Toys of yesteryear

[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

[tulip]

I loved Spirograph, as well as making potholders--remember the loops and the toothed frame?

I did not like Operation. I hated that buzz, not to mention the thought of operating on someone!

[Zen]

those potholders always shrunk to about the size of a coaster. If they could just stay the same size they'd be good quality potholders.

I may just look for one of those and go into business

[tulip]

You could make a bigger one...but the loops would have to be bigger, too. We had lots of potholders. I actually found one in the back of my folk's drawer in the kitchen a while back. It must be 30 years old! Yes, it is coaster-size, and more of a parallelogram.

[Aggie_Ama]

We would make multiple potholders and then Mammaw would help us join them together.

[Aggie_Ama]

My Mammaw was constantly going out to her shed and bringing toys from her kids, I was in heaven. She never bought anything modern except a swing set and beads or yarn to make crafts for us grandkids. My aunt was born in 1944, my uncle 1950, my mom is the baby from 1955. Their toys were great! She had an old Chinese checkers board no one new how to play but she had a ton of marbles, we would just arrange them on the board.

[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!

[emily_in_nc]

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!

Oh, how wonderful -- I was the one who originally mentioned this game. Seeing the commercial brought it all back. The ultimate cheese! I could have been one of those girls in the ad, ringlets and all...

I just can't get over how much times have changed since I was a girl!

[Deborajen]

It was definitely Emily who brought up that cool memory - boy, the things we used to do to gush over cute guys! My friend and I used to collect baseball cards, too. We'd give a lot of the "valuable" ones to our brothers - just so we got to keep the cute ones.

Who would've thought you could find something like that on You Tube? That was great - thanks for sharing!

Deb

[malkin]

Hearthsong has those pot holder looms. Real metal ones.

http://www.hearthsong.com/hearthsong...c=1005&pgc=198

[Aggie_Ama]

Hearthsong has those pot holder looms. Real metal ones.

http://www.hearthsong.com/hearthsong...c=1005&pgc=198

You rock!! I was telling my husband that I wanted to see if my Mammaw still had these for our almost 6 year old niece who loves crafts. But if not I see what she is getting for her birthday come June. She will have a blast I think.