Toys of yesteryear

[emily_in_nc]

We were also big fans of the 'little people' line from Fisher Price (when we were younger). Those all got recalled as well (and redsigned) because kids choked on those, too.

YESSSSSSSSSS! Little people, little people, little people! I just LOVED me some little people! Had no idea they eventually got recalled.

[Zen]

Some of the toys I don't know, the old standbys (Lincoln logs, Legos) I do.

i have my Matchbox car collection in it's carrying case and a Spirograph but I actually bought the Spirograph on ebay

[solobiker]

I use to play with my Dad's old army men he had when he was growing up.. He used to buy them on his way home from school back in the late 30s and early 40. They are definately not the plastic kind. He ended up giving me them which is pretty cool. I also had a Spirograph which was way too much fun, and of course legos. Other then that I used to spend most of my time playing outside.

[GLC1968]

Oh yeah...loved the Spirograph! My mom even used it to 'decorate' her holiday newsletter one year. And there was another creative 'toy' that we had where you put a blank white card into this spinning thing and squirted paint onto it while it was going around. Then you had these psychadelic designs on the cards when it dried. Anyone remember those and what it was called? Man - that thing made a mess (maybe that's why we loved it so much!).

Emily - I don't know that the little people were actually recalled, but they did stop making them in favor of a much larger version (that a child couldn't possibly swallow). My dad eventually worked for Fisher Price for a few years and was telling me about the end of the little people. Now, I believe they are just called "People". Original, huh? I loved the little school bus where the little people moved up and down as the bus wheels turned! And I was also a big fan of the farm set - go figure.

[Tuckervill]

SpinArt! You can actually pay money to do that at State Fairs these days.

I had Spirograph, and my sons had never heard of it. But one day I was at a garage sale and I saw a Spirograph from the same era as mine...the kids on the box were exactly the same. The pens were still in it, too! (They were dry of course.) I still bought it, for only 25 cents!

Karen

[emily_in_nc]

Emily - I don't know that the little people were actually recalled, but they did stop making them in favor of a much larger version (that a child couldn't possibly swallow). My dad eventually worked for Fisher Price for a few years and was telling me about the end of the little people. Now, I believe they are just called "People". Original, huh? I loved the little school bus where the little people moved up and down as the bus wheels turned! And I was also a big fan of the farm set - go figure.

My favorite "little people" item piece was that garage thing the cars and trucks for them to ride in and the curved ramp to drive up to the top level. My friend had most of the little people stuff, so I just played at her house.

I also loved Barbies, Spirograph, Legos, Lincoln Logs, classic games like Candyland and Clue and many, many other old toys and games. All that stuff was so cool! I guess kids today start with video games so early they never get to experience all the neat toys we had.

Did anyone happen to have this really cheesy "Mystery Date" game? You opened the door, and a "date" was behind it -- either a "cute" guy in a tux, or a bum, or a policeman, or whatever. I just loved that silly thing!

Oh, the memories. I am suddenly feeling very old.

[Deborajen]

I used to play "Mystery Date" at my friend's house all the time - totally cheesy, but we loved it.

We also had an old electric football set. It had some bubbles in the field that would make the players just stop and spin in the middle of the field or suddenly take off and go out of bounds. The "kicker" was the best part. It was a springboard of sorts. If you pressed down on it much at all it would shoot the tiny football all the way across the living room and down the hall past both bedrooms. Quite a change from the precise video games nowadays!

Deb

[Tuckervill]

All that stuff was so cool! I guess kids today start with video games so early they never get to experience all the neat toys we had.

Then what explains the garage full of every imaginable toy, PLUS all the game systems left over from 26 years of raising kids?

Karen

[blueskies]

I used to play "Mystery Date" at my friend's house all the time - totally cheesy, but we loved it.

Deb

Hey Deb,

Soon as I read this, I could hear the jingle:

Open the door
For your
Mystery date!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHsQpTbQ9Uo

Thanks for putting a smile on my face!