Toys Toys Toys
Whenever I see a toy I had or wanted when I was a kid, I feel a pang of regret that I don’t have it now.
I still wish I had my Inchworm, and not because I wish my daughter could play with it… I just want to look at it through a misty haze of memories and think how great it was to grow up in the 70s…
And there’s this Wizard of Oz set that they have on display at the Please Touch Museum
I take a picture of it every time I go… I had this whole set, and a quick google shows that you can get it for 169.99 pounds on ebay. Where did it end up? A yard sale? Salvation Army?
This weekend, we were organizing our storage closet, and I realized that I actually have some pretty great toys from my chilhood, and that I shouldn’t lament the fact that I no longer have my Inchworm or my red Panasonic tape recorder.
Some of the gems include:
Hickory Hedgehog and Duffy the Cat, whom I met at Reading Hospital when I had my tonsils out– Duffy the first time in 1981, Hickory the second time, in 1983. Aren’t they the sweetest?
The Wham-O Magic Window. I don’t really know what it does, but it sure is cool!
A goody box…
including… an incomplete set of Return of the Jedi cards and stickers
I am 98% sure if we continue organizing the closet I will find a COMPLETE set of E.T.cards from Topps.
This Big Bird postal carrier wasn’t my toy… we bought this for my grandfather as a gift– he had been a mailman. Now it’s one of Lilia’s toys.
I thought I had more Smurfs, but here is an aerial view of the fifteen I found in the shoebox… and one unicorn, or course.
My viewmaster collection:
The viewer isn’t as old as some of the disks, because I remember buying it either in middle or high school. It is still old, because it says “Made in the USA”. I bet new ones aren’t made in the USA now! Maybe I bought it when I got this great Michael Jackson Thriller set on Viewmaster:
My Keymonica (I didn’t find this in the closet– this was already donated to Lilia’s toys a while ago, but it is my original 70s toy and sounds great!):
And the Fisher-Price Movie Viewer:
The box only had this Sesame Street Numbers tape, but I’m sure I have more somewhere…
And one last retro item that isn’t something I just found, but I think it fits with this post…
My small collection of Warner Brothers character glasses!
Well, I hope you enjoyed my walk down memory lane. What are some toys you wish you still had? What are some toys you are glad you still have? I look at Lilia’s toys and besides the stuffed animals, I just don’t see how her toys will last another few years, let alone over 30… Do you think any of today’s toys will be coveted in 35 years on ebay?
Tags: fisher price movie viewer, smurfs, Topps collecting cards, toys from the seventies, warner brothers glasses, wham o magic window
April 9th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
Have you seen that they’re selling smurfs at Target?
[Reply]
laurushka reply on April 9th, 2009:
I didn’t see them at Target, but I saw them at the Please Touch Museum today. Did they ever stop making them? They didn’t seem as solid as the ones I have.
April 9th, 2009 at 10:52 pm
Did you see that Fisher Price has a bunch of retro toys they’ve re-released? A few kitschy pull toys, the old TV, the pull phone, and a few others I’m blanking on right now.
And in honor of the Little People turning 50 this month they’ve released a bunch of the original sets- the school house, the farm and a few others. They kept the little people big like they are now, but they’re shaped like the old ones. http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Little-People-Nostalgic-Anniversary/dp/B001ZNPA74/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1239331937&sr=1-2
[Reply]
laurushka reply on April 10th, 2009:
Oh yeah, I’ve seen those and have been tempted to get them… till I see the price!
Another toy I regret not having anymore is the Fisher Price airport. I think I have a picture of me getting it for my birthday, with a Grover puppet (which I think I still have in a box in the basement).
April 9th, 2009 at 11:35 pm
Nice post. I had a view finder when I was a kid. Unfortunately my mom was the type to throw out the toys, so I only have a few that I kept. I think my sister gave some to her daughter. However, I still have my first stuffed doggy that my grandma got me when I was born.
[Reply]
laurushka reply on April 10th, 2009:
Glad you still have the doggy! I’m sure as the oldest, your toys were passed down to your sister next, and she felt they were hers. I have a copy of Little Bear where my sister had her name printed inside, and I crossed out her name and wrote mine in its place. Oh boy.
April 10th, 2009 at 8:43 am
How does that camera work? I never had one of those! Reply to my email?
[Reply]
laurushka reply on April 10th, 2009:
Anonymous, I don’t see your email!
And you are anonymous!
You put a cartridge in, and turn the handle, which turns the frames so it looks like a movie– you can make it go fast or slow or backwards or forwards.
It is not electronic, which is what makes it hold up so great.
laurushka reply on April 10th, 2009:
PS, if you were in a dark room, it wouldn’t work– it works best when you hold it towards the light.
April 10th, 2009 at 10:59 am
Boy this sure brings back good memories. We’ve been buying the girls smurfs at the Village Toy Shoppe in Peddler’s Village. That place is great – lots of hard to find toys and collectibles. Unfortunately, my parents gave all of our toys away to a family friend when they moved from Jenkintown to New Hope. My children lament the loss like you wouldn’t believe. My very favorite toys growing up were Fisher Price Little People. I played with them until Junior High (no one knew!) I still have a few of them, though they’re ones I’ve picked up at thrift shops. I remember having a little people-like Holiday Inn too – I vividly recall the bathtun and toilet in the room being square though – as well as the people who went into them. Does anyone know what these were called??
[Reply]
laurushka reply on April 10th, 2009:
I remember the Holiday Inn too… someone must have had it, because I sure didn’t. It looks like it was from Playskool–
This link probably won’t last forever, but it’s for a listing on craigslist:
http://detroit.craigslist.org/tag/1098985638.html
April 13th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
OH MY GOOODNESSS!! Laura – this’s IT! MAN _ I would LOVE LOVE LOVEEE to have one of those again. Totally brings back the memories. If only they had some of the square people to go w/ it. I clearly remember there being at least one white guy and a black guy too. PS: Hope you guys had a wonderful Easter! xo
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