weebles 2-Pack
Sports

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Playskool Weebles Treehouse Playset

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Playskool Weebles Playset

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Weebleville Town Center

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Playskool Weebles Playground

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Fisher-Price Little People Zoo Talkers Animal Sounds Zoo

Tiny Tears was a doll made by the American Character Doll Company. She came out in the 50's and remained in production through the early 1960s. She was the first doll who could shed tears from two tiny holes on either side of her nose when her stomach was pressed after being filled with water from her baby bottle. Tiny Tears also came with a baby bottle and a small pipe that blew bubbles when filled with a soapy solution and inserted into the doll's mouth. Tiny Tears became one of the most popular dolls in the 50's.

I could go on and on with these classic toys. I hope you enjoyed a trip down retro road! Maybe it's time to bring out those old vintage dolls and give your granddaughter a little lesson on history. Tell her what it was like when you were a little girl.

Or maybe it's time for Grandpa to sit on the floor and play army guys with his grandson. A little history lesson maybe in order? I bet one day he will love to sit back and remember the old war stories Grandpa used to tell him.

FS-USA/Mega Marbles New Generation Marble Set

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Marble Set

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Mega Marbles SET OF 24 ASSORTED 5/8" PLAYER MARBLES

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Marble Race Deluxe

I know every little girl in the world had to have one of these! This was my favorite toy when I was little. Still to this day chocolate cake is my favorite.

Easy Bake Oven

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Easy Bake Chocolate Brownie Dessert MIX Kids Oven

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Hasbro Easy Bake Oven Fudgy Chocolate Chip Cookie Mixes

Marbles-Vintage Games Edition

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Channel Craft Toy Tin Marbles Game

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Trouble Board Game

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Connect Four

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Vintage 1949 Cootie Game

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Clue Vintage Detective Game
(1986)

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Rock 'Em Sock 'Em ROBOTS Game

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Parker Brothers Vintage Game Collection Wooden Book Box The Game of Life

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Don't Spill the Beans

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Urban Myth Board Game

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Vintage Yahtzee 1978 Game

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Playskool Strawberry Shortcake 30th Anniversary Collection Vintage Style

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Smurf Movie Set Styles may vary