Forums > Off Topic > Your favorite childhood toy (besides videogames!)
DJP Mom (11333) on 5/22/2009 2:12 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
Wow, do I want to be a kid again!
When I was growing up in the prehistoric era we were pretty poor, and our toys were handed down to us from our grandparents - the building blocks we had were made of stone, and they were amazing. (they even have their own Wikipedia page as well as a company page and a fan website) You could make the greatest castles and walled roadways and run your jeep all...well, anyway, you get the picture!
*I forgot to mention, I still have these blocks :) I'm not sure what happened to the jeep, tho...
chirinea (47495) on 5/22/2009 2:38 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
Well, we also had building blocks similar to those here. But the ones we had at home were made out of wood, not stone (exactly like this, but probably released by another company). I liked those, but I liked other building blocks better: Rasti (here called Hering-Rasti). I remember building cars and space ships to be piloted by Playmobils. But when LEGO arrived here (around 85), I really got into it. It certainly was my favorite toy (besides videogames). I spent hours building whole cities to play with. I remember we also had some Tente toys, but they were not as cool as LEGO.
Big John WV (26954) on 5/22/2009 3:32 AM · Permalink · Report
I also loved Lincoln Logs and Legos, I still have some old Lincoln Logs from a while back. But my favorite was a set of toys that places like The Dime Store and Ames used to carry a while back, it was a building you would put together in sections and you can knock it down with construction equipment. It was some kind of demolition type of thing, sadly I lost them and can't find them anywhere.
vedder (70822) on 5/22/2009 8:29 AM · Permalink · Report
We had a lot of LEGOs, particulary space and medieval themed sets. I can't imagine the number of hours I played with those. I also had a bunch of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures, and when I got older Star Wars action figures (including an X-Wing). All those stuff is still in the attic somewhere, perhaps for the next generation to enjoy when they visit their grandparents :)
formercontrib (157510) on 5/22/2009 10:32 AM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Sciere wrote--]I pushed around matchbox toy cars on the carpet around the table in the living room all day, races of hundred laps and more, doing my own sound effects. [/Q --end Sciere wrote--]
Me too :)
GAMEBOY COLOR! (1990) on 5/22/2009 11:34 AM · Permalink · Report
I loved Hot Wheels cars ! I had the little tracks and everything ! I used to love the classic toys too, like army men, marbles (People used to give marbles by the pound it seemed like.) , and G.I Joe. (Mainly the six inch figures.) But probably my favorite was K'NEX ! I still had a huge box of those until I was 13 ! I never really had many Lego related toys, except for Bionicle. I was nuts about them ! I still have all of them, with only four or five peices missing.
Big John WV (26954) on 5/22/2009 6:33 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Sciere wrote--]I pushed around matchbox toy cars on the carpet around the table in the living room all day, races of hundred laps and more, doing my own sound effects.[/Q --end Sciere wrote--]
I used to have tons of Matchbox and Hotwheel cars, me and my cousin would go to my aunts big kitchen, he would get on one end and I would get on the other and we would hurl them across the floor at each other, often having the two cars smash into each other head on. Ah, good times and whoever said diecast was durable didn't meet me and my cousin, sadly, if only we knew how valuable those cars would be nowadays. To think I used to have a big rig matchbox that I got for 50 cents at a dime store and is worth close to $20 now.
St. Martyne (3648) on 5/22/2009 1:19 PM · edited · Permalink · Report
[Q --start DJP Mom wrote--]Wow, do I want to be a kid again!
[/Q --end DJP Mom wrote--]
Video games are not toys! Well, not all of them, at least...
Anyway, I love toys. I always wanted LEGO, but my parents have always told me that they are too expensive. And they still are. So, I had to get by with other toys.
My personal favourites have always been those construction toys, with lots of metallic parts, screws, nuts, blocks and wires. Sometimes, they were even electricity powered!
I don't know how widespread they were (are?) in the US or Europe, but in USSR they were pretty big. You could build anything with them - cranes, vehicles, houses, robots and other mechanical stuff. LEGO seemed a bit limited and childish in comparison, so I've worked my way through my childhood without any significant harm to my psyche.
Isn't it beautiful?
And, railways, of course. They were awesome.
chirinea (47495) on 5/22/2009 6:42 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start St_Martyne wrote--]My personal favourites have always been those construction toys, with lots of metallic parts, screws, nuts, blocks and wires. Sometimes, they were even electricity powered!
I don't know how widespread they were (are?) in the US or Europe, but in USSR they were pretty big. You could build anything with them - cranes, vehicles, houses, robots and other mechanical stuff. LEGO seemed a bit limited and childish in comparison, so I've worked my way through my childhood without any significant harm to my psyche.
[nice helicopter picture]
Isn't it beautiful?
And, railways, of course. They were awesome. [/Q --end St_Martyne wrote--] My brother had lots of those! I loved'em also!
Indra was here (20755) on 5/22/2009 5:52 PM · Permalink · Report
Toys and gifts were never really part of family tradition. Tight budget. I loved playing LEGO (when I wasn't swallowing or chewing on the pieces). Not quite sure if they were mine or pieces I nicked from school. Used to browse at the toystore for hours looking at matchbox cars. Don't recall ever buying one. Nope, don't recall having toys when I was a kid.
Unicorn Lynx (181775) on 5/23/2009 3:25 AM · Permalink · Report
Miniature railroads were my dream. I used to build complex networks all over the floor. Also loved little cars and buses.
But usually I didn't have enough patience for constructive stuff. And I mostly played with toy animals.
I had the finest collection of multi-colored plastic hamsters in the whole Soviet Union!
Big John WV (26954) on 5/23/2009 5:31 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start -Jaz- wrote--] Transformers! [/Q --end -Jaz- wrote--] Oh man, I remember when they first came out, they were awesome. Sad part is my nephew is getting into it now, but he likes the newer versions and he doesn't believe me that Transformers existed before 2007. I even showed him some of the cartoons from the 80's on youtube and he thinks they are fake and done recently. I don't mind him liking the new ones, in fact I like Barricade and BlackOut, but I want him to know that they were here long before he was born.
Indra was here (20755) on 5/23/2009 7:55 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Sizhi wrote--]I had the finest collection of multi-colored plastic hamsters in the whole Soviet Union! [/Q --end Sizhi wrote--] Sounds like a capitalist hobby! :)
Sicarius (61518) on 5/23/2009 3:51 PM · edited · Permalink · Report
I'm not too embarrassed to admit that my favorite toys were stuffed animals. Especially the ones from German-based manufacturer "Steiff" and from that collection I think I hugged the reclined deer the most. Their fur is soo unbelievably smooth...
Still have them of course. You don't throw away stuffed animals made by Steiff - they just transform from "toy" to "collector's item" :).
Donatello (466) on 5/24/2009 10:29 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
Mainly Army Men (the classic Lido WWII armies and cowboy/Indian sets) or 1:43 scale die-cast toy cars, not to mention various action figures (although I didn't have many of them), Legos, and even hand-made clay monsters!
We even used to put all our toys together with one guy and create a big kingdom the size of a room.
I sure did hate the kids who destroyed their toys, like melting or throwing them with rocks etc.
This reminds me that I often argue with my mom, who wants to throw all my toys out or give them away. Even though I haven't touched them in a while, I still like to think that I have a box full of various toys in the cupboard.
Indra was here (20755) on 5/25/2009 8:01 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Donatello wrote--]I sure did hate the kids who destroyed their toys, like melting or throwing them with rocks etc. [/Q --end Donatello wrote--] What about swallowing? I'm pretty sure there's a couple of lego pieces that are the source of my indegestion problems for the past 20 or so years. :p
xroox (3895) on 5/28/2009 12:35 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
[Q --start DJP Mom wrote--] Books count! :) [/Q --end DJP Mom wrote--] Hahaha :)
Here's one of my favourite childhood toys - The Magic Slate (cheap too!). I used to draw 'magic slate adventures' for my brother. They were based on my limited experience with text-and-graphics adventure games and choose-your-own-adventures. I'd make up a story as I was going along, drawing each location for him and asking him what he wanted to do next. As I was making it up, it was entirely my decision whether to put treasure or deadly spikes at the bottom of the well ;)
DJP Mom (11333) on 5/30/2009 12:47 AM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Sam Jeffreys wrote--] Here's one of my favourite childhood toys - The Magic Slate (cheap too!). I used to draw 'magic slate adventures' for my brother. They were based on my limited experience with text-and-graphics adventure games and choose-your-own-adventures. I'd make up a story as I was going along, drawing each location for him and asking him what he wanted to do next. As I was making it up, it was entirely my decision whether to put treasure or deadly spikes at the bottom of the well ;) [/Q --end Sam Jeffreys wrote--] Those things were loads of fun if they're the same ones I remember - with the plastic "pencil" to draw with, and lifting the top sheet erased your drawing?
How often did your brother get spiked? :)
Indra was here (20755) on 5/28/2009 6:46 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start DJP Mom wrote--] [Q2 --start Haoie wrote--]Books count right?
If not, Legos. [/Q2 --end Haoie wrote--] Books count! :) [/Q --end DJP Mom wrote--] If you use them as building blocks, yes. For its primary purpose, no. :)
DJP Mom (11333) on 5/30/2009 12:49 AM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Indra Depari of 'da Clan Depari wrote--] [Q2 --start DJP Mom wrote--] [Q3 --start Haoie wrote--]Books count right?
If not, Legos. [/Q3 --end Haoie wrote--] Books count! :) [/Q2 --end DJP Mom wrote--] If you use them as building blocks, yes. For its primary purpose, no. :) [/Q --end Indra Depari of 'da Clan Depari wrote--] Well, there were enough books in my house that we did occasionally use them as buidling blocks...
The Cliffe (1552) on 5/30/2009 12:27 AM · Permalink · Report
One word: SPINJAS. If you don't know what I'm talking about, stroll on over to Wikipedia and knowledgify yourself.